Actress Lee Si Young recently shared that her mother is still operating a snack shop inside a public sauna, revealing both the struggles and pride tied to her family's past.
On June 23, a video titled “The Most Memorable Scene Lee Si Young Witnessed While Filming = Jung Sang Hoon’s Hidden Charm” was uploaded to the Zzanbro YouTube channel.
In the video, Lee reflected on her late start in the acting industry, saying, “I debuted at 28, but I had been auditioning since I was 24. For five years, I didn't get cast even once. Our family was not financially stable, and I felt like debuting would be impossible. Then, by chance, I got a contract to operate a sauna shop.”
She continued, “It was a snack shop inside the women’s section of a sauna. The deposit was 30 million KRW (about $22,091) with a monthly rent of 2.8 million KRW (about $2,062). At that time, my mom was sick, so I ran the place alone, 24 hours a day.”
Recalling those days, Lee expressed a mix of pride and hardship. “I was lucky to finally make my debut, and afterward, I passed the business on to my mother,” she said. “I didn’t want her to take over because the work was exhausting and some customers were really rough. But when my mom took over, it was different. I used to work like, ‘Bring it on!’ but my mom, with her age and calmness, was able to embrace everything.”
She added, “She’s still running it today. I never tell her to stop. I heard that when older people suddenly quit working, they age faster. It’s amazing to me that she’s still doing it.”
Lee Si Young married a restaurant entrepreneur in 2017 and has one son. However, the couple divorced in March this year. She is currently starring in ENA’s Monday–Tuesday drama 'Salon de Holmes.'
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