“Late bloomer” Shin Hye Sun received resounding success after assuming a role that another actress turned down
In the Korean acting world, it’s common to see miracles in the making. As a matter of fact, there have been various occasions where a work turned down by one actress became another’s treasure, and Shin Hye Sun’s story is a prime example.
Compared to other actresses of the same generation, Shin Hye Sun had a pretty late start, and spent years playing minor roles in “Oh My Ghost”, “She Was Pretty”, “Stranger”, “The Legend of the Blue Sea”, and more. It was only after a lot of determination and passion, that Shin Hye Sun finally got her first leading role in “My Golden Life”, which surpassed 40% in viewership ratings, and became a K-drama sensation in 2017. All of a sudden, Shin Hye Sun became a household name in Korea, and from her, her career only experienced an upward trend.
In “My Golden Life,” Shin Hye Sun assumed the role of Seo Ji An, who used to be a rich “girl crush” admired by everyone. However, her family went bankrupt, and she struggled to survive, encountering various hardships. She was then revealed to the daughter of an extremely rich family, but wealth brings about unexpected challenges.
With her excellent performance, many people mistakenly thought that Shin Hye Sun was the first choice to play Seo Ji An. However, it was actress UEE, who was more popular at the time, that initially got offered the role. UEE eventually rejected the offer, leading to Shin Hye Sun’s iconic portrayal of Seo Ji An.
On the other hand, instead of “My Golden Life”, UEE opted to star in the K-drama “Manhole”, which aired in the same year. However, “Manhole” performed miserably, with ratings dropping to as low as 1.4% despite its star-studded cast.
