Seo Hyun-jin Reflects on Heartbreaking Words from Her Mother During Career Struggles

Actress Seo Hyun-jin recently opened up about the painful words she heard from her mother during her long hiatus in the entertainment industry. In an episode of tvN's 'You Quiz on the Block' (유퀴즈 온 더 블럭) aired on November 20, Seo reflected on her journey as an actress.

Seo shared that her time as a member of the girl group Milk (밀크) lasted only a year, during which she appeared on public broadcasts just four times. She recounted how she was scouted by SM Entertainment while walking with friends near Ewha Womans University during the peak of street casting trends.

However, Milk disbanded after just one year, leaving Seo struggling to come to terms with the end of her idol career. "I didn’t realize it was over at first. It took me years to feel the reality of it. After transferring from a traditional music high school, I attended a performance by my former classmates and realized I couldn’t do that anymore. I remember crying a lot after that," she said.

Following this, Seo dedicated herself to acting classes, likening her training to a dance regimen. She revealed that her peers who debuted would often call her to practice with them, mentioning that she was a practice partner for Jung Il-woo during his debut in 'High Kick!' (거침없이 하이킥).

Despite appearing in the drama 'Hwang Jin Yi' (황진이), Seo faced a seven-year gap in her career. When asked about this period, she admitted, "I didn’t do anything. I was preparing to start over, but I also had to take on part-time jobs. I felt a sense of inferiority. It was tough when people asked, 'What are you doing these days?' I spent most of the year doing nothing. I cried a lot."

Reflecting on her regrets during that time, Seo noted, "Looking back, I was really young in my twenties. I thought it was too late to start again. Having trained in the arts from a young age, I found it hard to consider other career paths."

Seo also shared her family's concerns during her struggles, recalling, "Even now, when I talk about it, I sometimes cry in front of my mom. They waited for me for 9 to 10 years. My mom said, 'There must be a reason why it’s not working out.' Hearing that made me feel like my world was shaking. It wasn’t easy to hear such words. I ended up moving out and living on my own two weeks later."

However, Seo made a remarkable comeback in 2016 with the hit drama 'Another Oh Hae-young' (또 오해영). When asked by Yoo Jae-suk about the sudden surge in popularity, she admitted, "I felt very anxious when 'Another Oh Hae-young' became a hit. I always worked hard, but I worried that I could fail at any moment. It wasn’t enjoyable at all."

Yet, Seo has since changed her approach. She mentioned that during the filming of a medical drama, she would try on her costume the day before and rehearse her lines, but her obsession with practice led her to not rehearse at all. "In 'Trunk' (트렁크), I had a few NGs, but I felt more at ease knowing that the directors would help me if I fell short," she concluded.