‘Pyeon Restaurant’ Jang Shin-young revealed the reason she chose the path of an actress.
In the episode aired on the 8th of KBS2’s ‘New Menu Launch Pyeon Restaurant’ (hereafter ‘Pyeon Restaurant’), Jang Shin-young and her mother made a dish filled with family memories using a type of freshwater shrimp called ‘saebae’. During this process, the mother and daughter naturally shared stories of their memories, revealing not only Jang Shin-young's exceptional beauty since childhood but also the story of how she became an actress, as well as her surprising connection with Lee Jung-hyun.
Jang Shin-young was taken aback when she saw her mother threading red peppers with a string in the living room. Jang Shin-young shook her head, saying, “It doesn’t suit me,” but her mother hung the threaded peppers one by one on the balcony to dry. Although Jang Shin-young seemed to complain, she helped her mother hang the peppers and even took a photo of her mother in front of the peppers, bringing smiles.
Jang Shin-young and her mother prepared a full spread of dishes featuring saebae, including saebae soup, saebae jeongol, saebae fritters, and saebae minari pancakes. Saebae has been a common ingredient for Jang Shin-young's family since her childhood. Jang Shin-young's mother reminisced, “Our family had a grape orchard,” and added, “The people in the neighborhood said that when Shin-young grew up, she should become Miss Korea.” Jang Shin-young shyly smiled and replied, “No, I was so uncool.”
A little later, Jang Shin-young's high school graduation photo was revealed. Her beauty, which looked no different from now, was filled with innocence and freshness. Following that, a video of Jang Shin-young winning a prize at the national Chunhyang contest in 2001 was also shown. The ‘Pyeon Restaurant’ cast marveled, saying, “How could someone so pretty not become Chunhyang?”
However, Jang Shin-young herself did not expect to become an actress. She shared that she unexpectedly passed the entrance exam for the theater and film department at a performing arts school on the recommendation of a teacher in her third year of middle school, and later started working in broadcasting, including CF shoots, after winning a prize at the national Chunhyang contest on the recommendation of another teacher during high school. Jang Shin-young's mother said, “I wondered if my introverted child could really become an actress, but she truly became one.”
Jang Shin-young also reflected, “I never imagined I would become an actress. I was scared and wondered if it was the right job for me. I thought about wanting to run away and quit, but I kept doing it,” recalling how she continued on the path of an actress as if it were her destiny. Jang Shin-young's mother became emotional as she recalled her daughter's first appearance fee of 30,000 won, saying, “You worked hard for our family, you went through a lot.”
Jang Shin-young also revealed her connection with Lee Jung-hyun during her high school years. Lee Jung-hyun came to the school Jang Shin-young attended for a shoot. Jang Shin-young said, “The whole school was in a frenzy to see (Lee Jung-hyun) sunbaenim,” and added, “This is the first time I’m seeing her. It’s so amazing that my idol sunbaenim is right in front of me.” Lee Jung-hyun responded in surprise, “I remember.” The sight of the two smiling at each other brought warm smiles.
‘Pyeon Restaurant’ airs every Friday at 8:30 PM.
[Yang So-young, Star Today Reporter]
