Former actress Kim Se-in has publicly disclosed the difficult circumstances that prompted her departure from South Korea's entertainment industry, recounting how financial desperation led her to accept revealing acting roles and how her former agency head repeatedly brought her to adult nightlife venues.

Kim shared her experiences during Thursday's broadcast of MBN's television program "Exclusive World." The episode depicted her current life as a food delivery driver who also cares for 15 rescued animals, including seven abandoned dogs along with rabbits and chickens.

"I have to earn every penny I can," Kim said. "I occasionally film commercials, dramas and movies, but I have to keep working to support my large family."

Kim began her acting career with a debut in the 2004 film "Same Bed, Different Dreams" and rose to broader public recognition through the 2011 SBS sitcom "Oh My God." Despite her growing profile, she abruptly stepped away from the entertainment industry in 2013.

Reflecting on that period, Kim described facing intense pressure from her agency.

"My agency head kept taking me to places like adult entertainment venues and made my life miserable," she said. "Then my mother collapsed. Every single day felt like hell. I hated living."

Kim's account aligns with longstanding concerns documented in South Korea's entertainment industry, where the power imbalance between management agencies and performers has drawn public scrutiny and calls for stronger protections for artists.

Kim recounted that she grew up in an affluent household while her father operated a successful business. However, the family's finances collapsed during the 1997 Asian financial crisis, a devastating regional economic upheaval that triggered widespread bankruptcies across South Korea and required an international bailout. The family was ultimately forced to live in a warehouse-like space, and Kim entered the entertainment industry driven by financial necessity.

She revealed that her family's urgent monetary needs pushed her to accept roles requiring revealing clothing.

"At the time, we desperately needed tens of millions of won (about $21,600) and my family was in such a difficult situation that I felt I had no choice but to shoulder the burden," she said. "My father was extremely upset."

Kim's father passed away from a heart attack two years ago. She explained that her dedication to caring for abandoned dogs and other animals stems partly from a promise she made to him.

Her mother has remained in a coma for 15 years following a subarachnoid hemorrhage.

"I want to keep taking good care of this big family and do my best so I can remain responsible for them until the very end," Kim said.

This article was originally published by the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, translated by a generative AI system, and edited by The Korea Times.

Source: The Korea Times