Anushka Sen is set for her Korean debut with the musical Jeju Olle this year, opposite Korean actor Kang Hyung- seok. Calling it a rewarding experiences of her career, Anushka Sen describes the project as a dream that took nearly three years to materialise.
Recalling her time on set, she says, “Every day I would wake up thinking I was still dreaming. There was definitely a fan moment, but I had to be a thorough professional. I worked really hard because I had the responsibility of doing my best.”
Sharing screen space with Korean actor Kang Hyung-seok, whose work she had admired for years, made the experience even more memorable. “Working with Kang Hyung-seok was truly a dream come true because I’ve genuinely admired his work. I remember telling him on the very first day that I was a huge fan of his performances,” she says.
Sen became the honorary ambassador for Korea Tourism in 2023 and now, the 23-year-old is the first India artiste to debut in Korean industry. She cherishes the responsibility of representing India in Korea. “Every time I get the opportunity to represent my country, I feel that responsibility. It’s not only about me doing my best, but also about representing my family and my people,” says the 23-year-old.
Anushka’s fascination with Korean entertainment began during the COVID-19 pandemic, when K-dramas became a source of comfort. “I fell in love with the storytelling, the cinematography, the music and the emotions. Later, becoming the ambassador for Korea Tourism gave me the opportunity to experience the country and its culture firsthand, which only strengthened my admiration.”
She credits her mother for believing in the dream long before it became reality. “My mother and I would watch K-dramas together during the pandemic. She was the first person who said, ‘I would love to see you doing something like this one day.’ We would imagine me having those classic K-drama moments by the Han River. Looking back now, it feels surreal because this isn’t just my dream coming true, it was something my family believed in from the beginning.”
Jeju Olle will release in English, Hindi and Korean, and Sen enjoyed the opportunity to learn Korean language for it. The multilingual film pushed her beyond her comfort zone, with dialogues in English, Hindi and Korean. “There were three languages in the film, which made it completely different from anything I’d done before. I realised that acting isn’t about the language you’re speaking; it’s about the emotion you’re conveying. If the emotion is honest, audiences connect with you regardless of the language.” Learning Korean became one of the highlights of the shoot. “Everyone on set was teaching me something every day. I’d ask them how to pronounce words correctly, and that became one of my favourite parts of the experience.”
Off-camera, the cultural exchange was just as memorable. “We all went to an Indian restaurant together and they absolutely loved naan, dal makhani and rasgullas. I was teaching them Hindi while they were teaching me Korean.” She shares that she was equally delighted to discover how warmly Indian cinema is received in South Korea. “Many of them had never met an Indian before and were curious about our culture. What surprised me most was how much they loved RRR. Hearing them speak so passionately about the film made me incredibly proud.”