"I kept getting rejected from auditions": "Queen of Tears" Lee Joo Bin Talks About Her Past Struggle

Since her childhood, actress Lee Joo Bin always dreamed of becoming a celebrity. But her path to stardom wasn't easy. She kept auditioning for ten years but was never cast. 

Even after a difficult debut, circumstances didn't get better easily. When she debuted as an actress in the role of a secretary, without any dialogues, through the SBS drama Whisper, she was already 27 years old, not a young age for a rookie actress.

Then onwards, she played minor and supporting roles in several productions and garnered some attention, but she was often evaluated more for her looks than her acting skills. 

However, this time, it was different. After starring in Queen of Tears, Lee Joo Bin is earning praise for her acting skills that were previously overshadowed by her looks, as she skillfully portrayed the complex emotions of her character, Cheon Da Hye. 

In an interview, the actress expressed her feelings, saying, "It's amazing and overwhelming to receive so much love." 

Talking about how she was cast for the role of Cheon Da Hye, Lee Joo Bin said, "I was cast through auditions, and there were as many as 15 audition scenes." She said, "I heard she was a two-faced character who hides her true self, so they probably wanted to see [my] various acting styles during auditions." 

Commenting about her character, the actress said, "Da Hye is immature," and, "Initially, she wasn't very ambitious." "As a result, the only thing she does with the [stolen] money is go to a hotel suite and play games. I thought of her as someone with more desires than ambitions and performed accordingly." 

Talking about Hong Soo Cheol's (Da Hye's husband) influence in her character's life, she said, "He's the one who gave Da Hye the love she had never received in her life, like [the kind of love she was supposed to get from] her parents." 

"From the first time they met when they were young, Soo Cheol gave Da Hye everything she asked for," she added. 

She continued, "At first, the feelings Da Hye felt towards Soo Cheol were just guilt and apologies, but after receiving love from Soo Cheol, she grows into someone who can give and receive love." 

Hankyung reported on the actress's behind-the-scenes preparation process for her character's flashy outward appearance, which is as follows: "I purchased about 5 to 6 clothes straight from luxury brands to transform into the daughter-in-law of a chaebol family," adding, "Actually, I only wear jeans and T-shirts, so I bought them [designer clothes] with my hands shaking [with great excitement]." 

"When my character betrayed Soo Cheol and went to the United States, the Celine jacket I wore at the airport was about 5 million won. I've bought a few bags and shoes, but it was my first time purchasing designer clothes," the actress also said. 

Giving a glimpse of the struggles she faced before rising to stardom, Yonhap reports Lee Joo Bin saying, "I spent my twenties working various part-time jobs to pay for tuition and living expenses, while giving auditions," and added, "I consider tvN's Mr. Sunshine (2018) my debut production, as it was the first time I had a role with lines in a drama." 

"I kept getting rejected from auditions, but I persevered with the mindset of quitting after I had debuted. I thought giving up without trying made no sense. I think I auditioned for ten years with a feeling of resentment [for not getting an opportunity]," she said, laughing. 

She continued, "Since I debuted late, I always felt impatient like I was being chased, but these days, I'm trying to let go of my impatience little by little." 

Talking about the kind of roles she would like to play in the future, she said, "[So far,] I've played a lot of flashy characters that call for emphasis on looks, so I want to play an ordinary character." 

"I bought my first car last year. Until then, I just took the bus and subway. I feel that the life of the character I played and my actual life were too far apart. I want to try playing an ordinary character who is very relatable. Do you think I can pull it off well?" she laughed. 

For her next project, Lee chose to be cast in Guardians.

Guardians tells the story of people struggling to make up for an imperfect law. It depicts the stories of electronic supervisors and probation officers who not only help prevent criminals from committing crimes again but also monitor and restrain them.

Lee Joo Bin takes on the role of the female lead, Han Do Kyung. Han Do Kyung is skilled in martial arts such as judo, kendo, and taekwondo, and is a calm yet friendly person.

The actress stated, "I always used to say in interviews that 'I want to do action scenes,' and thankfully, I ended up doing a completely different piece from Queen of Tears," adding, "Although the specific shooting schedule has not been confirmed yet, it seems like I'll start shooting before the end of the year." "I think I'll be busy this year as well," she said.

Sources(1)(2)