Lee Joo-yeon admits beauty rivalry with Song Ji-hyo: 'We wouldn't be friends'

Actress Lee Joo-yeon, formerly of After School, brought laughter to the screen by candidly confessing that she would have felt Song Ji-hyo's beauty was a 'competitive rival' in a hypothetical school setting. It was a blunt response from Lee, who had been noted for her extraordinary beauty since her school days, suggesting she might have been wary of a friend who stood out even more than herself.

In the 816th episode of the SBS variety program 'Running Man' aired on the 16th, a 'Beat the Heat' race took place with participants including Lee Joo-yeon, Eunji, and Kang Ye-won.

The cast was given a game to guess the ranking of members Lee Joo-yeon would 'absolutely not have been close with' if they had actually met during her school years. Since the game required guessing Lee's personality rather than a simple popularity vote, the members' attention was focused.

To get a hint, the cast asked what type of people she usually dislikes, and Lee revealed her tendencies quite honestly.

"People who talk a bit too much, or people who are noisy."

She added that she also dislikes "people who are a bit too strong and take other people's things."

Then, Lee made an unexpected confession.

"I have to be the protagonist. I need to stand out, so I hate it when someone else stands out more."

While mixed with exaggerated expressions for the sake of variety entertainment, the set turned into a sea of laughter at Lee's honest self-confession. It was because she meant she dislikes situations where her own presence is overshadowed.

As a result, the person Lee picked for 2nd place was Ji Ye-eun. The reason was somewhat simple: she explained that Ji Ye-eun's high-pitched voice could be bothersome to her.

However, the real twist was 1st place.

The person Lee chose as the one she 'would never have been close with if they met in school' was Song Ji-hyo.

When the members expressed confusion, Lee explained the reason without a moment's hesitation.

"If we were the same age and in the same class, it's because she's prettier."

It was a candid confession that if a friend prettier than herself were in the same class, a sense of rivalry would have arisen.

This drew even more laughter, especially since Lee herself became famous as an so-called 'ulzzang' (internet beauty) since her school days. The premise that someone who was noted for her exceptional looks would have been wary of a friend who stood out more created entertainment value.

Lee is one of the representative figures who gained fame during the era when the internet ulzzang culture was creating new stars in popular culture. At that time, before SNS became a daily necessity like it is now, there were many cases where people who naturally became famous through online communities and personal homepages entered the entertainment industry.

Following this trend, Lee made her name and officially began her entertainment career by debuting as a member of the girl group After School. Since then, she has expanded her field beyond singing to become an actress, moving between dramas, films, and variety shows.

For Lee, the question of 'who stands out more' became more than just a joke; it became a variety show device. It makes the audience imagine what the relationship would have been like if these two people, who were already noted by the public for their looks, had been in the same class.

Of course, these remarks do not refer to her actual school-age relationships but are Lee's witty responses to a hypothetical situation set for the broadcast. Since Song has also shown a friendly image and her unique, easygoing charm through long-term variety and acting activities, there is no need to take their relationship as an actual competitive structure.

Rather, what is interesting about Lee's remarks is that she applied the common entertainment industry topic of 'beauty rivalry' to herself.

Her previous statement, "I have to be the protagonist," and her answer, "I would have been wary because she's prettier," connected naturally, making her character more vivid. She essentially expressed her honest desire to stand out using the language of variety shows.

Ultimately, the 1st place 'member she would never have been close with' chosen by Lee was unexpectedly Song Ji-hyo, who likely would have received attention for reasons very similar to her own.

Song Ji-hyo, the 'target of beauty rivalry' acknowledged by former ulzzang Lee Joo-yeon. Lee's honest words about her competitive feelings regarding looks became another laughing point on 'Running Man' that day.