Son Ye-jin Reflects on Motherhood, Career: "A New Chapter Begins"

연합뉴스 / 2024-07-05 17:11:30

▲ South Korean actress Son Ye-jin speaks during a press conference for a special exhibition at the 28th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFAN) held in Bucheon on July 5, 2024, which opened the previous day and highlights Son Ye-jin's acting career. (Yonhap)

SEOUL, July 5 (Yonhap) -- "I've come to appreciate the preciousness of everyday life while raising my child for nearly two years. In the past, work was everything, and I struggled within it, unable to separate myself from my job. But nowadays, even when my child eats a meal well, I feel incredibly happy. Just knowing that today ended safely brings me happiness, and I feel like my values have changed."

Actress Son Ye-jin (42) shared these thoughts on the changes in her life brought about by childbirth and parenting at a press conference held at a department store in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, on the 5th.

It was Son's first public appearance in a long time. She married fellow actor Hyun Bin, who is the same age as her, in 2022 and gave birth to a son later that year. Since then, she has focused on parenting without taking on any significant projects.

▲ South Korean actress Son Ye-jin attends a press conference for a special exhibition at the 28th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFAN) held in Bucheon on July 5, 2024, which opened the previous day and highlights Son Ye-jin's acting career. (Yonhap)

The press conference was part of a special exhibition at the 28th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFAN), which opened the previous day and highlights Son Ye-jin's acting career. The exhibition will screen six of her representative films, including Kwak Jae-yong's "The Classic" (2003).

Son remarked, "It feels like the first chapter of my acting career has ended. Now, as I enter chapter two, I'm grateful that the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival is holding a special exhibition, allowing me to look back on my past and gain momentum for a fresh start."

Son Ye-jin debuted as a film actress in Im Kwon-taek's "Chihwaseon" (2002) and quickly rose to fame as the epitome of pure first love in works like Lee Han's "Lover's Concerto" (2002).

However, Son did not rest on her laurels and expanded her acting repertoire by taking on diverse roles in films such as Lee Jae-han's "A Moment to Remember" (2004), Jung Yoon-soo's "My Wife Got Married" (2008), Hwang In-ho's "Spellbound" (2011), Lee Kyung-mi's "The Truth Beneath" (2015), and Hur Jin-ho's "The Last Princess" (2016).

"When I started my acting career in my 20s, the images that actresses could portray were limited. There were many roles with a sad and pitiful feeling like in 'Lover's Concerto.' I didn't want to be confined to that image. I was eager for other characters, wanted to show different sides, and didn't want to set limits," she explained.

Now in her 40s and having experienced marriage and motherhood, Son Ye-jin contemplates what kind of roles she wants to pursue in the second chapter of her acting career. "I still want to work hard, but not push myself too harshly as I did in the past. I want to act more broadly and with a sense of leisure," she expressed.

When asked about her thoughts on watching footage from her younger days, Son responded, "I can't go back to my early 20s. Now, as I age, I want to have a face that can really take responsibility. That seems like a more challenging goal."

She also shared her desire to continue acting in a variety of roles for a long time. "I want to be an actor who can comfort the audience and show the joys and sorrows of life, giving them even a small sense of resonance and empathy," she said.

The special exhibition is titled "Unique Son Ye-jin." Regarding this, Son humbly noted, "If we were to name unique actors, this stage wouldn't be enough to accommodate them all."

▲ A wedding photo of Hyun Bin (L) and Son Ye-jin, provided by VAST Entertainment on April 11, 2022 (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

Reflecting on her early dreams of acting, Son revealed, "I was introverted and had so many emotions inside that were hard to explain with words. Since acting is a profession that expresses emotions, I wanted to give it a try."

To aspiring actors, she offered encouragement: "There are many actors who struggle for a long time before they shine. If it's your dream, go for it to the end. Life only happens once."

After a break of about two years, Son Ye-jin is expected to return to the screen in director Park Chan-wook's new film. However, she refrained from sharing details, saying, "Please wait for the official announcement."