"I learned a lot about acting and life through 'A Hundred Memories.'
Actress Shin Ye-eun (27) recently conducted an interview with Maeil Business Star Today at a cafe in Gangnam, Seoul, ahead of the conclusion of the JTBC drama 'A Hundred Memories' (written by Yang Hwa-seung and Kim Bo-ram, directed by Kim Sang-ho).
‘A Hundred Memories’ is a new-tro youth melodrama that depicts the shining friendship between the 1980s bus guide Ko Young-rae (played by Kim Da-mi) and Seo Jong-hee (played by Shin Ye-eun), as well as their fateful first love with a man named Han Jae-pil (played by Heo Nam-jun).
As both 'A Hundred Memories' and Disney+'s 'Tack' are concluding at the same time, Shin Ye-eun said, "Time has flown by so quickly. It's strange to think it's already ending," and added, "Every time I finish a project, it feels new. This time, both 'Tack' and 'A Hundred Memories' are ending at once. It's a first-time experience for me. I reflect on whether I've missed anything and what I've learned, and these works have greatly helped me move on to the next stage."
Shin Ye-eun plays the role of Seo Jong-hee, a new guide who appeared like a comet at Cheong-A Transportation. Having lost her parents in an accident and enduring the violence of her gambling brother, Seo Jong-hee is a complex character who is straightforward yet craves love more than anyone else.
Shin Ye-eun mentioned that she learned a lot through 'A Hundred Memories', saying, "I learned a lot about acting and life. I had many conversations with people asking, 'What do you think?' Because I don't have all the answers. Listening to the stories of people who have lived straight paths and those who have taken winding roads has taught me a lot about how I should move forward."
She also said, "I wanted to meet director Choo Chang-min, and I met him this time through 'Tack'. While working, I learned to question myself, 'Is this the end of my analysis? Should I cultivate a more open mind and thoughts?'
‘A Hundred Memories’ was a work that highlighted the woman-centric friendship between Ko Young-rae and Seo Jong-hee. Shin Ye-eun analyzed, "Jong-hee likes Young-rae more than herself."
She added, "When the lines are long and the scenes are lengthy, I think about how to deliver them. But this time, even with long scenes, it felt like I was camping with Young-rae. I think this shows friendship," and continued, "Jong-hee is someone who has what she cannot have. Although she has faced hardships in life, the Young-rae Jong-hee sees is someone who is untainted and loved by everyone. She always had an open heart, so she could approach her, and she admires her."
She explained, "Having lived Jong-hee's life from part one, I learned more deeply about friendship while breathing alongside Young-rae until part six," and added, "Young-rae was perhaps the first and last happiness in Jong-hee's life that she didn't want to let go of."
Seo Jong-hee sacrifices her feelings for Han Jae-pil for the sake of her friendship with Ko Young-rae. What about Shin Ye-eun in real life? When asked what is more important between love and friendship, she replied, "Originally, in a balance game, I would have chosen love over friendship. But I have come to deeply understand the happiness and comfort that comes from friendship, so I think I will have to reflect on it. At this moment, I can't say it's love."
Seo Jong-hee's dream of participating in the Miss Korea competition also involves Ko Young-rae. Regarding this, she said, "I thought that friendly competition could strengthen friendship. Miss Korea was a hot topic and important in that era, so I felt I had to prepare well," and shared, "The choreography and walking practice were awkward and difficult."
In response to viewer comments about the lack of historical accuracy in the Miss Korea hair styling, she stated, "We tried various approaches. This work does not aim to showcase that era itself but rather combines sophisticated elements of the current era, so we decided to focus more on the characters' emotions rather than the visual aspects." ([Continued in Interview ②])
[Kim So-yeon, Star Today Reporter]
