Seo Ye-ji Finally Speaks Out on Public Misjudgments: “I Have to Endure Their Perception”
On the March 30 episode of TV CHOSUN’s “Huh Young Man’s Food Travel,” Seo Ye-ji joined host Huh Young-man for a culinary tour of Wonju, a meaningful destination for the actress as it was one of the filming locations for her hit tvN drama “It’s Okay to Not Be Okay.”
“Playing Dark Roles Has Affected How People See Me”
Reflecting on her career, Seo Ye-ji admitted that portraying dark and emotionally scarred characters in dramas like “Save Me” and “Lawless Lawyer” has led to repeated misconceptions about her real personality.
“I’ve been mistaken many times for the characters I play, I think I’ve played a lot of dark characters, ones with deep wounds who often seek revenge.”” she shared. She also stated, “As a public figure, I’ve come to accept that I must endure how people perceive me.”
“When you play malicious roles, people start to believe that’s your real personality. It made meeting people difficult.” Still, she forced a smile and added, “But I’m okay.”
When Huh Young-man asked if there were ever moments in her acting career when she felt frustrated, Seo Ye-ji didn’t hold back and confessed to struggling with the emotional burden of growing misunderstandings, stating, “There were many. But since it wasn’t just a day or two, I thought I just had to accept it and move on. But staying silent made people’s misunderstandings grow bigger than I expected. Over time, that became a huge source of stress.”
Huh advised her, “The most important thing is to not read the comments,” to which Seo laughed and agreed, “That’s true.”
Seo Ye-ji Gets Emotional Talking About Her Fans
Listening quietly to her story, Heo Young-man offered comforting words, “Today, walking around with Ye-ji, I’m reminded of the saying ‘smiling brings good fortune.’ She’s a very positive person. I bet you have tons of fans, like 7 million?”
Seo Ye-ji, who recently held her first fan meeting in 11 years, grew emotional as she recalled, “It was a chance to finally see the fans I missed. Even now, thinking about it, I get choked up.”
Now in her 12th year in the entertainment industry, Seo Ye-ji used the show as an opportunity to reconnect with fans and show a more playful side. In a surprise segment, she showcased her cover dance to Jennie’s viral hit “Mantra”, a performance she had previously delivered during the fan meeting but had never shared on TV until now.
A Heartfelt Food Journey with Seo Ye-ji
The actress and host then visited a local potato restaurant, where they tried their hand at making ongshimi, Korean potato dough balls. Known for her love of cooking, she once prepared a vegan birthday cake for her manager, Seo Ye-ji was enthusiastic about the experience, although her ongshimi turned out quite different from the uniform pieces made by the restaurant owner.
“These look like they were made by people with mood swings,” Heo Young-man joked, making both the actress and the crew burst into laughter.
Their food tour wrapped up with makguksu and boiled pork seasoned with aged soybean paste, followed by charcoal-grilled gochujang pork belly. Amused by the mild flavor, Heo joked he couldn’t taste the gochujang, but after hearing regulars use a secret ordering phrase, he declared he’d become a regular too.
The episode offered viewers a rare glimpse into Seo Ye-ji’s personal reflections, balancing emotional honesty with warmth and humor, reminding fans that behind her intense roles lies a grounded and sincere artist.
