[Sportschosun reporter Kim Sohee] Actress Lee Hwi-hyang confessed that she still feels sorry toward Park Shin-hye from Stairway to Heaven.
On the 39th episode of MBN's Kim Joo-ha's Day & Night, which airs on Saturday the 22nd, Lee Hwi-hyang will share the story of how she entered Miss MBC, a special program produced by Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) to mark its founding and select new talent when she was a sophomore in college. She said that she spent her college years receiving scholarships from several places because her family was not well off, and that after graduation she was deeply worried about how she would make a living. Lee Hwi-hyang admitted that she initially turned down the offer to appear on Miss MBC, but changed her mind after hearing that the prize money was 1 million won in 1981, drawing laughter from the set.
Lee Hwi-hyang also said that finishing as runner-up in Miss MBC carried special meaning for her. "I never imagined it, but I ended up as the runner-up. I think that was the first opportunity of my life," she said. She also surprised everyone by recalling that, less than two months after her debut, she was cast as a female police officer in Chief Detective, then one of the nation's most popular dramas. "It was so bold," she said.
She also shared the story behind the legendary slapping scene with Park Shin-hye in Stairway to Heaven, the drama that earned her the label of "villain." Lee Hwi-hyang explained, "When I play a villain, I study how to look even more ruthless. I end up doing things that are not in the script." She then spoke about Park Shin-hye, who was 14 at the time, saying, "I think she was hit about 30 times then. After that, I hugged her." She added, "Whenever I think about that time, I always feel sorry to Park Shin-hye," expressing her regret.
Lee Hwi-hyang also revealed how Stairway to Heaven, her first villain role, brought her global recognition. While domestic viewers were outraged, the reaction overseas was enthusiastic. She recalled an episode from a visit to Mexico, where a local fan recognized her and asked to take a photo. She also shared her own rule for acting in slap scenes, striking a chord with viewers. Attention is now on what that rule will be from Lee Hwi-hyang, a veteran actress with 44 years of experience.
Meanwhile, MBN's issue-maker talk show Kim Joo-ha's Day & Night is a new-format talk show built around the theme of "day and night, calm and passion, information and emotion." It airs every Saturday at 9:40 p.m.
Kim Sohee, Sportschosun
This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.
