A literature lover who fell in love with theater

As a child, Ye Soo-jung was a lively leader among her friends in the neighborhood. She would often escape her home, which was bustling with her actress mother’s friends, to play outside until the sunset. "I still sometimes dream of being on the swing at the playground. I’d swing so high that the swing would flip backward, and then I’d jump off. I was good at everything, from marbles to skipping, and I was very popular."

In high school, books became her close companions, especially works by Rilke and Goethe. Drawn to the romanticism of German literature, Ye chose to major in German Language and Literature at Korea University. It was during this time that theater suddenly entered her life, as if by fate. The words of Germany’s great playwright Bertolt Brecht, "Theater is a space for the enlightenment of the citizens," resonated deeply.

"These days, ‘enlightenment' might sound like an unfamiliar term, but back then, to me it felt like turning on a single light bulb in front of me. I realized that the theater was a place where people with illuminated minds gathered—a place that would guide me down a bright path."

She also formed an inseparable bond with the university’s student theater club, KU Theater Club. "As a freshman, I wanted to join the club, but when they offered me rice wine at the welcome party, I didn’t want to drink it, so I went straight home. It wasn’t until my junior year that some seniors, who knew I was the daughter of an actress, encouraged me to audition for a play, and that’s how I joined again."

Learning and growing at KU and in Germany

She recalls learning the fundamentals of acting from her seniors in the drama club, preparing herself for the path of an actor through rigorous training. "My senior Jang Doo-I handed me dense books like Ancient Greek Tragedies when I didn’t know much about theater. With my senior Go Geum-seok, I did my first play with Freie Bühne, a theater group affiliated with Goethe-Institut Korea. The director made me perform a scene where I had to laugh loudly while shedding tears, over and over again until it was just right. It was proper acting training."

When Spring Comes to the Mountains and Fields (based on a novel by Choi In-hoon), Ye had another eye-opening moment about acting.

"Thanks to the advice of my seniors, I had already plowed the field for my acting studies, so I quickly understood the instructions from Director Yu. After completing the project, I was sure of one thing: I knew nothing. I realized I needed to study more."

So from 1983 to 1991, she embarked on a long period of study abroad in Germany. In the homeland of Brecht, she gained not only a deep passion for theater but also learned to embrace diversity. "I felt my mind expanding. I was impressed by the way the students debated, and the process of exploring various paths to approach a play. On a personal level, I learned a lot from everyday life, like adopting environmentally conscious habits and holding small gatherings with the families of fellow students."

"Every production faces a challenge. Sometimes, I feel a wall between the character and myself, but that wall is a 'happy wall.' I believe it will eventually open up."

A master of interpretation: 45 years as an actress

After returning to Korea, Ye began building an impressive filmography, delivering sincere performances in every role she took on. In recognition of her work, she received several significant awards, including Best Supporting Actress at the 2022 MBC Drama Awards (Hunted), the 21st Women in Film Korea Awards in 2020 (An Old Lady), Best Supporting Actress at the 2nd Seoul Awards in 2018 (Along with the Gods: The Two Worlds), Best Actress at the 22nd Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (The Land of Happiness), and the 27th Lee Hae Rang Theater Award in 2017.

Though she has excelled in television, film, and theater, her true home remains the stage. Whether at the start of her career or now, Ye says that she works most purely and passionately when doing theater. This is why she remembers the Lee Hae Rang Theater Award with such pride.

"The Lee Hae Rang Theater Award is not given for just doing well. It’s awarded based on how sincerely one has immersed oneself in the genre of theater. It's a recognition from the theater community, acknowledging you as 'one of our own.' I remember asking my senior Go Geum-seok to give a congratulatory message at the ceremony, but instead of a speech, he surprised me by singing a song. Son Sook, who was emceeing the event, even said, 'This will be an unforgettable awards ceremony.'"

We are all walking along our own Camino de Santiago

After exploring human nature and the essence of the world through countless works, what is Ye’s ultimate goal? She responded by saying that we are all walking along the same path in life.

"There’s a 'Camino de Santiago' in life that I’ve been walking along my whole life. Sometimes I check to see if I’ve strayed from that path. My goal is a bit embarrassing, so I’ll keep it secret. But even though we don’t always talk about it, I believe we’re all heading toward similar goals. It’s about how we live our lives and how we cross that final hill called death—doesn’t that make us all the same?"

To the younger students who are still figuring out their futures before entering society, Ye advises them to rely on the lessons learned at Korea University, the ivory tower of truth.

"When I graduated, President Kim Sang-hyeop told us, ‘Even when a tiger is starving, it doesn’t eat grass.’ And Professor Park Jong-seo from the Department of German Language and Literature said, ‘When you enter society, be a fool.’ Those words could easily go in one ear and out the other, but they’ve stayed with me. You might not understand the meaning of everything you hear right now, but the things your professors are telling you will no doubt become a source of strength later on."

Her acceptance speech for the Lee Hae Rang Theater Award, which she considers her most cherished honor, echoed this humility: "I will use this as an opportunity to reflect on myself, so as not to bring shame to my teachers, seniors, juniors, or colleagues." As her speech suggests, Ye has never settled for current success, even after a long career as a professional actor. She constantly seeks to reinvent herself. Throughout the interview, her sincere yet passionate voice and gaze as she spoke about her love for theater left a lasting impression.