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An interview with Eugene, singer-turned-actress

Posted June. 28, 2013 07:28,   

한국어

Eugene, 32, in a hot pink blouse, walked in with a bright smile on her face. She was outspoken unlike Min Chae-won, a reserved character that she played in “A Hundred Years of Legacy,” a weekend drama recently ended with a viewership of over 30 percent.

“I feel so free. I think I played such an introvert.”

In a cafe in the chic Cheongdam in southern Seoul, She laughed broadly describing what she felt about the end of 50 episodes. She said, “In the drama, I went through a lot. I went to a madhouse, lost my memories because of a car accident, got divorced. It was tough both mentally and physically because I had to act in Namhae (of South Gyeongsang Province) for the last part of it.”

For the criticism on the drama, which lasted until the end of it, she said, “I have never thought that it was a ‘crazy’ drama since getting the script. It is a family drama about a noodle factory.”

Eugene is the first generation of acting idol stars. She made her first debut as a member of girls’ group SES in 1997 and turned into an actress after taking the leading role in “Loving You” in 2002. She said, “There was no criticism over acting because few idol stars did acting and the public had little expectations. Now, it has become tougher for idol stars to do acting.”

Eugene has known as a “beauty mentor” among women in their 20s and 30s. She hosts a beauty show introducing how to make up on a cable channel and wrote three beauty books. She said, “When I see a new cosmetic product, I always test it. Sometimes, I mix cosmetics. Later, I would like to launch a cosmetics brand bearing my name.”

She said she will rest and support her husband for a while. Ki Tae-young, her husband, will star in “A Scandal,” a new drama that follows “A Hundred Years of Legacy.” She said, “After marriage, I have more life experiences and a broader acting spectrum. I think I’m getting experienced step by step.”

When asked what her plan is, she said, “I miss the stages where I sang as a singer. I want to do music again someday.” But she said what she wants most is playing a different role. She added, “Like Chae-won, I’ve played good and weak characters. Now, I want to play a strong character so that I can make it shine.”