‘Honey Thighs.’ The term was coined in 2009, when Afterschool’s UEE (23) became a hot Hallyu star. The girl known for her thighs was suddenly the new Korean sensation, making appearances in popular entertainment programs and receiving advertising opportunities reserved for only the most elite of Korean female celebrities. Furthermore, she was also offered a role on (then) the #1 Kdrama, ‘Seondeok Queen‘. No one could deny that UEE was the new ‘it’ girl. Every male in Korea wanted to date her, and every girl wanted to be her. Her sudden rise to fame undeniably caused some controversy but she carried on, showing the nation her uniquely distinct UEE appeal. To be frank, maybe not everyone knew UEE of Afterschool, but there were few that didn’t know ‘Honey Thighs UEE’.
Her fame seemed to know no end, as she was offered another main role in a new drama, ‘Birdie Buddy‘. UEE received criticism for taking on too many roles and was rumored to be careless in her responsibilities as an Afterschool member, but didn’t let that faze her. She wanted to make herself known in the acting world. But all of it must’ve been too good to be true, as the broadcast date for ‘Birdie Buddy’ kept being pushed back, and no one knew realistically, if and when it would actually air.
All of her hard work seemed to be thrown out the window, but another opportunity came knocking for UEE. ‘Birdie Buddy’, which seemed to have no future even after over a year of shooting the drama, was finally scheduled to air on tvN, and not only that, UEE was also cast in the new KBS-2TV weekend drama, ‘Ojakyo Brothers‘.
“I’m really ecstatic. I am kind of nervous that both dramas are being broadcast at the same time, but I’m glad I’m able to share two distinctly different characters in the two dramas with all of our viewers. I wish we could’ve aired ‘Birdie Buddy’ a little sooner, but better late than never! I’m thrilled that I’m getting to do everything I want to do, and every day is a joyful blessing.”
The nay sayers were concerned about both projects being broadcast at the same time, but UEE who is an optimist and sees the positive in all situations, believed that this was a golden opportunity for herself. She plays a sassy and confident character in ‘Ojakyo Brothers’, and then a more sincere, innocent character in ‘Birdie Buddy’. She stated she wanted to showcase a new side of her for all of her fans. It is true that she is still inexperienced when it comes to acting and therefore a bit awkward, but instead of allowing her shortcomings to make her shy away from acting, she is proactive and determined in learning more to become a better actress.
“It’s so strange when I see myself acting on screen. But in ‘Birdie Buddy’, the director asked me to be myself in the drama, rather than playing a role he had in mind, so it made it a little easier on me. I was probably a little too natural! (laughs). I played the role of a female athlete, and it reminded me of my high school days when I used to swim. And in ‘Ojakyo Brothers’, I played a role completely different from my own personality, so that was fun. I think through these dramas, I’ve learned to become more honest with myself and others.”
UEE is slowly earning her creds as an actress, and she is enjoying learning what acting is all about. Rather than considering it ‘work’, she is merely doing something she truly enjoys and giving it her 100%.
“I’m thankful for all the new attention. Instead of letting it stress me out, I remind myself that this is the beginning of something new, and I want to work to develop myself as an actress.”
It won’t be easy for UEE, since she made her debut in the entertainment world as an idol star first, and is still at the bottom of the acting world. However, UEE will work hard and continue to be optimistic, just like she has done up until now. We hope that she never loses her smile, or her fighting spirit.
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