Myung Se Bin opened up about her struggles following her divorce during an episode of SBS Plus and E Channel’s Because I’m Solo (literal title), which aired on December 3rd. The show featured Myung Se Bin camping in Yangyang, Gangwon Province, alongside close friend Kang Rae Yeon, as the two engaged in a candid conversation about life and challenges.
Reflecting on her past, Myung Se Bin shared, “I got divorced in my 30s, and I didn’t think it would affect my work. But I overheard people at the network saying, ‘She’s divorced,’ when discussing potential characters for me. There was a time when I had no work at all.”
Myung Se Bin married a lawyer 11 years her senior in August 2007 but divorced just five months later in January 2008. In an interview with the production team, she elaborated, “It wasn’t easy to work right after my divorce. The issue became so big that it was hard to get cast in dramas. I say this carefully, but it felt like my ‘pure’ image had been shattered.”
The actress continued, “I had no money. After paying my monthly living expenses and credit card bills, I was left with nothing again. I even sold some of my bags but couldn’t go alone, so I asked a friend to come with me. It wasn’t like I hit rock bottom, but when those moments kept piling up, it made me feel down.” Despite the difficulties, she emphasized, “I realized I couldn’t give up and had to stay diligent. Everyone has a time they need to get through, and now, I’m genuinely grateful for that period in my life.”
Chae Rim, who watched the segment, empathized with Myung Se Bin’s experiences, saying, “People might think our industry is open-minded, but in reality, it’s very conservative.” She added, “Sometimes I think, ‘This isn’t a problem in Hollywood, so why is it different for us?’ But that’s just not the reality here.”
Hwang Jung Eum also shared her perspective, revealing, “I used to live on just one hour of sleep a day, working as hard as I could. When I looked at myself in the mirror, I felt so pitiful. At the end of the day, you need money—money to handle lawsuits and provide for your children.”
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