Actor Lee Na-eun spoke in person. It was her first time meeting the press in about six years, and she shared her feelings over the past four years, which had been marked by various controversies from bullying accusations to dating rumors.
On the 21st at Starfield Goyang Central Atrium in Ilsan, Gyeonggi Province, a production presentation was held for the short-form drama "My Little Chef." Director Kim Sang-hoon and actors Choi Bo-min, Lee Na-eun, CIX Yoon Hyun-seok, and P1Harmony Kim Do-a attended the event.
"My Little Chef" (hereafter "MyLiChef") depicts how Choi Noma, the heir to the country's largest dining group, loses everything overnight and grows into a true leader through an unusual mission of cooking competitions, and it is a short-form drama that captures the dramatic mix of cooking, competition, love, family and growth.
Former APRIL member and actor Lee Na-eun plays the lead role, Noma. It has been about six years since Lee Na-eun last had a question-and-answer session with the press, which was after MBC "Extraordinary You" in 2019. Although Lee Na-eun gained attention and rose to stardom through "Extraordinary You," she suffered hardships from member bullying controversies and school violence allegations, and more recently experienced emotional distress amid dating rumors with soccer player Lee Kang-in and controversy over travel YouTuber Kwak Tube's defense.
While Choi Bo-min, Yoon Hyun-seok and Kim Do-a coordinated all-black outfits, Lee Na-eun presented a modern classic look that emphasized both modesty and chicness by pairing a white mini dress with black stockings. She added black see-through stockings to give the classic look a trendy and chic sensibility.
In particular, Lee Na-eun projected a calm and cautious actor's image through gentle smiles and composed poses. At the same time, she showed the "vibe that comes from experience" built through her idol activities by posing with hand hearts, cheek hearts and cutting gestures.
Fans as well as the press attended the event. After photo time amid fans' cheers, Lee Na-eun, who held a question-and-answer session, appeared somewhat nervous but continued to answer calmly. Lee Na-eun said it felt good to be able to meet the director and actors through the production presentation even though filming had not ended long ago.
Meeting the press for the first time in six years, Lee Na-eun said, "It's been a long time since I had the chance to communicate with fans and reporters in a public place. I'm nervous but excited. Because it's a production presentation after six years, I was nervous, but I was really happy to be able to show a new side of myself."
Director Kim Sang-hoon, who cast Lee Na-eun, said, "Since the work is based on a game, I wondered how to shape the character, but at the first script reading I felt that Lee Na-eun was Noma. She captured it well from her first line, and I thought we could carry the drama based on her." Lee Na-eun said of her acting, "She is a bright and positive role but also has a human side, so I focused on that. As this is my first short-form drama, I took on the responsibility of expressing many emotions within a short time more seriously."
Meanwhile, the short-form drama "My Little Chef" starring Lee Na-eun is scheduled to be released in December.
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