On March 18 at 8:40 PM, episode 11 of SBS Plus and E Channel’s joint variety show “Because I’m Solo” aired, featuring hosts Shin Dong-yup and Hwang Jung-eum, along with “Solo Sister” Lee Soo-kyung. In this episode, Jang Seo-hee visited Naksansa Temple in Yangyang, Gangwon-do, as she sought inner peace in her own way.
As Jang Seo-hee toured Naksansa Temple and bowed in prayer, she explained, “At 31, I was cast as the lead in ‘Miss Mermaid’. It was the biggest opportunity of my life, but I was very anxious. I consulted a monk, and the monk recommended that I perform 3,000 prostrations.” She continued, “So, I followed his advice and spent nine hours completing 3,000 prostrations. Immediately after, ‘Miss Mermaid’ became a massive success. Wanting to keep that momentum, I continued the practice every year for 10 years.”
Jang Seo-hee also candidly discussed the struggles she faced after being cast in “Miss Mermaid”. She confessed, “When I landed the lead role, people were skeptical, saying, ‘She’s always played minor roles—how did she suddenly become the main actress?’ That fueled my determination. I used to think about the people who looked down on me while acting, and that drove me.”
Hearing this, Lee Soo-kyung strongly related and shared, “I was even cut from a project midway through filming. I wasn’t under an exclusive contract with the network. When I refused to sign a contract, they removed me from the lead role. After that, I went abroad to study.” Surprising everyone, Hwang Jung-eum chimed in, “I had a similar experience.” She admitted that she had been cut from a drama due to her lack of acting skills. She confessed, “I was dropped because I wasn’t good at acting. But on my way home, I shouted, ‘Oh yeah!’” Her candid response made everyone laugh.
Meanwhile, Hwang Jung-eum married businessman-former pro golfer Lee Young-don in 2016 and gave birth to her first son the following year. However, after four years of marriage, she filed for divorce mediation in September 2020. They reconciled in July 2021, but three years later, in February 2024, news broke that she had filed for divorce again.
