Popular Actress Breaks Down In Tears Because She “Only Gets Ahjumma Roles”

No doubt about it: All avid K-Drama watchers know her face. From the quirky mother in Reply 1988…

Kim Sun Young in “Reply 1988.” | tvN

…to the “villain” of Crash Course in Romance…

Kim in “Crash Course in Romance.” | tvN

…actress Kim Sun Young is one of the greatest, most recognizable actresses who has shined in countless hit series.

But for Kim, building her career has been an emotional one—and it remains a struggle for her still. In an episode of “Song Yoon Ah by PDC,” a YouTube series hosted by actress Song Yoon Ah, Kim talked about her passion for acting.

While explaining that she finds it important to watch her parts over and over to learn and improve, Kim pointed out that she ends up reviewing the same scene dozens of times because she “[doesn’t] get a lot of lines.”

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But in ‘When the Camellia Blooms,’ in one episode, I only had about five lines. It was mostly like that. Even in ‘Crash Course in Romance,’ apart from a few major incidents, I didn’t have many lines, either. I just filmed my scene and left. I love rewatching my scenes in the show, and I keep having to rewind and rewind. When I do that, I think, ‘If only they gave me a few more lines…’ Once my scene is over, sometimes I don’t appear for more than 2 minutes. So I end up thinking, ‘If only they gave me 3 more minutes…’ Because I want to see more of myself…

But because I don’t have much screen time, I sometimes watch the same scene 10 times. If only I could get, like, 10 lines in a show… About 15 lines per episode would make me head over heels. I’m not saying I want more screen time. I want my role to have a bit of conflict or more dimensions, so I can use that to develop the character more.

— Kim Sun Young

According to Kim, even when she is cast in K-Dramas and K-Movies, she feels like she’s not expanding her acting spectrum—and it’s because, since her rise to stardom with When the Camellia Blooms (2019) and Crash Landing On You (2020), she now gets nothing but ahjumma roles.

Kim Sun Young in “When The Camellia Blooms.” | @jellyfish_ent/Twitter

While grateful to be offered, Kim said, “It’s restricting.”

Kim Sun Young in “Romance Is A Bonus Book.” | tvN

I can’t get enough of acting, and I’m in love with it. But right after ‘When the Camellia Blooms,’ I starred in ‘Crash Landing on You.’ Both were middle-aged-woman roles. And after playing a middle-aged woman twice in a row, that image must’ve settled with me. I keep getting offers for similar roles. Not that I have a problem with middle-aged women’s roles. But it could be a middle-aged woman who commits filicide. Or a burglar. Just some substance. Anything. But my roles never go outside of the marketplace…and I can’t keep repeating what I’ve done before.

I’ve blamed others, and I’ve blamed myself for it quite a bit. I took it out on myself a lot because there were no limits to how harsh I can be on myself. When I was alone, I crawled way deep into a hole. So you could say I fell into a slight depression. I didn’t express it openly, of course…I don’t know how to put it. I just sincerely wanted to do acting but didn’t get the chance to. And I feel like I’m finally ready to do good acting.

— Kim Sun Young

For Kim, acting is life; She spends most of her time thinking about acting and how she can do better. Then, she burst into tears, commenting that—despite her enthusiasm, she “doesn’t get a lot of opportunities to act.”

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I was strangely too obsessed with acting. For 24 hours a day, all I thought was about acting, which felt a bit too extreme at times. But I didn’t get a lot of offers. I was so desperate. I just wanted to play a role that had more dimension to it! Nothing too grand. And it broke me, like, ‘Poor Sun Young. You know you have it in you. If only you could get the chance… This must be sucking the life out of you.’ And it was true, I was bored out of my mind because nothing was making my heart beat anymore. But there was nothing else I could do. Acting is my life.

— Kim Sun Young

Hearing about Kim’s truest feelings about acting, Koreans are rooting for the actress’s success. Praising her for all of the previous characters she brought to life, Koreans hoped to see her cast in bigger, more complex roles.

| theqoo

• “I watched [the 2022 movie] ‘Dream Palace’ and thought her acting was insane. It was like watching a documentary.”
• “I get it. It’s not easy for middle-aged actors to take on leading roles. Even the ‘hottest’ male actors don’t get offers like they used to as they age.”
• “It must’ve started with ‘Reply 1988.’ She ate that role… And because she looks so much like ‘your friendly neighborhood lady,’ it must be hard to find roles that suit her profile… But I do hope that she gets to play something big and life changing.”
• “So it baffles me that actors with controversial backgrounds get to keep winning roles. I think it’s perfectly fine that Kim showed her ambitions in this episode. She deserves to express her passions.”
• “Wow… She’s so good at acting that probably none of us knew she had such little screen time. She brings such a huge presence.”
• “What was that one K-Drama she was on with Kim Hee Ae and Moon So Ri? She was amazing in that, too.”
• “I had no idea she didn’t get a lot of lines… because she’s so impressive with the ones that she’s given. I hope a solid leading role ends up in her career soon.”
• “Maybe she can take on a completely outside-her-usual role, like a wealthy chaebol character or something. That usually does the trick for breaking limits.”
• “There’s more to an ‘ahjumma role’ than a mere side character in some rom-com. Think Sky Castle, Green Mothers’ Club, and Battle for Happiness. I hope she gets to take on a more multi-dimensional role in those middle-aged women-driven works.”
• “Some of you are really calling her out for showing affection and ambition for the line of work she does… What’s wrong with you all? I wish the best for her.”

Watch the full clip here.