Lee Se Young - Singles Korea 2021 Interview

Disclaimer: Article is roughly translated. It may contain inaccuracies. Please pardon any mistakes.

Lee Se Young, Blooming in Red

At the end of a dignified, elegant red stage stands actress Lee Se Young, clear-faced and radiant, someone who has grown solidly and with grace.

Q: The weather’s getting cold. Are you prepared for winter?

A: As actress Lee Se Young, I’m perfectly prepared. For outdoor shoots, I’ve packed sleep socks, thermal underwear, a padded jumper, heat packs, and even layered pants to wear under my hanbok skirt. I feel well-armed. Compared to that, as person Lee Se Young, I didn’t even realize it became colder because both my home and the filming set are warm. Maybe it’s because I’ve mastered the skill of sticking twenty-five pieces of heat packs all over my body? (laughs)

Q: As expected, you must have some historical-drama survival skills.

A: Of course, I’ve built up those skills over time (laughs). Both the stick-on and the shake-to-use heat packs are precious, but I’ve learned that the shake-to-use ones made for the military are the best.

Q: The MBC historical drama The Red Sleeve was delayed by a week and premiered on November 12. How does it feel to finally release the project you’ve worked so hard on?

A: It’s a bit disappointing that it was pushed back a week, but I also feel nervous, excited, and like my heart’s pounding.

Q: What’s the atmosphere like on set?

A: It’s harmonious, cheerful, and full of energy. Filming together through both the hot and cold seasons, I felt a deep sense of family that’s beyond the camaraderie of soldiers fighting side by side on the front lines. With Junho, my co-star, we’ve reached the point where we can understand our characters’ emotions and each other’s struggles just by meeting eyes. I plan to enjoy the journey until the very end.

Q: The Red Sleeve tells a poignant palace romance between a court lady who tries to protect the life she chose and a king who placed his country above love. Your character, Seong Deok Im, is based on a real historical figure. It’s interesting that among the royal consorts of the Joseon dynasty, only two women, Jang Ok Jeong (Jang Hee-bin) and Seong Deok Im (Royal Consort Ui Bin), are remembered by their names. How do you see her as a person?

A: Because she’s a historical figure, that in itself is a spoiler. What matters is how the drama chooses to view and portray her. In the drama, Deok Im is someone who wishes to live quietly and for a long time. She enjoys spending time with her friends and treasures her simple daily life of transcribing books by hand and feeling touched by the joy of those who listen to her read them aloud. Then, as she becomes entangled in events, the story unfolds. “The king loved the court lady, but did the court lady love the king?” That’s the starting point of our story.

Q: King Jeongjo’s sorrowful love can be felt just from the heartfelt inscription on Lady Ui Bin’s tomb. She turned down his royal favor twice before finally accepting it, and their 15-year relationship was profound. Was there any part of Deok Im that you couldn’t understand? Especially since she expressed her own will in an era when women rarely could?

A: I did wonder, “She loved the king, so why did she push him away? Was she afraid of losing something? Why? She won’t know unless you try.” But once filming began and I became one with her heart, I came to understand her naturally. In the original novel that the drama is based on, there’s a line that says, “If we meet again in the next life, please pretend you don’t know me.” It’s a sentence filled with deep meaning. Thinking about that side of Deok Im makes me feel sad and it aches in my chest.

Q: I can already picture the scene of tears falling from your big, expressive eyes. What are you looking forward to in this drama?

A: With every project, I meet new actors, staff, and new viewers. I’m looking forward to seeing what this meeting will be like. When a project ends, what remains for an actor is the character. Of course, I value immersion into the work more than letting the character stand out, but I’m looking forward to seeing how Deok Im will stay with me. and I hope she remains beautifully. Until now, I’ve mostly played characters who grow and change, but since she’s a real historical figure, it feels different. I’m also very curious about how this encounter with her will resonate.

Q: You mentioned looking forward not just to the role but also to the change in environment. It suddenly sounds like the challenges of an office worker switching jobs each time. Doesn’t that ever make you tired?

A: For me, it’s just a natural way of life, just my daily life (laughs). Once a project starts, I end up seeing the many people on set more often than my own family. If that time isn’t comfortable and enjoyable, then regardless of the story or quality of the project, everyone will start to feel awkward and lose the fun over those seven to eight months. So, to make things enjoyable for everyone, I try to be the first to approach and get close to people. Thankfully, I’ve had good luck in only meeting wonderful people so far. Even during the tough pandemic period, everyone stayed safe and healthy, so I guess I’m lucky in that sense too.

Q: The meme “the vibe that comes with experience” comes to mind. It’s been 26 years since your debut. When do you realize you’ve been in the industry for an incredible span of time?

A: At some point, I stopped keeping track. Doing one thing for a long time is certainly something to be proud of, but that doesn’t mean the work becomes easier or more comfortable. Meeting new people and studying new characters resets me every time, it always feels like starting over. Even so, I’m just grateful for those who’ve loved me for so long, and for my family and friends who have stayed by my side unchanged. I wanted to remain the same person within all that, but these days I sometimes realize that I’ve changed too.

Q: People aren’t like water in a cup, they’re bound to change. When do you feel that change?

A: In the past, when signing autographs for younger fans, I used to write things like “Study hard.” But these days, I’ve come to realize that studying isn’t everything in life. I suddenly thought that being told to study hard during a brief encounter with a celebrity might actually be discouraging. So now, I write “Stay healthy.” It’s my way of wishing for their physical and mental well-being. For example, as I get older, there are more things I become cautious about. I’ve also started to think that even what looks like good and evil can be one-sided. Should I say I have a wider perspective now? I want to keep changing and growing in a good way.

Q: In your previous works like Kairos, Memorist, Doctor John, The Crowned Clown, Weekend Playlist, A Korean Odyssey, and The Best Hit—you said you’re drawn to characters who struggle and fight through hardship. Have those roles changed the way you see life?

A: I was drawn to desperate characters who overcome hardships. Watching flawed people manage to succeed in the end gave me a sense of satisfaction. I was also intense and desperate in my early to mid-twenties. It was such an exhausting time that I even held back tears because crying felt like a waste of time. In my late twenties, I found peace by fully immersing myself in the projects I really wanted to do. Maybe that’s why these days I’m drawn to characters who live ordinary, quiet lives. Because we too are living our ordinary yet complex lives in our own respective realities.

Q: Maybe that’s why you felt connected to Deok Im.

A: I’m just grateful that someone like Deok Im came to me (laughs).

Q: Are you still enjoying your homebody life full of diverse hobbies like soccer, calligraphy, horseback riding, and manga?

A: My interests are shallow but wide. There’s a saying among actors that if you act as expressively as in a manga, that’s good acting, so whenever I work on a project, I focus on reading comics. Lately, I’ve been completely hooked on the boxing manga Hajime no Ippo (The Fighting!). In my head, I’m already a featherweight pro boxer with my fists cutting through the air. I had planned to practice calligraphy while going back and forth between the soccer field and the horseback riding arena after filming, but now that I’ve added boxing to the list, my mind already feels quite busy.

Q: During this interview, I can feel your contagious positive energy. It also feels like talking to someone who’s reached a calm understanding after much reflection. What do you do to keep yourself grounded?

A: I’m quite competitive, but at some point, I realized that being unable to accept a result is something to be ashamed of. I’ve learned that to become a better person, you have to be able to accept both failure and hurt. I see acting as my lifelong profession. If I took criticism or negative comments as a denial of who I am, it becomes truly unbearable. But if I think of it like getting feedback at work, I can accept it as something to improve on. I skip over the good reactions but carefully read the bad ones. Still, I only take note of the facts I need to fix and quickly shake off the emotions that come with them. Above all, I try to stay positive in everything I do.

Q: In psychology, there’s a term called “resilience.” It means the ability to move forward without being discouraged by adversity, hardship, or failure. You seem like someone with strong resilience.

A: That’s because I hate losing (laughs). When I get hurt by harsh criticism, it feels like I’ve lost to the world. So I fix what needs to be fixed, accept what can’t be changed, and let go of things that don’t matter. I just want to endure better and live happily while doing so.

Q: Have you realized anything new about yourself recently?

A: I’m both lazy and diligent. When I use my energy, I use it all at once, and afterward, it’s like I’m completely drained. I’ve heard that great athletes maintain a consistent routine regardless of their condition, and I really admire that.

Q: They say people who use their energy all at once tend to be addicted to the sense of accomplishment that comes from burning themselves out completely.

A: I think that’s true! I really like that feeling of achievement.

Q: It’s already December. What would you like to do on the last day of 2021?

A: I’m planning to go on a bangkok* trip to the coziest spot in my home. A remote island with a panoramic view and no cell signal sounds nice too, but this year, I just want to lounge around in my room.

*[t/n: bangkok here is a Korean slang (abbreviation for “방(에서). 콕(박혀있다)” that means “to stay at home and do nothing”]

Q: It feels a bit awkward, but we have to welcome 2022. What kind of tomorrow do you picture?

A: I still have my lazy side, but I like that I work harder than anyone else when it comes to something I want to do. And I also like the side of me that doesn’t work so hard. I hope that when I look back, each day will have been filled with small, precious moments that flowed toward something better.

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