Actress Kim Da-mi opened up about her decision to star in Netflix’s upcoming disaster film The Great Flood, revealing the challenges of intense underwater filming and her initial doubts about portraying maternal love on screen.
The Great Flood, set to premiere on December 19, is a large-scale sci-fi disaster blockbuster that unfolds on the final day of Earth after a catastrophic flood engulfs the planet. The film follows a group of people fighting for humanity’s last hope inside a rapidly submerging apartment complex. Directed by Kim Byung-woo (The Terror Live, PMC: The Bunker, Omniscient Reader), the film stars Kim Da-mi alongside Park Hae-soo.
Speaking at the film’s production press conference held on December 16 at CGV Yongsan I’Park Mall in Seoul, Kim Da-mi admitted that the script initially felt difficult to visualize.
“When I first read the script, it was hard to picture how this film would actually come to life,” she said. “But that uncertainty was exactly what intrigued me. I believed that if Director Kim Byung-woo was making this film, something completely new would be created.”
Kim Da-mi also reflected on the physical demands of the role, particularly the extensive underwater scenes. She shared that preparation began months in advance.
“I had to learn scuba diving and swimming, so I spent several months training before filming,” she explained. “Some scenes were shot in real water, but in many cases, I had to act as if water was present when it wasn’t. I had to carefully study how my facial expressions and movements would appear underwater. It was challenging, but also exciting.”
In The Great Flood, Kim Da-mi plays Anna, a researcher who risks everything to save her son amid the chaos. The actress admitted that portraying maternal love was one of the most emotionally demanding aspects of the role.
“I worried whether I could fully understand and express a mother’s heart,” she confessed. “Because maternal love was central to the character, I tried to trust my instincts as much as possible. Love itself is universal, so I decided to challenge myself.”
She added that working with the child actor playing her son helped her tap into those emotions naturally. “Whenever I looked at him, those feelings came out on their own. I’m really grateful to him.”
With its ambitious scale, emotional core, and immersive disaster setting, The Great Flood is set to showcase a new side of Kim Da-mi as she takes on one of her most demanding roles yet.
Editor’s Insight
With the release of ‘The Great Flood’, Kim Da-mi is making a definitive leap from the “Indie Darling” and “Gen-Z Icon” labels into the realm of High-Stakes Dramatic Authority. By choosing a role that centers on maternal sacrifice a stark departure from her previous cold or youthful characters in The Witch or Our Beloved Summer Kim is strategically expanding her Emotional Range to appeal to a broader, more mature global demographic on Netflix.
From a technical perspective, the focus on “Dry-for-Wet” acting (performing as if underwater when no water is present) highlights a sophisticated level of Physical Discipline that modern VFX-heavy blockbusters demand. In 2026, as Korean sci-fi moves toward hyper-realism under directors like Kim Byung-woo, actors are being judged not just on dialogue, but on their ability to maintain Spatial Consistency within digital environments.
Kim’s admission of “initial doubt” regarding her portrayal of motherhood is a classic example of Vulnerability Marketing. By sharing her struggle to connect with universal maternal instincts, she builds a bridge of Authenticity with her audience, framing the film not just as a CGI spectacle, but as a deeply human exploration of survival. As ‘The Great Flood’ prepares to submerge global streaming charts, the industry is watching to see if Kim Da-mi will become the new face of Korean Action-Humanism.
Do you think Kim Da-mi’s “instinct-based” approach to motherhood will feel more grounded than the traditional, often melodramatic, “K-Drama mother” tropes we’ve seen in the past?