[Sportschosun, Reporter Lee Ji-hyun] Actress Choi Kang-hee has returned to the stage after ending a five-year hiatus from acting. Song Eun-i, the head of her agency who watched her hiatus from the closest vantage point, shared her candid thoughts through tears.
The July 3 episode of Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC)'s entertainment program 'Omniscient Interfering View' featured the daily life of Choi Kang-hee, who returned to acting through the play 'CLOSER.'
Song Eun-i, the head of Choi Kang-hee's agency, and singer Oh Ji-eun, who provided considerable help during preparations for the play, visited the venue to support Choi's new beginning.
Song Eun-i, who had closely watched Choi Kang-hee's five-year hiatus, was visibly moved when Choi's announcement played before the performance.
Song Eun-i said, "From the time Kang-hee said she wanted to take a break from acting until now, I knew that acting was what she loved most. I wanted her to keep acting without giving it up, and finally, an opportunity came."
Recalling the day Choi Kang-hee completed her first acting rehearsal, Song Eun-i confessed, "I asked her how it went, and she said, 'Unni, I'm having so much fun. I'm not confident I can do well, but I'm having so much fun.' Hearing that, I thought, 'This is enough.'" After waiting so long for Choi to return as an actress, it was enough for Song to know that Choi had found joy in acting again.
At the after-party following the performance, Choi Kang-hee's past declaration that she wanted to quit acting was also revealed.
When asked whether she had really thought Choi Kang-hee would quit acting, Song Eun-i replied, "At first, I thought she was joking." Since Choi often made offbeat remarks, Song initially did not take it seriously. However, her perspective changed after the two had a deeper conversation.
Song Eun-i stated, "She didn't say she just wanted to take a short break; she said, 'I want to retire.'" She explained that Choi Kang-hee's decision at the time was firmer than expected.
Song Eun-i therefore tried to arrange an opportunity for Choi to explain her situation directly to the fans who were waiting for her. She said she even planned a live broadcast to announce Choi Kang-hee's suspension of activities.
However, Choi Kang-hee became extremely nervous as the broadcast approached. Song Eun-i recalled, "When I saw her trembling during the broadcast, I thought, 'She really means it.' I asked, 'Do you think you can do it?' but she said she couldn't."
Rather than officially declaring her retirement, Choi Kang-hee conveyed her feelings to fans in 2021, saying that she had decided to "spend some time simply being Choi Kang-hee, the person."
For Choi Kang-hee, who had acted continuously since around the age of 19, life in the entertainment industry sometimes felt like wearing clothes that did not fit.
Speaking about her feelings at the time, Choi Kang-hee opened up about how difficult life in the entertainment industry had been, comparing it to a person accustomed to living in the countryside struggling to adapt to city life. She confessed that she viewed herself as "someone who didn't deserve it" and "someone who didn't fit in here."
After trying to put aside the title of actress, Choi Kang-hee stood onstage again following five long years. Above all, her words, "I'm not confident I can do well, but I'm having so much fun," showed the biggest reason she was able to return as an actress.
Meanwhile, Choi Kang-hee had taken a break from acting since the KBS2 drama 'Hello, Me!' aired in 2021. She recently resumed her acting career through the play 'CLOSER,' returning to the stage after approximately five years.
olzllovely@sportschosun.com
This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.
