(Following [Interview①]) Lee Eun-sam, who started as a child actor and appeared in dramas and children's programs during her school years, continues to pursue acting as an adult.
When asked if she has any regrets about paths not taken, Lee Eun-sam firmly replied, “No,” and expressed her utmost job satisfaction by saying, “I still really love being an actress.”
“I think the profession of acting suits me very well. I have a personality that feels the need to try things, so if something comes up that I want to do more than acting, I believe it’s not too late to challenge myself then. In middle school, I liked studying, so I took a break from (entertainment activities) for a while, but I felt bored.”
For Lee Eun-sam, who previously played supporting roles that enhanced the lead characters, the 'Cheongdam International High School' series holds special significance as it is her first time taking on a leading role.
“It was my first time acting as a lead, and the pressure was greater than I expected. The chemistry with the other actors was very important, and there were many times I had to contribute more energy, so I think I was able to grow a lot as an actress. It made me feel more humble and motivated to work harder on my acting.”
‘Cheongdam International High School 2’ ended with an open ending where Baek Je-na (played by Kim Ye-rim) hands an unidentified note to Kim Hye-in (played by Lee Eun-sam) after the ‘Cider Revenge’ storyline. Lee Eun-sam expressed her satisfaction, saying, “It seems like an open ending that leaves room for season 3, and I really like it.”
Having acted since childhood, Lee Eun-sam has close friends in the entertainment industry, as well as good connections formed through recent projects. She first mentioned her childhood friends Yoon Seo-ah, Shin Eun-soo, and Joy Hyun.
“We are the closest friends among the four of us. We always meet up, attend premieres together, and go out. We always meet during the transition from December 31 to January 1. I arrived late to the awards ceremony because I was receiving an award for ‘Cheer Up,’ and the three of them filmed a video of me receiving the award. We all ended up crying together.”
She became close friends with Kim Ye-rim (Red Velvet's Yeri) through their work on the ‘Cheongdam International High School’ series.
“Yeri and I are so close that we can talk about everything openly. I recently attended the premiere of the movie ‘Gyeongryeong: Ghost Game’ that Yeri starred in, and her acting has improved so much. I told her, ‘You act so well,’ and she was so happy, asking, ‘Really? For real?’”
Although Lee Eun-sam has met viewers through various works this year, she still considers her life character to be Park Mi-jin from Netflix’s ‘All of Us Are Dead’ Season 1.
“It felt like I poured my heart and soul into that role, so it still sticks in my memory. She’s a character who swears a lot, but I felt like I shouldn’t make her look hateful, so I worked hard to make her swearing sound pleasant. Even now, overseas fans call me ‘XX girl,’ and there are a lot of swears in my DMs. That nickname has become an issue overseas, and I actually like it.”
As Lee Eun-sam approaches her 20th anniversary in the industry, she still has a strong desire for acting and is moving forward towards higher dreams.
“I want to be remembered as an actress with a completely different ‘twist’ from my ‘real self.’ An actress who excels in various fields and does well in everything.”
In particular, Lee Eun-sam mentioned actor Choi Woo-shik and expressed her dream of being the ‘female version’ of him. She said, “I want to act alongside Choi Woo-shik,” and revealed her desire to learn by observing him closely, saying, “I want to see how he does it.”
With each question, she conveyed her passion and sincerity for acting. After years in the industry, Lee Eun-sam still believes there’s nothing better than acting, and many are curious about what kind of performance she will showcase in her next project.
[Kim Mi-ji, Star Today Reporter]
