It’s no secret that idols have to undergo severe amounts of pressure and strenuous routines during their career. It’s even less of a surprise that many idols in the industry suffer from mental health issues.

That was no different for actress Han Sun Hwa, who was a member of the now-disbanded South Korean girl group, Secret.

During a virtual interview with The Korea Times, the former idol opened up living with severe anxiety and struggling to cope with the life that fame brought. So much so, that she couldn’t even enjoy something as mundane as having a cup of coffee with friends without feeling guilty for taking time off work.

“As a member of the girl group, I was always so busy. I didn’t have any time for relationships. There was no time to step back and ask myself, ‘How do I actually feel?’ I was too hard on myself, believing that my skills would deteriorate if I were to take a break. My biggest fear, at that time, was falling behind my competitors.”

After seven years of working tirelessly, physically and mentally exhausting herself, the singer-turned-actress left Secret in 2016 to pursue her acting career and has since learned ‘a lot about balance’ and taking care of herself better.  

“When I was working as a singer, everything was happening so fast. As an actor, I feel more relaxed. I try to take breaks between jobs, and I love to travel during my free time. As it’s difficult to take an overseas trip due to COVID-19, I am enjoying travelling to Jeju Island or Namhae in South Gyeongsang Province,” expresses the 31-year-old.

Shifting careers definitely proved to work out better in her favour. Since trying her hand at acting, Han has shown off her skills in 15 dramas; with the upcoming romance drama ‘Cinema Street’ as her first time playing a leading movie role.

“As an idol, I used to not be able to roam freely around the streets in the city, but this time, I was in charge of the traffic control while shooting. The younger people, especially teenagers and those in their early twenties, didn’t know I was a singer.”

Source: The Korea Times