A Face of Many Stories: Shin Si-ah Stuns in ‘Resident Playbook’ and ‘The Old Woman With The Knife’
Is it even possible for one actress to be this diverse? Shin Si-ah proves she’s not just a rising star, but a defining face of Gen Z in Korean entertainment.
Recently, Shin Si-ah has shined in two very different yet complementary projects: tvN’s medical drama Resident Playbook and the noir action film The Old Woman With The Knife. Released around the same time, both works showcase her extraordinary acting spectrum—from bubbly chaos to bone-chilling intensity.
In Resident Playbook, she plays Pyo Nam-kyung, a first-year OB-GYN resident who’s flamboyant, emotionally conflicted, and utterly human. She’s fashion-forward, obsessed with designer goods, often in romantic turmoil, and torn between breaking up and begging for reconciliation. Though she shows little academic ambition, she shines when it comes to patient care. There’s an undeniable humanity in her imperfections.
Then there’s The Old Woman With The Knife. Here, Shin transforms into the younger version of Hornclaw, a legendary killer portrayed by veteran actress Lee Hye-young. Her journey begins with a rescue in the snow by fellow assassin Ryoo (Kim Mu-yeol) and escalates into brutal, bloody vengeance after a traumatic assault. Her evolution into a feared “disinfector”—a euphemism for killer in the film—is visceral. With her scarred face and steely resolve, she pulls viewers into a chilling world of survival and violence.
The contrast is stark, yet her performances are consistently compelling.
What’s more remarkable is that her latest action scenes reportedly surpass even those in The Witch: Part 2. The Other One. Back then, some questioned her capabilities, noting the minimal lines and reliance on her ethereal beauty. While not necessarily bad, her performance was too restrained for a title role.
Now, Shin Si-ah has clearly leveled up.
From a carefree twenty-something indulging in life’s small pleasures, to a deadly weapon walking a razor’s edge between life and death, her range is vast. She’s beautiful, emotionally resonant, and now—undeniably credible as an actress. Word is, casting offers are pouring in from all directions. Industry insiders say everyone wants a piece of Shin Si-ah.
She’s already crossed the threshold of “rising star”. All that’s left is for her to soar.