Actor Lee Hae-in is making a new leap at the turning point of her 20th debut anniversary.
After debuting as a CF model in 2005, Lee appeared in dramas such as 'Hit,' 'The Manual of Guys,' 'Golden Fish,' 'Five Fingers,' 'Vampire Idol,' 'The Age of Feeling: The Birth of a God,' and 'The Witch's Castle.' In 2012, she also debuted as a member of the girl group Gangkiz and engaged in singing activities.
While continuing her activities under the name 'Easy,' Lee faced a halt in her career after appearing in dramas 'To You Who Forgot Poetry,' 'Love of Professional Season 2,' and the movie 'Gangsters' in 2018. In response, she launched a YouTube channel featuring a sexy concept and became a major YouTuber with 1.41 million subscribers amid explosive interest.
Having faced a wall in her YouTube activities, Lee found her original intentions through travel. 2025 is significant for Lee as it marks her 20th year since debut.
Reflecting on her activities over the past years for her 20th debut anniversary, Lee identified launching her YouTube channel as her best decision. She noted, "If until now I was just running blindly without knowing, now that I've matured compared to then, I think my real life starts now. Looking back, I wonder if it was just a dream. It went by quickly, and reflecting on my activities, they weren't ordinary. I acted, played the piano, and presented content like 'Country Girl,'" adding, "The very act of starting on YouTube was ultimately for returning to acting, but without an agency, there are limits to what I can do alone. So, I thought I needed to show more of my activities, and since I couldn't establish an agency, I used YouTube as my agency for my activities. To gain public attention, I need to attract interest, and through YouTube, I conducted various attempts, which became a good time for me."
She added, "It was my first time being the owner. Before, I did whatever I was told, unsure of what was good or not, just thinking I had to do it. But YouTube allowed me to gather my soul and show everything. Since it's my genuine self that no one can imitate, it's very precious. Having been able to succeed at this has given me confidence and has been a great driving force for the next step. Although there was no revenue, it has laid the groundwork for moving to the next stage and was a chance to gain confidence that I can do something else—so I think it was a good decision."
In particular, Lee stated, "In the past, I didn't really understand the importance of acting; I lived a life memorizing scripts, thinking, 'This is just how it is.' When it's gone, I realize its value; I feel I truly lived in luxury. I reflect on why I couldn't be grateful at that time, and now I feel the need to show authenticity to the public. I can't create and display authenticity, so I pondered what my authenticity is and wanted to show stories about my home. I wanted to convey to people that although it was difficult in the past, I could rise after dreaming and working hard. I also wanted to show that not hiding my complexes could turn into a story."
Sharing about the difficult times was not easy. Lee confessed, "I was not at all embarrassed. My father runs a junk shop, and my mother didn't like that this part was known. But I thought it was cool. Seeing my father wake up early and work hard even at his age felt very diligent and left much to learn from. I'm trying to live busy every day, following that example."
Showing every part of her challenging past, Lee has revealed all she can. At the turning point of her 20th debut anniversary, she is determined for a new leap. She expressed, "First, I feel I need to stand tall. In the past, I was swayed this way and that; now, I want to build my own world with a firm belief in myself." She continued, "I've always had pride in being a unique character; while there are external factors, I believe there are definitely things that set me apart from others. I understand that right now it may seem reasonable to question, 'Is it right to use Lee Hae-in?' But I think something creative occurs when I do what others don't, resulting in a huge success. I want to emphasize that aspect."
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