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Hide EXCLUSIVE: Lee Chung Ah tells Lee Bo Young to ‘stop obsessing over…’ and talks about frustrating Celebrity role
In an exclusive conversation about her latest role alongside Lee Bo Young, Lee Chung Ah revealed the reasons she’d like viewers to tune into Hide. Read full interview below.
Lee Chung Ah is a K-drama regular. Having sustained in the industry for over 2 decades, the 39-year-old star has had her fair share of hits and misses at the box office and on the silver screen. With a career spanning about 22 years as an actor, including small roles to main portrayals, Lee Chung Ah has tried it all.
Lee Chung Ah in Hide
The SLL-produced drama shows Lee Bo Young playing Na Mun Yeong, a former prosecutor who uncovers multiple secrets after the disappearance of her husband Cha Seong Jae (Lee Mu Saeng). Lee Chung Ah embodies Ha Yeon Joo, Na Mun Yeong’s neighbor and a seemingly harmless pawn in the game that unfolds. The intense story unravels as the search for Cha Seong Jae begins in Hide.
Hide Interview with Lee Chung Ah
In an exclusive conversation, actress Lee Chung Ah spoke about her complex role of Ha Yeon Joo in the mystery suspense drama Hide. Revealing the character she would like to portray again and how she relaxes after a day of hard work.
Watch Hide trailer
Do you think Ha Yeon Joo is a friend or a foe to Na Mun Yeong?
It seems hard to say in the category of friend or foe. (Laughs) Assuming you've already watched the show, it’s clear that Ha Yeon Ju is a 'mistake' and an 'enemy' in Na Mun Yeong's life. But, in Ha Yeon Ju's life, I think Na Mun Yeong was the 'goal.' Na Mun Yeong was the biggest driving force to live with for Ha Yeon Ju after she discovered Na Mun Yeong. Yeon Ju may have thought it was revenge, but at some point, her life was all about Na Mun Yeong. She didn't have a life of her own and only gazed at Na Mun Yeong.
What are the three reasons you think people would like to watch Hide?
I'm in the position of acting, so it’s rather hard for me to come up with that. I'd rather like to ask about it. But as the question is about three reasons to watch Hide, I would shamelessly say that the reasons are: the way the secretly hidden story unfolds, the director's direction and music, and the hard-working and amazing actors. (Laughs)
If you had to become Na Mun Yeong for a day, what would you tell her right in the first episode?
As Na Mun Yeong, I would say to Ha Yeon Ju "Stop obsessing over me.” (Laughs)
Are you worried about the response from the viewers to your character in Hide? What would you like them to think about Ha Yeon Joo?
I started with “Hide” fully aware of how much Ha Yeon Ju was going to be criticized until episode 8. But I can't wait to see what the viewers would say when the 12 episodes are over. If there are reviews like 'Your life is pitiful, too,' I would say to me that you did a good job.
If you were to meet Ha Yeon Joo in real life, would you befriend her?
If I met Ha Yeon Ju in real life, I don't think I would be friends with her because she might not care much about me.
As an actor you may have to take on roles that don’t necessarily receive the favor of viewers, how do you learn to accept such roles?
I don't think likability only belongs to roles with a positive impression. If a relationship in a story gets love, there can be unlikable roles in it too, since, I assume, it's all about synergy and balance. And I might have gone into it knowing that the character is going to be unlikeable, even if I take a role like that, so as an actor, I just put it on to the best of my ability.
Which one of your characters would you like to play again and why?
When I see my latest work, I’m always like, 'I think I can do it better now,' and I want to play it again. (Laughs) But I had a tough time portraying Ha Yeon Ju in Hide, so it would be a bit scary to play her again.
One of our favorite roles of yours has to be in Because This Is My First Life, how do you remember that time in your acting career?
Go Jungmin may or may not be my favorite role. I equally cherish all my characters. But that was the first project I worked on after my mother passed away and I chose to take a break, so I put a lot of myself into it. Besides, scriptwriter Yoon Nan Joong, who had worked with me before, told me that she had me in her mind while writing the script, so I guess it was bound to come out better. I think the way I am now as an adult woman is in some ways due to writer Yoon Nan Joong opening that door for me, so I would like to take this opportunity to thank her again.
Your impactful recent performance in Celebrity caught us by surprise. What was your favorite bit about doing that role?
As a character, Si Hyeon was a bit frustrating. But there was a role that I had to take on in the scene. Since the other actors were younger, I needed to play the role of a senior on set. The world that the story is set in, and the end point of what all the celebrities in the story want to be, is 'Si Hyeon,' so I had to build that point firmly. As I immersed myself in Si Hyeon, I felt like my way of speaking and behavior became more and more elegant as well. (Laughs)
How do you unwind after a day full of very demanding scenes or emotional dialogues?
I used not to realize that I needed to take a break at times like that, and I would push myself, saying, "Already?" if I was exhausted or in bad condition after getting through that kind of day. But now I just cut myself some slack. I watch myself for what I want to do and try to give myself physical comfort first. Maybe it's the know-how that comes with being an actor, but I feel that 'learning more about dealing with myself' is the point of becoming an adult.
Thank you for the enjoyable interview.
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