Jewelry alumnus Lee Ji-hyun took her first step safely as hair designer "Grace."
The Oct. 1 broadcast of TV CHOSUN variety show "My Way - Overimmersion Club" (hereinafter "My Way") episode 5 shone a light on moments of "overimmersion" in the daily lives of Jewelry alumnus Lee Ji-hyun and actor Choi Gwi-hwa, delivering fresh shocks and emotion to viewers. In particular, Lee Ji-hyun's persistence story of trying and failing seven times before succeeding as a single mom pursuing her dream of becoming a hair designer, and the surprising charm of global villain Choi Gwi-hwa after transforming into a "weed evangelist" captured attention.
That day, Lee Ji-hyun, once a visual center of a first-generation girl group and now the mother of two, showed the life of a primary breadwinner who never stops running. From the pro housewife image of waking at 5 a.m. and quickly preparing breakfast for her two children to boarding the subway, notorious for rush-hour hell, to get to work. Lee Ji-hyun's struggles as a single mom and working mother were fully on display.
Lee Ji-hyun was challenging herself with a new profession, "hair designer," to better raise her two children. Despite the discouragement of seven rejections, she persisted and finally obtained her certificate. That day was the first time she faced an actual client not as Jewelry's Lee Ji-hyun but as "designer Grace."
Lee Ji-hyun's longtime friend and former national soccer player Kim Young-kwang appeared as her first client. Even with the demanding request of bleaching white hair, Lee Ji-hyun completed the job excellently based on her practice to date. At the same time, she impressed by successfully multitasking with a second customer requesting a hug cut.
To her friend and fellow parent Kim Young-kwang, Lee Ji-hyun confessed the hardships of being a single mom, saying, "For the first month or two I fell asleep every night thinking, 'Can I do this? This might be the last day,' but as I kept doing it, it became really fun," and "the strength of being a mom keeps me alive."
She added, "Sometimes I wish someone would live my life for me, but it seems I don't even have time to collapse. I'm afraid if I collapse I won't be able to get up," and "I have to hold my mentality so I don't fall. But when I see the kids my mentality steadies. Because they're pretty," revealing that her children are the force that helps her endure and the driving force of her life, which moved viewers.
After finishing work as a hair designer, Lee Ji-hyun returned home and immediately devoted herself to childcare again. Her friendly mother-daughter relationship with daughter Seo-yoon stood out. At the end of a hard day, Lee Ji-hyun reported her day to her daughter and was comforted, and adolescent Seo-yoon, who grumbled in front of her mother, secretly confessed behind her back, "I know you work hard in every way," and shyly said, "Mom, I love you," bringing Lee Ji-hyun to tears.
Triple 10-million ticket actor who appeared in films such as 'Train to Busan', 'A Taxi Driver' and 'The Outlaws', and who recently took consecutive villain roles in drama "Squid Game 3" and "Bon Appetit, Your Majesty" to emerge as a global villain, Choi Gwi-hwa surprised everyone with a life full of twists. Appearing on the rooftop garden watering his pet weeds, Choi Gwi-hwa called himself a "weed evangelist" and showed he knew the names and benefits of weeds by heart.
He introduced unfamiliar weeds one by one — such as hanryeoncho, bboribangi and kkamajung — and his affection was evident as he memorized their benefits. He also spread a weed tea said to be good for hangovers, Gaetjilgyeongcha, to the Overimmersion Club staff. The staff, initially puzzled by the unfamiliar names and appearances, soon fell for the charms of the weed tea.
Choi Gwi-hwa continued his overimmersion in a cheerful way, composing a song that expressed his sincerity for weeds. In particular, the scene of him and fellow actor Kim Han-jong digging up weeds and mixing them with salted crab served as a mouthwatering sight. Choi Gwi-hwa's healthy overimmersion, good for both physical and mental health, left a strong impression on viewers.
Meanwhile, the teaser revealed at the end of the broadcast raised viewers' expectations by showing actor Kim Young-woong's unusual day at a ginseng chicken soup restaurant where 50 actors work and a special lecture by teenagers' president Mimiminoo. TV CHOSUN "My Way - Overimmersion Club" will air on the night of the 15th at 10 p.m.
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