On the June 25 broadcast of tvN’s You Quiz on the Block, actress Shim Eun-kyung appeared as a guest and shared the reason behind her decision to study abroad in New York.
Host Yoo Jae-suk remarked, “Shim Eun-kyung’s film became a huge hit, but after filming Sunny, she went to study in the U.S. alone.” Shim Eun-kyung explained, “I felt that if I didn’t do it then, I wouldn’t have the chance to live as the teenage Shim Eun-kyung. I wanted to experience school life a bit more in my late teens, so I went to New York. I stayed there for about two and a half years.” Yoo Jae-suk asked about her interest in music, saying, “You got into classical and jazz there, right?” Shim responded, “New York has a lot of famous jazz bars and venues for jazz performances. Acquaintances took me to these places, introduced me to people, and taught me a lot, so that’s how I got into it.”
Yoo Jae-suk further asked, “In Korea, you had won major awards, but in Japan, you started over as a newcomer, didn’t you? Acting with emotions in Japanese, no matter how much you practice, must not have been easy.” Shim Eun-kyung admitted, “Japanese is still the hardest part for me in my Japan activities. I studied Japanese for about six months when I got an offer for a project, so at first, all I did was practice.”
She explained her process, “First, I read the script translated into Korean to fully understand the content. Then I read the Japanese script and start practicing the lines at the same time. I listen to audio files, practice on my own, and take one-on-one lessons with a teacher to check every pronunciation. I keep reading and practicing before going on set.” **Yoo Jae-suk **marveled, “And then, just three years after entering the Japanese industry, you won the Best Actress award at the Japan Academy Awards for The Journalist. Achieving such a result in just three years is incredible.”
Shim Eun-kyung recalled, “I was shocked when I was nominated for such a major award. When they called my name as ‘Shim Eun-kyung from The Journalist,’ I was so stunned I almost had a seizure. I barely managed to walk to the stage.”
Her story deeply moved the hosts and viewers alike, offering a powerful reminder of perseverance, humility, and the quiet strength behind taking risks to grow as both an artist and a person.
