On the September 25th episode of tvN’s You Quiz on the Block, Lee Se Young candidly discussed the challenges she faced transitioning from a child actor to an adult in the industry.
Recalling that time, the actress shared, “I took classes just one day on Wednesday for 12 hours from 9 AM, then headed straight to the filming set in Daegu. If I missed a class, I had to submit a report as a substitute for attendance. I’d walk around listening to lectures and drink eight espressos to keep myself going.”
She continued, “But I heard other actors were taking acting classes. I’m not particularly a good actress, so I started going to an academy. I just gave it my all in whatever I can.”
Despite her efforts, Lee Se Young revealed that work was scarce. “I felt like I was on the edge of a cliff. Even though I wasn’t much different from a rookie, I was more of a ‘second-hand rookie’ (since I was a child actor). It was an unplanned break; I was basically like being unemployed. I even worked part-time at a café during that period. People would ask, ‘Are you okay?’ and I’d say, ‘Why wouldn’t I be?’ I focused on the important things.”
Host Yoo Jae Suk then asked about her frequent visits to her agency office, where she even had her own desk. “There were about 20 actors in the company, and I wanted them to remember me,” she recalled. I even moved closer to the office. I was so anxious, but just sitting around worrying wasn’t going to fix anything. So, I’d ask, ‘Is there anything I can do?’ and even requested scripts that weren’t meant for me. I kept asking them to send me to auditions.”
Lee Se Young shared that despite the uncertainty, she remained determined. “I was always confident. I was just suggesting myself (for the roles). One day, I told the head of the department that I wanted to try out the zombie girl in ‘A Korean Odyssey.’ At first, my character didn’t even have a name, but I asked the directors tons of questions.”
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