YoonA shares insights on her acting career, idol experiences, and the challenges of balancing both roles in a recent interview.
September/22/2025 08:00Related Groups & Members
YoonA from Girls' Generation revealed her honest thoughts about the preconceived notions regarding idols and actresses. Recently, she appeared on tvN's 'You Quiz ON THE Block,' where she shared various episodes while actively working in the drama 'The Chef of the Tyrant.' Currently gaining significant attention for 'The Chef of the Tyrant,' she confessed, 'When I wake up, I first check the ratings. Since the numbers come out by time slot, I wake up at that time to search, update, and check.' She continued, 'I haven't really felt the popularity, but I could feel it a bit when I got the call to appear on 'You Quiz.' When someone on the street says, 'You're Yeong Ji-yeong, right?' or asks, 'Was it tough in Taekwondo?' I feel it.' In particular, she mentioned, 'The members also say, 'It's really interesting,' and they watch it a lot.' She added, 'Recently, we gathered for Tiffany's birthday and debut anniversary. Every time we upload a group photo on SNS, many people are happy.' She also reflected on receiving the offer to appear in 'The Chef of the Tyrant,' saying, 'I had a strong desire to work with director Jang Tae-yoo. They sent me the web novel, and I feel like I've been walking with it from the early stages. It's a work I have a very special affection for.' YoonA revealed, 'I did about 95% of the cooking myself. I attended cooking classes for three months to learn, but since the cooking is a medium for the work, it was very important. While acting, I had to approach it as if I were taking a memory test, so I had to thoroughly understand and grasp it, feeling like I was really taking a 'memory test.' Attention is also focused on her co-star Lee Che-min, and regarding their chemistry, YoonA praised him, saying, 'I feel he's a very serious young man. Despite the short preparation time, he expresses everything well, and I got the impression of 'Lee Hong himself.' She also revealed that her drama debut was earlier than her debut with Girls' Generation, stating, 'I debuted in the drama '9th Inning, 2 Outs' before debuting as Girls' Generation the following month.' She continued to balance acting and group activities, recalling, 'At that time, I was filming 'You Are My Destiny' while also promoting 'Gee.' There were many sleepless nights, and I remember dozing off during the music video shoot.' She added, 'At that time, I never wanted to neglect anything. Since it was a group activity, I didn't want to be a burden while tired. I never thought of neglecting either.' Regarding the preconceived notion of being an actress from an idol background, she stated, 'There may have been such views, but I had a strong thought that 'I just need to do it properly.' I believe there are parts that can be recognized if I do it well.' Furthermore, regarding many idols, including Girls' Generation members, transitioning to acting, she said, 'When I see my friends I’ve worked with become actors, even if we’re not close, I want to support them. During 'King the Land,' there was a reaction of 'Girls' Generation and 2PM's co-starring,' and it even ranked first.' What benefits come from balancing idol and acting activities? She mentioned, 'The experience of dancing has helped with how I use my body. It helps when doing action or using wires. I had experience using wires during concerts.' YoonA reflected on her 30s, saying, 'I think I’ve been really busy. It’s very busy, and with that comes many memories, always working while moving to the next step. I felt like I didn’t know anything. I thought I needed to look back at myself, not just what I was observing.'
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