Anushka Sen’s long-standing love for K-dramas has now translated into a lead role in one. She has wrapped up Jeju Olle, a Korea-India romantic musical that makes her the first Indian actress to headline a South Korean film. She says, “When I saw my first K-drama, I absolutely fell in love with the way they show moments and create those K-drama moments. Since then, I’ve had a dream to be part of a project where I could play the lead and have my own K-drama moment, and Jeju Olle is that for me.”

The film also required Anushka to perform in Hindi, English and Korean, with singing in Korean adding to the challenge. She says, “For the first time, I’m performing in English and Korean, with a little bit of Hindi. I wanted to get my pronunciation right, so I learnt and practised every day during my three-month shoot because getting it right is about more than just the tone; it’s also about the emotion.”

Being the only Indian actor on a predominantly Korean set meant adapting to an unfamiliar working environment, but Anushka says she never felt like an outsider. “It was wonderful getting to know them and understanding their process. I realized that when you’re equally passionate, genuinely love art and want to do your best, it doesn’t matter where you come from. Everyone made sure I was comfortable, and I genuinely didn’t feel like I was a foreigner. It felt like another home, a home away from home.”

The response to her presence extended beyond the set, with members of the team and the Korean public curious about working with an Indian actor. Anushka recalls, “The team also appreciated my eyes, expressions and performance. For many of them, it was their first time working with an Indian actor, so they found my approach fresh and different. One of my favourite compliments in Korea is being told that my face is jumeok-manhada, or as small as a fist, and jinjja yeppeoyo, which means ‘really pretty’.”

The working style of her Korean co-actors also left an impression on her. She shares, “What I really loved about the Korean actors was their process. We were always on time, always on set, and everybody came fully prepared for the scene. At the same time, they were always ready to improvise and go with the flow. If I did something new that wasn’t in the script, Hyung-seok would immediately understand it and add something of his own. I think that requires great instinct and being a thorough professional.”

Her co-star Kang Hyung-seok and she initially communicated through a translator before gradually finding a common language. She says, “He’s such a professional, and I’m a huge fan of his work, especially his character in Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha. In the beginning, we would communicate through a translator, but eventually, he started learning English and I started understanding and speaking more Korean. I have such a beautiful bond with him. I learnt so much from him and genuinely had the best experience working with him.”

Anushka Sen began her career as a child actor in 2009 with the TV show Yahaan Main Ghar Ghar Kheli. Since then, she has been working continuously, and is currently hosting a chat show. She says, “I am really excited to do this show because it is not a regular chat show where the questions are scripted. I get to ask what I want; it’s more of a heart-to-heart conversation.”

Not just in the entertainment arena here, Anushka is also exploring her options in the Korean film industry. She is currently shooting for multiple projects there. She says, “I have shot for a travel show already, which was in English. I will be shooting for a feature film and a web show as well, for which I am learning the language. It’s interesting to see how your voice changes when you speak a different language. It’s new for me, and I am enjoying this process.”

Revealing how she landed her first offer, Anushka says, “I have been watching K-Drama for the past two years, and I love them. I was surprised when the team from Korea reached out to me a couple of months ago. Later, when I went there, I got to know from them that they were tracking my work for the last two years and thought I would be good for these roles and connected with me. I am happy to represent India in Korea. I like taking up work that’s challenging.”

Talking about the difference between our industry and theirs, Anushka says, “It is just language that’s different. Apart from that, both industries are very systematic with their work and approach. The one thing I noticed is that even for a small project, they have a storyboard and presentation ready. That happens here, too, but only for big projects.”

On the personal front, the 19-year-old is balancing her studies with her work. “I haven’t taken a break from my studies because it is very important for my family and me. I am currently in my third year and next year, I will be a graduate. I am studying filmmaking, and if possible, I would also like to do my masters in it,” she shares.