Actresses Kim Ji-won (김지원) and Lee Jung-eun (이정은) are currently promoting their upcoming medical drama, “Doctor X: White Mafia Era.” Kim Ji-won recently appeared on the YouTube show “Salon Drip,” where she uncharacteristically discussed her past as an idol trainee, revealing for the first time that there was a “reason” she didn’t debut as an idol. Her self-deprecating humor brought continuous laughter to the set.
During the episode, Kim Ji-won and Lee Jung-eun were guests, discussing dancing and their past experiences. Host Jang Do-yeon (장도연) asked Kim Ji-won, “Do you like to dance?” Kim Ji-won replied, “I learned a little dancing when I was young.” At this point, Lee Jung-eun unexpectedly revealed, “She used to prepare to become an idol.” Kim Ji-won openly admitted that she had indeed been an idol trainee for a short period.
Kim Ji-won then laughed and said, “I did dance when I was a trainee, but there’s a reason I couldn’t debut.” She candidly admitted her shortcomings in various aspects at the time, which drew continuous laughter from the audience. Jang Do-yeon followed up, “Was it a problem with dancing?” Kim Ji-won chuckled in response, “I guess it was a little regrettable in all aspects.” Her remark once again sent the studio into laughter.
Jang Do-yeon also recounted a cute anecdote she had heard: Kim Ji-won, as a trainee, once wondered aloud, “Why can Beyoncé do it, but I can’t?” Jang Do-yeon playfully teased, “It seems like you were trying something back then, but it didn’t go so well.” This brought an embarrassed and shy expression to Kim Ji-won’s face, sparking another round of laughter.
Beyond dancing, Lee Jung-eun also revealed that Kim Ji-won loves to sing on set. “She sings a lot, always humming,” Lee Jung-eun said. Kim Ji-won explained, “It’s not because I have any singing talent, but after a certain level of exhaustion, I need a ‘labor song’.” She even joked, “If I start singing, it means ‘I’m extremely tired’.”
Kim Ji-won also shared that during scenes requiring long periods of standing, such as surgeries, she often stands for up to 10 hours. With similar scenes repeating, her body easily gets fatigued. “I sing to myself constantly, and I also have fun with my seniors. These things actually give me a lot of strength.”
From an idol trainee to a celebrated actress, Kim Ji-won’s rare sharing of her past experiences on the show unexpectedly offered the public a glimpse into a lesser-known side of her.
