An interview with Yonhap News revealed that Lee Se Young had big plans ever since she was a child, in that she had once declined a huge contract offer in order to pursue her studies.
Lee Se Young may be young, but she has 22 years of acting experience under her belt. Having started from a very young age, Lee Se Young may not have had the opportunity to experience a normal childhood, but she certainly tried her best to hide her identity and put herself in the situations that non-celebrities often experience.
Yonhap News conducted an interview with Lee Se Young on March 4 as her most recent drama series, The Gentlemen Of Wolgyesu Tailor Shop, aired its last episode on February 26. During this interview, Lee Se Young revealed all the things she tried when she was still in school in order to have the same experiences as a non-celebrity.
“I’ve tried running to the bakery in under a minute to get bread, and when I was a university student, I tried hiding my identity and doing part-time jobs like tutoring or working in cafes. I didn’t really experience puberty or a growth spurt. When I was a student, my parents and I both agreed that I should pursue my studies during this time, and pick up acting again once I became an adult. That’s how I was able to experience all the things that non-celebrities experience.”
– Lee Se Young
She also revealed some difficulties she experienced getting into university due to her celebrity experience, but she decided on not letting it get to her, and instead, using it as motivation to become a better actor.
“I have received large down payments for contract deals during that time, but I didn’t accept them until I got into university. And even then, when I went to university interviews, some of the interviewers told me, ‘You’re not signed with an agency. You were really pretty when you were young.’ I tried not to take those words to heart and decided I should just try harder.”
– Lee Se Young
Lee Se Young also expressed some of the regrets she had while attending school and putting her acting career on hold.
“I’m a little sad I didn’t get to play the roles that only actors of this age range could play. But still, since I’ll be an actor for my whole life, I don’t want to walk this path too quickly; instead, I want to go slow as long as it’s in the right direction. I know I won’t become lazy because I’m quite ambitious.”
– Lee Se Young
On the topic of being ambitious, the interviewer asked what other dreams she had, and how she would come about achieving them. To this, Lee Se Young revealed that she was planning on establishing a support foundation for children living difficult lives.
“I want to provide opportunities for children who have a dream and vision, but are unable to achieve them. It’s especially tough to rise from a humble family these days, so I want to help in providing them with various experiences. I also want to teach students one day.”
– Lee Se Young
Lee Se Young then ended the interview by providing some advice to those who dream of becoming celebrities, in that she urged them to deeply think about their dreams, and only pursue them if they had a genuine passion for the job.
“There are so many celebrities these days who are talented in almost every aspect, such as song, dance, and physical appearance. But I also noticed that some of them chose to become celebrities in order to see other celebrities, not because they really loved the job. I would like to advise those who wish to pursue this path to deeply think about their future and choose this occupation after much contemplation.”
– Lee Se Young
Source: Dispatch
