Son Ye Jin: Parenting is harder than acting

Actress Son Ye Jin revealed her daily life with her son, who is approaching 4 years old, admitting that parenting is more difficult than her acting career. She shared that whenever she tries to lie down for a moment because she is tired, her son scolds her, saying, "Mom, pull yourself together."

While she is an actress who has expressed the emotions and language of countless characters over decades, at home, she is a typical mother who is flustered by a single word from her son.

On the 17th, Son appeared on the YouTube channel 'Netflix Korea' for the episode '[Hong.Geon.De] His Face is Incredible. Three Friends' Dangerous Love Bet | We Are Here to Promote Snow White's Revenge,' where she shared recent updates and discussed her work alongside Ji Chang Wook and Nana.

Ahead of the release of the Netflix series 'Snow White's Revenge,' the three shared various stories, ranging from behind-the-scenes details of the production to their personal lives. When asked about her recent life during her first official appearance in a while, Son unexpectedly revealed that her daily routine revolves more around parenting than her acting work.

Son said, "I am raising a baby. I am taking a break from acting."

When Yoo Byung Jae asked, "Which is harder?" Son's answer was immediate.

"Raising the baby."

The short and firm response drew laughter from the set. It was a candid confession from Son, who has been active as an actress for a long time, that parenting is more challenging than filming and acting.

When asked about the child's age, she explained, "He is getting close to 4. He speaks very well." She then shared an unexpected remark she recently heard from her son.

Son said, "These days, he tells me, 'Mom, pull yourself together.'"

She continued with a laugh, "When I say, 'I'm going to lie down for a bit because I'm tired from parenting,' he says, 'Mom, pull yourself together.' So I ask him, 'Where did you hear that?'"

She humorously described the situation where unexpected expressions emerge as the child enters a period of rapid vocabulary growth. Son did not hide her joy in watching her son grow, saying, "No matter where he hears it, it's so amazing how his vocabulary increases, and I think it's so cute."

In particular, the expression "Mom, pull yourself together" reflects the blunt linguistic sense unique to young children, as well as the close relationship formed between parents and children within a family. While it was a moment for Son to rest her tired body, for the child, it was a moment when his mother needed to move again.

This scene is even more interesting when compared to Son Ye Jin's public image. She has worked as one of the leading actresses representing Korean films and dramas for a long time, crossing genre boundaries from melodrama to thriller, action, and historical dramas. While she must thoroughly build characters in front of the camera, at home, she returns to being a mother who laughs and is flustered by her child's words.

Son married actor Hyun Bin in 2022. After giving birth to a son in November of the same year, she has spent time focusing on her family life. While the relationship between the two drew great public attention before and after their marriage, Son has since handled her family's privacy relatively cautiously, separate from her fame as an actress.

This comment was also characterized by her sharing her parenting experiences in the form of episodes rather than revealing specific details or the face of her son. It is a method of conveying the growth process through her son's words without excessively exposing the child's daily life.

The work that marks Son's return to the forefront as an actress after a long hiatus is 'Snow White's Revenge.'

The Netflix series 'Snow White's Revenge,' releasing on the 18th, centers on a dangerous love bet between Lady Cho, a woman who could not fully realize her talents due to the constraints of the Joseon era, and Cho-won, the greatest lover in Joseon. As the narrative of Hui-yeon, who becomes entangled in that bet, is added, the relationship between the three characters forms a complex emotional line.

Son plays Lady Cho in the work. She is a character who, in the Joseon society where Confucian order operated strongly, could not even properly possess her own name simply because she was a woman. Despite her outstanding talent, Lady Cho, blocked by the limitations of the era, begins to move the events by proposing a secret bet to Cho-won, her childhood friend and cousin.

'Snow White's Revenge' is particularly meaningful to Son, as it marks her return to historical dramas after 24 years.

One of her most representative works in historical dramas is the 2000 MBC series 'The Great Ambition.' Since then, she has solidified her position through a wide filmography in modern dramas and films, including 'The Classic,' 'A Moment to Remember,' 'My Wife Got Married,' 'The Pirates,' 'The Truth Beneath,' 'The Last Princess,' 'The Negotiation,' and 'Without Beginning or End.'

In particular, in 'Crash Landing on You,' she worked alongside Hyun Bin, which drew massive public interest as their on-screen romance translated into a real-life relationship. The drama remains a symbolic piece of content for the couple, who met as lovers on screen before marrying in real life.

Since then, the biggest change in Son's life has been the shift in her family structure rather than her acting career. Following her marriage and childbirth, she adjusted the pace of her professional activities, and through 'Snow White's Revenge,' she is now shifting her focus back to the acting field.

Therefore, this comeback holds more meaning than just starring in a new project. While the pre-marriage Son Ye Jin expanded her filmography around her work, she now interprets characters as an actress who has gained new life experiences through marriage and motherhood.

Of course, it cannot be determined how her real-life experiences influenced her acting unless the actress herself discloses it. However, it is noteworthy that an actress returning after a long hiatus is choosing projects from a different stage of life.

It is also interesting that Son mentioned parenting being harder in the context of this broadcast. Even an actress who has mastered controlling emotions and delivering lines in numerous works finds it difficult to find the right answer when it comes to raising a child.

Furthermore, as a child begins to learn language and express their will actively, a parent's daily life changes. The scene where Son's son says "Mom, pull yourself together" when she tries to rest shows that parenting is more than just caregiving; it is a continuous interaction.

Son does not seem to view these changes as a burden. Her comment that it is "so cute" as his vocabulary increases reveals the affection of a parent watching their child grow.

It is unique that the story providing the most laughter at a gathering announcing a glamorous comeback was not about the work itself, but about her son's words. While Son plays the strong-willed Lady Cho in a historical setting, in reality, she responds with laughter to the commands of her 4-year-old son.

While there is a clear gap between Son Ye Jin the actress and Son Ye Jin the mother, this broadcast creates a moment where that gap acts as a charming, relatable quality for the public. A star who has held her position for a long time explains her current life through the language of her most private daily moments.

Having taken a break for parenting, Son is now stepping back in front of the camera. Along with her new character in her first historical drama in 24 years, interest is high regarding the acting evolution of an actress who has experienced life changes through marriage and motherhood.

Above all, the story Son shared at the start of this comeback was not grand. It was the simple interaction of her wanting to lie down, her son's response to "pull herself together," and her own laughter at how cute and amazing it is. It shows that even for a top star, the most powerful variable in a day can be the child waiting at home.