Lee Hye Ri reflects on 16 years in entertainment: 'There were moments of skepticism and fatigue'

Singer and actress Lee Hye Ri looked back on her 16-year career in the entertainment industry, candidly sharing the skepticism and fatigue she experienced in her interpersonal relationships. Stating that after long years of professional life, there are "moments when your faith in humanity is shattered," Lee revealed that during those times, she would read letters she received from the organizations she had donated to, which helped recharge her trust in people.

On the 18th, a video titled "This Industry Where Only Interesting People Survive" was released on Lee Hye Ri's YouTube channel. During the video, while conversing with actress Park Kyung-hye and the production PD, Lee shared her thoughts on donation and sharing while reflecting on her life in the industry.

Lee suddenly asked, "Shall I recharge your faith in humanity?" as she brought out letters she had kept over the years. She continued, "I've been in professional life for about 16 years. When you do that much, there are moments when your faith in humanity is shattered," adding, "That is when I recharged my faith in humanity."

The expression "faith in humanity is shattered" is a common way to describe experiencing moments where expectations of people crumble during a long career. While Lee did not mention specific incidents or particular individuals, she expressed the emotional fatigue she likely experienced while working within the public eye and the industry for a long time using relatively direct language.

The letters she brought out were those delivered from the places where she had made donations. Lee explained that the letters contained information about the lives and health conditions of those who received the support, as well as the reasons why the support was needed.

"It shows what kind of life they are leading, where they are sick, and why they need support," she said. "I cannot introduce specific cases, but I wanted to brag about them."

In particular, Lee revealed that her thoughts on publicly discussing her donations have changed from the past. She explained that she had been careful about revealing them because a celebrity's donation can sometimes be viewed as promoting good deeds or "showing off."

"This is a part where my thinking has changed. I used to think that saying I donated felt like I was showing off or being shameful, so I thought it might be better not to say anything," Lee said.

She added, "Seeing these people convey their hearts, I felt it would be better to share that as well." This explains that donation, which she once thought of as a one-sided relationship of providing help, is actually having an emotional impact on her as well.

Lee emphasized that she experienced her own heart being filled in the process. She said, "Something that wouldn't be filled no matter what I did, I felt it was actually being filled more."

This statement shows Lee's changed perception, viewing donation not merely as an act of economic support. It suggests that rather than a structure where a donor unilaterally provides something to a recipient, the two parties can exchange emotional influence in the process of exchanging gratitude and support.

In particular, Lee's use of the expression "recharging faith in humanity" drew attention. While celebrities operate based on the love of the public, they must simultaneously live amidst constant evaluation, comparison, competition, and interest in their private lives. For Lee, who has lived a life exposed to the public for a long time since her debut, the confession that there were moments when she felt fatigue toward people reveals the human emotions existing behind the glamorous life of a star.

Born in 1994, Lee entered the entertainment industry by debuting as a member of Girl's Day in 2010. After making a name for herself through idol group activities, she expanded her field into acting and built public recognition by moving between variety shows and dramas.

In particular, she has consistently continued her work as an actress, establishing herself as one of the representative examples of an actress from an idol background. Contrary to her image as being friendly and bright to the public, she showed another side in this video by candidly sharing the emotional ups and downs she experienced during her long 16-year career.

Lee appeared in the ENA Monday-Tuesday drama "Dream to You," which ended last month, and is also scheduled to appear in the new Disney+ variety show "Style Wars." Her career, which has expanded from singer to actress to entertainer, is now entering a new phase beyond her 16th year since debut.

At such a point, the topic of "humanity" brought up by Lee holds more meaning than a simple celebrity heartwarming story. It is because it tells a story that while there are moments of being disappointed in people during a long professional life, a single sincere word sent by someone can also become an occasion to restore one's faith in others.

Lee did not explicitly show the results of her donations by revealing the letters. Instead, she shared the emotions themselves sent by those who received help. Rather than highlighting the donor, she focused on the emotional exchange that occurred following the support.

Ultimately, for Lee, donation was not limited to the act of helping others. Throughout her 16 years in entertainment, it served as a form of emotional ventilation that allowed her to look toward others again during moments of exhaustion. Her words, "Something that wouldn't be filled no matter what I did, I felt it was actually being filled more," succinctly demonstrate how giving can change the heart of the giver as much as the recipient.