Son Ye-jin "It's painful because I want to act well" shares her honest feelings

Actress Son Ye-jin candidly revealed her complex feelings about acting. At the Actors House held at the Sohyang Theater Shinhan Card Hall at Dongseo University in Busan on the 18th, she said, "Honestly, I don't enjoy acting," and added, "It's painful because I want to do well."

Son Ye-jin continued, "But I think that feeling has brought me this far," revealing her own philosophy about acting. This event was organized as a meeting with the audience during the 30th Busan International Film Festival.

Son Ye-jin visited Busan for Park Chan-wook's new film 〈NO OTHER CHOICE〉. This film was selected as the opening film of this year's Busan International Film Festival and was recently invited to compete at the 82nd Venice Film Festival.

〈NO OTHER CHOICE〉 tells the story of a laid-off breadwinner, Mansoo (played by Lee Byung-hun), who eliminates competitors to re-enter the job market. Son Ye-jin plays the role of Mansoo's wife, Miri, portraying a strong character who maintains the center of a shaken family.

She said, "Venice was an honorable place in its own right, but this film was also made for Korean audiences," and expressed her curiosity about what parts would make the audience feel heartbroken and sad.

Son Ye-jin, who debuted in 2001 with the drama 〈Sweet Proposal〉, has continued her work without rest. She has met audiences in various forms across genres and scales, including 〈The Classic〉, 〈Crash Landing on You〉, and 〈The Last Princess〉.

Recalling an interview in her 20s where she expressed a desire to be seen as an 'actor who is more unknown the more you know,' she said, "At that time, I wanted to be seen as an actor who is attractive like an onion, peeling away layers."

She added, "Even now, I have a desire to challenge myself with various characters and genres, wanting to look different from before, and I hope the audience doesn't find me boring at all."

In particular, at the age of 23, she gained significant attention in the film industry for her role as a wife who discovers her husband's infidelity in director Hur Jin-ho's film 〈April Snow〉. Son Ye-jin recalled, "I was fearless," and added, "Because it was a character created with the emotions and imagination of my 20s, I don't think I could act like that now."

She continued, "I wanted to perform mature acting in my 20s," and shared her feelings at the time, saying, "I chose works with the passion to show mature and rich performances, not awkward and insecure ones."

She also candidly shared her anxieties as an actress after marriage and childbirth. Mentioning actresses Youn Yuh-jung and Kim Hee-ae, she said, "As times change, many actresses continue to work, but I wonder, 'Will I be the same?'"

She stated, "However, seeing the footsteps of senior actresses, I thought there would be a path for me too, and I wanted to grow more beautifully and show deeper performances."

She added, "I had to play a mother in 〈NO OTHER CHOICE〉, and since I have already experienced it, I had faith that it wouldn't be awkward, and I was very happy filming on set."

Son Ye-jin concluded the event by sending a message to aspiring actors dreaming of being the 'second Son Ye-jin.' She said, "A lot of time is needed to endure and withstand for the moment of meeting the audience while receiving the spotlight on the red carpet."

She remarked, "A senior once said that it's not just about working hard, but about doing well, and that seems to be the reality," and added, "If there is something you want to challenge and you work hard, there will eventually be a shining moment."