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Gong Hyo Jin Talks About Exploring ‘Adaptability’ in ‘A Bona Fide Killer’ and Why the Drama Is ‘Uniquely Fresh’

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<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width: 960px; display: block;" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1788146394804A Bona Fide Killer poster.png" style="width: 960px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"><span class="fr-inner">Gong Hyo Jin and Jung Joon Won in &quot;A Bona Fide Killer&quot;</span></span></span></div><div><br></div><p><strong>Gong Hyo Jin</strong> is a K-drama superstar who&#39;s been part of the entertainment industry since 1999. She has played many roles throughout her career. In K-dramas, she&#39;s taken on several jobs: a chef (<em>Pasta</em>), a psychiatrist (<em>It&#39;s Okay, That&#39;s Love</em>), a TV producer (<em>The Producers</em>), a broadcaster (<em>Don&#39;t Dare to Dream</em>), a bar owner (<em>When the Camellia Blooms</em>), and even an astronaut (<em>When the Stars Gossip</em>). She&#39;s also no stranger to the role of a mother. But a housewife, who leads a secret life as a vigilante and a professional sniper? Whether you&#39;re a long-time fan of Gong Hyo Jin, an avid K-drama fan, or a casual viewer, the actress&rsquo; latest series, <strong><em>A Bona Fide Killer</em></strong>, is worth binge-watching.&nbsp;</p><p>In <em>A Bona Fide Killer</em>, Gong Hyo Jin&#39;s <strong>Yoo Bo-na</strong> goes by the moniker &ldquo;<strong>Kingfisher</strong>,&rdquo; the professional assassin her husband, <strong>Kwon Tae-soon</strong> (<strong>Jung Joon-won</strong>), has been chasing as a journalist. With such a layered, complex role, there was a lot of balancing act for Gong Hyo Jin, just like her character, who navigates work-life balance after returning to work following her maternity leave alongside keeping her secret and ensuring her family&#39;s protection and happiness.&nbsp;</p><div><br></div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-1" src="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DbIZGcVFDJ_/embed/?cr=1&v=14&wp=810&rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A1%2C%22os%22%3A974340.8000000045%2C%22ls%22%3A28173.39999999851%2C%22le%22%3A28417.10000000149%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" frameborder="0" height="486" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-1" scrolling="no" style="background: white; max-width: 540px; width: calc(100% - 2px); border-radius: 3px; border: 1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219); box-shadow: none; display: block; margin: 0px 0px 12px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0px;"></iframe><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><br></div><div><br></div><p>Gong Hyo Jin is known for being a great drama actress, but an action series is quite a new offering for her fans. Although she was a cast member of action projects like 2019&#39;s <em>Hit-and-Run Squad</em>, where she played an inspector, suspense drama <em>A Bona Fide Killer&nbsp;</em>showcases Gong Hyo Jin like never before, displaying versatility for high-stakes missions and the everyday realities of marriage, motherhood, and family life.</p><p>In an interview with <strong>Metro.Style</strong>, Gong Hyo Jin said, &ldquo;I learned kickboxing while preparing for this project. Pouring out energy to the point of a full-body workout was so much fun, and I really enjoyed the exhilarating sense of impact and stress relief it brought.&rdquo;</p><div><br></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=476&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Freel%2F1776156447062281%2F&show_text=false&width=476&t=0" width="476" height="476" style="border:none;overflow:hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><p>When asked how she relates to her character, Yoo Bo-na, in terms of personality, she mentioned adaptability, which she thinks she also possesses. &ldquo;Yoo Bo-na adapts flexibly to any situation. When reading the webtoon, the first thing I noticed was her adaptability&mdash;whether handling her role as a daughter-in-law or navigating interactions among mothers at the daycare. I also possess a certain adaptability developed through my career as an actor, so I felt a real connection between us in that regard.&rdquo;&nbsp;</p><p>Projects like <em>A Bona Fide Killer&nbsp;</em>further prove Gong Hyo Jin&#39;s passion for acting&mdash;that despite being in the business for over 25 years, she&#39;s still embracing learning and improving in her craft. Portraying Yoo Bo-na also challenged her to tap into her flexibility to switch her mode in acting according to what a scene requires, and quickly, at that.&nbsp;</p><div><br></div><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-6" src="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DcVUUO0DCHw/embed/?cr=1&v=14&wp=810&rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A6%2C%22os%22%3A1045210.799999997%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" frameborder="0" height="857" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-6" scrolling="no" style="background: white; max-width: 540px; width: calc(100% - 2px); border-radius: 3px; border: 1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219); box-shadow: none; display: block; margin: 0px 0px 12px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0px;" spellcheck="false"></iframe></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><br></div><p>Opening up about the two personas she had to focus on for <em>A &nbsp;Bona Fide Killer</em>, Gong Hyo Jin told Metro.Style, &ldquo;What drew me to <em>A Bona Fide Killer&nbsp;</em>was that the narrative centers on Yoo Bo-na&rsquo;s ordinary daily routine as a working mother. In her everyday life, I portrayed Bo-na as kind and always wearing a smile; as a killer, I prepared a dry, unwavering demeanor unlike anything I&rsquo;ve shown in previous roles. I tried to fluidly navigate that gap between two contrasting sides: the mother living every moment to the fullest for her family, and the cold-headed killer.&rdquo;</p><p>Beyond the exciting, action-packed scenes, there are also tender moments that show a married couple, albeit an extraordinary one, dealing with the relatable realities of family life. &ldquo;Although her husband, Taesung, is hunting &lsquo;Kingfisher,&rsquo; he never suspects for a moment that the figure could be his own wife. Rather than doubting each other directly, the dynamic stays tense as they remain wary of the threats surrounding them,&rdquo; Gong Hyo Jin shared.&nbsp;</p><div><br></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1788146473440A Bona Fide Killer poster 2.png" style="width: 960px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><p>Reverse-chronology sequences enhance the viewing experience, which Gong Hyo Jin said is part of what makes their drama feel &ldquo;uniquely fresh.&rdquo; She shared, &ldquo;Past Episodes 7 and 8, the backstories and long-awaited answers finally begin to surface. Friends who watched the early episodes with me kept asking &lsquo;Why?&rsquo;, but I just kept telling them, &lsquo;Keep watching a bit longer and everything will make sense.&rsquo; I heard the writer agonized deeply to craft the final resolution, so I hope everyone stays tuned with keen interest right until the very end.&rdquo;&nbsp;</p><p>Based on the popular <strong>Kakao</strong> webtoon with over 180 million cumulative views,<em>&nbsp;A Bona Fide Killer</em> blends action, family drama and mystery. It is directed by <strong>Yoon Jong Ho</strong>, co-director of <em>Flower of Evil&nbsp;</em>and <em>Lovely Runner</em>. &nbsp;</p><div><strong><em>A Bona Fide Killer is now available exclusively in Southeast Asia on Rakuten Viki.<br></em></strong></div>

<p>Action-packed suspense drama "A Bona Fide Killer" showcases K-drama superstar Gong Hyo Jin like never before.</p>

Action-packed suspense drama "A Bona Fide Killer" showcases K-drama superstar Gong Hyo Jin like never before.

Gong Hyo Jin Talks About ‘A Bona Fide Killer’ and Why She Thinks It’s ‘Uniquely Fresh’

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Gong Hyo Jin Talks About ‘A Bona Fide Killer’ and Why She Thinks It’s ‘Uniquely Fresh’

Grace Libero

Published August 31, 2026 11:25 AM PHT

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Updated August 31, 2026 11:39 AM PHT

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