Comedian Lee Su-ji shared her candid thoughts regarding critical opinions about her sub-character activities related to accusations of belittlement.
On the morning of the 26th, a round interview with comedian Lee Su-ji was held at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul.
Lee has gained much love by creating sub-characters such as ‘Jamie Mom’ and ‘Shublly Mom’ through her YouTube channel ‘Hot Issue Ji.’ In this context, Lee explained, “Since I was young, I have had a habit of thinking, ‘It would be great to portray that character,’ when I see fun characters in places with many people like restaurants or cafes. I’ve been doing impressions since I was young. The first moment I realized I had this talent was when a teacher asked me to make them laugh, and I mimicked the teachers. Even after becoming a comedian, I think it helped me create characters by blending that strength well.”
However, there were allegations that such sub-character content was belittling specific individuals. In response, Lee stated, “As a creator, I feel disappointed when there are misunderstandings while making content or characters, but I also feel sorry. Since I have debuted for some time now, I often think about the need to be careful and not create misunderstandings when making new content.”
Jamie Mom’s content faced controversy due to similarities with actress Han Ga-in’s content. In response, Lee remarked, “I did think there were similarities in the Jamie Mom content. I did not aim at a specific person at all. I realized that when I create something, I need to be careful so that misunderstandings do not arise.”
Recently, as she reinstated the Jamie Mom content, she expressed, “I believe that showcasing situations of characters that can resonate with various aspects of daily life is what comedy is about. I think carefully to prevent misconceptions from arising, and I plan to continue doing so in the future, so I hope you view it positively.”
When asked if there were parts that inspired the creation of Jamie Mom, she explained, “I am actually a mom of a 4-year-old. So I listen to stories around me and, while filming dramas, I have seen various people and thought there could be such characteristics, so I exaggerated them a bit or made analogies through humor while creating the character. Of course, there might be some shared sentiments, but exaggerating those aspects is what comedy is about, so that’s how I created it.”
There were also allegations that the vlog containing the daily life of an actress seemed to mimic actress Lee Chung-ah. In response, Lee clarified, “I did not parody anyone; it was when I went to Italy, and instead of just playing, I thought, ‘Let’s shoot once,’ so I filmed with a friend. It is not a specific person parody. Of course, I thought there might be parts that could be misunderstood, so I decided to remove the video myself.”
When asked if she felt exhausted given the changing perspectives of the public towards comedy since the time of ‘Comedy Concert,’ she replied, “As channels and content increase, I believe it’s essential to create in a way that doesn’t make viewers uncomfortable. Of course, there are parts I need to pay attention to, but having the ability to engage in various content is a significant advantage for me. It’s good that I can do things not only on stage but also on YouTube and broadcasts, with many opportunities for diverse attempts.”
When asked if the previous controversy would make it challenging to create characters in the future, she stated, “When creating characters, I pay the most attention to that aspect. If I exclude thoughts like, ‘Doesn’t this seem similar to someone?’ I try to develop the character from that point. I believe that if there’s too much refinement, it can restrict humor, so finding a good balance is the key.”
Initially, there was no intention of satire when creating the sub-character. Lee mentioned, “I started thinking that I should capture relatable figures or appearances from everyday life when making characters. There was no plan to convey a specific message, but viewers seem to interpret it in various ways. I have the thought that I should carefully develop them these days, keeping in mind those viewers who have misunderstandings.”
[Photo] CP Entertainment
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