Lee Da Hee Reflects On Her "Beauty Inside" Character, Shares Life Philosophy, And More

May 30, 2021

Lee Da Hee recently participated in a pictorial and interview with GQ Korea!

Lee Da Hee’s upbeat and friendly nature shone through in the interview, where she was first asked why she was listening with such a bright expression. “If I sit here listening with a blank face I look really cold, and people wonder if I’m in a bad mood,” she explained. “I look mad. But since I’m not, I try to smile more. If I don’t, I look really rough. Of course I can be angry and lose my temper too, but usually I’m not like that. I also open up more when the person I’m talking to is smiling.”

The interviewer then lavished her with praise for her acting career, which they explained had bubbled over when she appeared as a villain in the drama “Beauty Inside” wearing a nude-colored lipstick instead of one that was stereotypically bright red.

Lee Da Hee was surprised by the unique recollection, musing about what made her role in the drama special. “Although she was a villain, she wasn’t one you could hate,” the actress recalled. “She had her own convictions and she was very appealing in that way.”

Emphasizing her own acting philosophy, Lee Da Hee continued, “I didn’t want to be an obvious supporting role or be a typical second lead. While taking into account the character’s background, I also wanted to make it unique. Rather than just giving off a fierce feeling through dark makeup, I wanted to make a character with depth.”

Lee Da Hee also talked about how she enjoyed discovering new things, whether through acting or elsewhere. “For example, people see me and think that any style of clothing would suit me because I’m skinny, but because my bones are big it’s not as easy as one might think,” she said. “To make up for that and to look my best, I keep searching for and wearing new clothes. Through this GQ pictorial I also tried colored mascara for the first time. It was so fun. Through trying things out one by one I come to realize what works for me and what doesn’t.”

Although Lee Da Hee has acted in many dramas, most people remember her for her role in “Beauty Inside.” Rather than being upset by that fact, Lee Da Hee welcomed it, saying, “I’m very thankful that people remember me for that drama alone. No matter when the drama was released, people are thinking of me as someone memorable. I like that very much.”

Since then, Lee Da Hee has worn various other hats through her roles in dramas such as “Search: WWW” and “L.U.C.A.: The Beginning.” Although she could have found what type of role suited her best and stuck with it, Lee Da Hee instead chose to test her versatility as an actress. “If I did another flashy role after ‘Beauty Inside’ and ‘Search: WWW,’ people would think my acting is the same every time,” she explained. “But when I selected ‘L.U.C.A.’ I think I was a bit too confident. I thought I could do it all.”

Lee Da Hee revealed that her mother had mentioned that her role in ‘L.U.C.A.: The Beginning” didn’t suit her well. “However, if I try something else and it works, then it works. If not, then I find something else to make up for it,” she concluded.

When the interviewer commented on her optimism, Lee Da Hee replied, “I have to always think positively, not negatively, so that way when an opportunity comes knocking, I can do a good job and pave the way for more opportunities. I realized that if I don’t love myself, I grow dispirited and lose self-confidence. I decided to give more compliments to others and express those things more, instead of doing and saying things that could hurt others. I want to become someone who loves herself and calls herself beautiful while also loving others and calling them beautiful. I want to be someone who gives off good energy.”

A scab on Lee Da Hee’s knee is visible in her pictorial. Lee Da Hee explained that she fell over while riding a motorized scooter. “I’m okay now,” she reassured. “At the time it was kind of serious, but thankfully it wasn’t my face that got hurt. It’s a shame that I fell over on my first time riding one, but I also realized that I shouldn’t ride it anymore. I don’t even look at those scooters now. They’re dangerous for me.”

Lee Da Hee also has a mark on her neck, which she said was from a necklace that was made with her grandmother’s ring. Opening up about her relationship with her grandparents, the actress said, “My grandmother and grandfather died suddenly in a car accident. They were very healthy and I thought they would live for a very long time, but they suddenly passed away.”

She said that although they criticized her for not earning money when she had no work, they were also the most excited to watch her TV appearances, asking when she would be coming on and sitting in front of the TV to shower her with compliments. “I miss them, a lot,” Lee Da Hee confessed.

Lee Da Hee concluded, “I might seem crazy, but when I look at the picture of my grandmother and grandfather beside my bed I say, ‘Grandma, I’m back.’ If something upsetting happened then I’ll say, ‘Grandma, I’m really hurt and tired because of what happened. I miss you.’ Through that, I try to do the best I can every day. I realized how valuable it all is. My family, tomorrow, and the things I love.”