Seung-yeon Lee Reveals Feelings During Comfort Women Nude and Propofol Controversy
"I Have Nothing to Say Even If I Had Ten Mouths... I Even Thought About Death Back Then"
In 2004, actress Lee Seung-yeon, who was embroiled in controversy over filming a nude video of comfort women, is seen kneeling and apologizing at Nanum House in Gwangju, Gyeonggi-do, where the comfort women grandmothers live. [Photo by YTN]
Actress Lee Seung-yeon (56) recalled past controversies including the publication of the 'Comfort Women Nude Photo Book' and confessed, "I even thought about death."
On the 23rd, a video titled ‘Teacher Jang Young-ran and Actress Lee Seung-yeon’s Yeonhui-dong Housewarming’ was uploaded on the YouTube channel ‘A-grade Jang Young-ran.’ In the video, Lee Seung-yeon and broadcaster Jang Young-ran talked about Lee Seung-yeon’s glamorous prime and the controversies she faced consecutively, as well as the hiatus that followed.
After a successful debut, Lee Seung-yeon took a two-year break following an illegal driver’s license acquisition incident in 1998. Later, in 2004, she shocked the public by publishing a nude photo book reminiscent of comfort women. In 2013, she was sentenced to eight months in prison with a two-year probation for propofol use, resulting in a ban from appearing on KBS and MBC.
Actress Lee Seung-yeon is talking about past controversies. [Photo source: YouTube channel 'A-geup Jang Young-ran' video capture]
Reflecting on that time, Lee Seung-yeon confessed, “I have nothing to say even if I had ten mouths. I even thought about death then.” She continued, “Death doesn’t come when hardships happen, but when you are exhausted. Feelings of loss and helplessness lead to death,” revealing her state of mind at the time.
Lee Seung-yeon, who briefly stayed at a temple back then, recalled, “I cried my heart out for about three nights and four days. In the morning, I ate scorched rice soup and looked at the clouds while crouching on the window sill. I thought, ‘I haven’t died yet. There are still days left to live.’”
Meanwhile, Lee Seung-yeon debuted in the entertainment industry after being crowned Miss Korea Beauty in 1992. After the illegal driver’s license incident in 1998, she took a break and returned in 2002 with the drama ‘Who Is My Love?’ However, she caused a scandal again in 2003 due to the propofol use incident, and in 2004, she sparked social controversy once more with nude photos themed around comfort women. Subsequently, her bans from KBS and MBC were lifted sequentially in 2016 and 2017, and she successfully made a comeback in March 2018 with the MBC drama ‘Rich Man’s Son.’
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
