[Sportschosun Kim Sohee] Actress Son Na-eun candidly shared the pressure she feels as an actress who began her career as a singer.
On the 22nd, a video titled "Son Na-eun: From Her First Impressions of So Ji-sub to Being Approached Overseas! We Really Dug Deep into Son Na-eun with Mr. Kim" was uploaded to the YouTube channel "Minji Young TV MJYTV."
That day, Haji Young asked about Son Na-eun's first impression of So Ji-sub, with whom she worked on SBS's Friday-Saturday drama "Mr. Kim."
Son Na-eun recalled, "It was during the script reading, and it was really amazing. I had watched many of his works for years, and his nickname is 'So Ganzi,' right? So I expected him to have an incredible aura. He was just sitting there, and that alone made me go, 'Wow.'"
When Haji Young said, "You are also shy, and senior So Ji-sub is shy too. I wondered how awkward it would be when two introverts meet for the first time," Son Na-eun laughed and replied, "Mr. Kim (So Ji-sub), senior Yoon Kyung-ho, senior Choi Dae-hoon, senior Joo Sang-wook, and I are all introverts. Isn't that interesting?"
She added, "But once you see them act, they show such a different side, so they don't seem that way. I'm the type who starts talking first because I worry the other person might feel uncomfortable. But since they were seniors, I didn't know what to say. I kept thinking, 'What should I say?' and then filming was over."
Son Na-eun also spoke honestly about her personality. "In the past, I put a lot of limits on myself. I would tell myself, 'I shouldn't do this kind of thing,'" she said. "Looking back now, I regret it so much. I should have done it when I was younger."
"Now I'm much better. I didn't try to change myself; it just happened naturally," she continued. "These days, I can even talk to people I've just met."
In particular, Son Na-eun surprised viewers by confessing, "I couldn't even handle bank errands or walk alone outside. That was the case until my late 20s."
In response, Haji Young offered warm comfort, saying, "Some people may wonder why you couldn't do those things, but you started working at such a young age. There were people protecting you, and the company was with you too, so only now are you living as Son Na-eun."
Son Na-eun agreed, saying, "That's right. I feel like I'm finally living as myself. It feels so good, but it also comes with a greater sense of responsibility."
She also admitted that the label of being an actress who started as a singer has weighed heavily on her. "I always think to myself, 'People must be judging me,'" she said. "And because I started out as a singer, that kind of feeling is there. It still hasn't completely gone away. It's much better now, but I'm trying not to feel that way."
"That's why I want to work harder and keep improving," she added. "When I get to the set, I approach people first and smile so I can feel at ease. Because of that, I now think, 'I can do this, can't I?'"
Meanwhile, Son Na-eun debuted with Apink in 2011 and received much love from fans. After leaving the group in 2022, she has focused on her acting career.
Kim Sohee, yaqqol@sportschosun.com
This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.
