Yeom Hye-ran Reflects on Her Career Highs Amidst Success in 'I Can't Help It'

Yeom Hye-ran, known for her roles in hit series like 'When the Camellia Blooms', 'Mask Girl', 'The Glory', and 'You Have Done Well', continues to shine as a leading figure in the entertainment industry with her latest project, 'I Can't Help It'. Despite her current success, Yeom humbly admits that she might only realize this is her peak later on.

Recently, Yeom Hye-ran sat down for an interview at a café in Anguk-dong, Seoul, to discuss her role in the film 'I Can't Help It'.

'I Can't Help It' tells the story of Mansoo, played by Lee Byung-hun, who, after being unexpectedly laid off from a paper company where he worked for 25 years, resorts to drastic measures to eliminate his competition in the job market. Yeom portrays Ara, the wife who disapproves of her husband Beom-mo's (played by Lee Sung-min) lethargy following his job loss.

Reflecting on her career, Yeom shared, "Even during my theater days, I didn't spend much time in minor roles. I was fortunate to be part of many great productions and even gained recognition as a lead. I never had a strong desire to play significant roles in screen projects. I just wanted to act without worrying about making a living. I didn't have specific goals like attending the Venice Film Festival. Looking back, I feel like I've reached a point I vaguely imagined. It's not someone else's story; it's mine."

She continued, "I never thought I'd be out of work, even if my position or status diminished. Trends come and go. They might return, but they disappear. I always thought there would be a decline, but I never imagined work would completely stop. Watching Mansoo, I thought, 'I'll always be around the edges.' If it suddenly stopped, I realized it would be a huge loss."

Yeom is indeed experiencing a career high. However, she modestly stated, "People tell me this is my peak, that I'm trending. It's a happy time, but they say you're truly happy when you don't realize it. It's a brilliant phrase borrowed from poet Na Tae-joo. I think I'll only truly understand this period later. My peak and trend might not last much longer. A few years from now, I'll probably think, 'Those were the happiest times.'"

Kim Ji-won, TenAsia Reporter bella@tenasia.co.kr