Actress Lee Young-ae shared her feelings about returning to the theater stage after 32 years.
On the 22nd, a video titled 'Actress Lee Young-ae, these days I’m doing home shopping instead of acting~| on my way home by PDC' was posted on the YouTube channel 'PDC by PDC.'
The video features Lee Young-ae making her return to the stage after 32 years through the play 'Hedda Gabler.' 'Hedda Gabler' is a work by Henrik Ibsen, a master of realistic drama, and deals with the psychology of a woman longing for freedom amidst social constraints and oppression.
Lee Young-ae introduced the cast members who are performing alongside her, including the production team. Notably, even though it's May, Lee Young-ae, dressed in a thick coat, said, “I can’t get a cold. I have to stay warm.” In her waiting room, a folding bed for resting caught attention, and promoting the cosmetic products she made, she joked, “Isn’t it something to be scolded for promoting so much? I’ve become a home shopping presenter.” Nevertheless, Lee Young-ae remarked, “You can’t watch a play just once. You should come two or three times a week. The performance is different each time. That’s the charm of theater. So I recommend watching it multiple times.”
Lee Young-ae talked about health management, stating, “Since I talk a lot, there are times when I cough on stage. There were moments when I felt a bit wobbly, but my fellow actors took care of me and I’m drinking honey water.” She continued, “I try to eat well and get enough sleep. I need to take health supplements and get nutrient injections. Actor Baek Ji-won also recommended candies that are good for the throat.” Additionally, Lee Young-ae said that home-cooked meals are the best and supplemented her nutrition with packed lunches.
Lee Young-ae expressed her thoughts about Song Yoon-ah, who appeared on 'PDC,' saying, “I really like her. I got to know her while filming the drama 'Addicted' in my 20s. We don’t meet often. Now that I’m older, it’s nice to see friends I met back then, my peers who are still diligently living in this industry. They feel like friends, and it’s reassuring and uplifting. We cheer for each other.”
Lee Young-ae shared about her work activities, stating, “I did a lot in my 20s. I continued in my 30s, but I reduced my work a bit after getting married. I enjoyed 'Find Me' and 'Gugyeongyi.' 'Gugyeongyi' was fun. The character was new, and I wanted to try it once.” Lee Young-ae noted, “If you look at today's people, they may not seem complicated on the outside, but they have complex inner worlds. It’s a tough world to live in nowadays. I hope that watching 'Hedda Gabler' resonates with people.”
Lee Young-ae also talked about her children, saying, “My daughter said she’s coming next week. When I mentioned the tragic ending, she said, ‘There has to be something like that for it to be interesting.’ I asked if our son would come, and he said, ‘Do I have to?’ My husband said, ‘We see each other’s faces at home, so why would he go?’ My husband added that he couldn’t watch because he was worried I would make a mistake with my lines.”
Regarding her now 15-year-old twins, Lee Young-ae said, “The kids are busy attending their own academies and I don’t have anything special to take care of. I check in on them each day to see how they are doing, give them hugs, and talk to my husband about how things are going. Education doesn’t mean that you have to stick by your kids constantly; that becomes obsession rather than education. Constantly focusing on the kids is tough for both them and the parents. We need to maintain some distance and let each have their own responsibilities. If the mom is happy, the child will also be happy.”
In particular, Lee Young-ae discussed being an actress, mother, and wife, saying, “When I’m at home, I mostly ask my family for their opinions and I don’t particularly flaunt anything. That doesn’t mean I strive for a stylish home, making gorgeous meals or caring greatly about interior design. I demonstrate leadership when needed, but that doesn't happen often. I don’t even know myself.”
After the performance, Lee Young-ae took time to take photos with acquaintances while greeting them warmly. After work, she said in the car, “I debuted later than others. Most people debut in their early 20s or even before high school, but I didn’t come out of a theater or acting department, so I thought deeply about it. I had many concerns considering different paths, but once I started acting, I found it fun. My personality back then was introverted, so it was tough, but I really enjoyed acting itself. I started acting at 23, and although I began late, once I decided that I wanted to keep acting for a long time, I focused on that goal. Since I started late, I’ve been studying acting and theory at the graduate schools of Chung-Ang University and Hanyang University.”
How did Lee Young-ae feel about receiving the theater proposal? She replied, “I contemplated for over a month. My husband opposed it, asking, ‘Why would you want to do something so difficult?’ I went on stage to feel the atmosphere and deliberated further before deciding to participate. After finishing my first performance, I was calm. After 'Dae Jang Geum' ended, I traveled with friends like Gyeon Mi-ri. There was water spilled on the table, and while others panicked, I remained composed. Gyeon Mi-ri was surprised, asking how I could be like that.”
Lee Young-ae stated, “On a personal level, it hasn’t been bad either. My 30s were fun. I thought being single was enjoyable. When the opportunity for marriage came, it became fate. I think it’s my destiny. After giving birth, I felt the emotions of being a mother and was grateful for the feelings surrounding childbirth and pregnancy. I feel thankful for everything that’s been given to me.” When a staff member from 'PDC' asked, “Did you think you could take a break and it would be alright since everything was already set at that time?” Lee Young-ae replied, “I think so. I felt that if I took a break, my place would still be here.”
[OSEN]