Bae Seul Gi talks about her past, retreating from fame, and her character on ‘The Greatest Love’

Singer-turned-actress, Bae Seul Gi, recently shared her views on retreating from the public eye.

Bae Seul Gi is currently playing character ‘Han Mina’ in the drama ‘The Greatest Love‘; ‘Han Mina’ is a girl who decided to return to a more regular lifestyle after being a member in a popular band.

Bae Seul Gi said, “Although my situation isn’t exactly the same as Han Mina’s, I have thought about retreating from the public eye… When the celebrity lifestyle was tiring me out, I thought about immigrating to America – where my uncle lives- alone with my mother. One of the lines that Gong Hyo Jin’s character said was similar to my situation.”

Back in 2005, Bae Seul Gi debuted under a trio called ‘The Red‘ and quickly gained fame for her retro (‘bokko‘) dance. Since then, she released a solo album, attended various events, and even became a frequent guest on three different variety shows. Two years after her debut, Bae Seul Gi faced an overwhelming schedule that resulted from her high popularity.

The singer eventually turned to acting, which added to her stress level. She said, “For someone who majored in acting, I quickly released a record. As my popularity grew, I began to lose my mind. There were times when I had to meet activities on only 2~3 hours of sleep a day… I wouldn’t get paid without putting in such hard effort, and that bothered me a lot. I was suffering. I naturally wanted to leave my company, but instead took an interregnum with them. I was going through a slump.”

After reflecting on the similarities of her past with that of her character’s, Bae Seul Gi began to tear up. She said, “We are currently filming a flashback scene for Han Mina, which I am tense about. Because of my anxiety, my face was having spasms. During that time, Lee Hee Jin, Gong Hyo Jin, Yoo In Na, and the other members took care of me. They made me laugh to relieve my tension and we wrapped up the filming without any incident. I like Mina’s tranquil role because it feels like I’m starting anew.”

Bae Seul Gi later added, “I’m very happy that I can show off this tranquil image of myself. Through this role, I can shed my image as a ‘bokko dancer’ and transition into an image of an actress. Even though the role is small, it has given me ‘the greatest opportunity.’ I’m very thankful to the creator. Now, I am ready to start anew.”

source:
>www.allkpop.com