South Korean "Nation's Diva" Lee Hyo-ri (이효리) recently opened up about her internal struggles on a television program, confessing that the significant gap between her "superstar image" on stage and her true self once led her to deep self-doubt. She even felt like a "fraud," which severely impacted her self-esteem.
On the October 28 broadcast of JTBC's 'Love War,' an 11-year couple appeared. The man worked as a clown performer, while the woman was a social worker and his manager. Comedian Lee Gyeong-gyu (이경규), known as the "Godfather of Comedy," also joined the show as a special diplomat.
During the program, Lee Hyo-ri couldn't help but feel for the man as he continuously belittled himself, even telling his girlfriend he wanted to break up against his true feelings. She analyzed that he might be trying to hold onto his partner by demeaning himself because he felt he wasn't good enough.
Lee Hyo-ri stated, "If I were to reveal my true self, I might feel too pathetic. That's why he belittles himself while trying to keep her." She also warned that even if his girlfriend seemed to tolerate it now, she might eventually grow tired of it in the long run.
She further analyzed that the man's upbringing seemed to lack sufficient love, making him prone to feeling small and vulnerable. Lee Hyo-ri also suggested that standing on "height-increasing shoes" — like high heels — to appear taller than others and bring joy to the audience might boost his confidence, which is why he enjoyed his work so much.
Unexpectedly, she then shared her own personal experience. Lee Hyo-ri confessed, "Living a life where you constantly try to appear stronger than your true self consumes a lot of energy."
She explained that she is "just a vulnerable woman," and everyone is the same. However, when she, as a "superstar," publicly declared, "Stop worrying, move forward bravely," it actually required immense effort. "We are all the same people, but when I become someone who wants to give something to others, I feel, 'The gap between me and that image is too big,' and my self-esteem drops significantly."
Lee Hyo-ri revealed that after returning home, she used to engage in self-negation: "I am a fraud. I worry every day. I can't even take a single step forward myself, yet I keep telling others to 'take on challenges' and 'move forward.'"
She admitted that the huge discrepancy between "the self she presented to others" and her "true self" led her through a very difficult period. "Don't I know my true self? I actually know I am a very small person. Whenever this happens, my self-esteem drops even lower, and I even become unwilling to do anything."
Because of this, Lee Hyo-ri seemed to better understand the man's constant self-deprecation. However, she earnestly encouraged him, saying, "Even without standing on height-increasing shoes, you are already wonderful." She acknowledged that while the man occasionally threw childish tantrums, which could be frustrating, he was fundamentally a simple, kind person who took his work seriously.
Finally, Lee Hyo-ri said with heartfelt sincerity, "So, stop belittling yourself. When you belittle yourself, you are also belittling the person who loves you. I really think this needs to stop."
