Kim Hee-sun Basks in Resurgent Popularity

Actress Kim Hee-sun is enjoying resurgent popularity. Many of the clothes and accessories she wears on TV shows or dramas have become popular, as viewers closely follow her style, just as they did when she was a teen idol in the late 1990s.

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Kim attributed the renewed interest to her straightforward, down-to-earth attitudes. "I haven't changed a bit. Just as before, I'm a very outspoken person. I still Don't Hesitate to say what's on my mind", she said.

"I debuted at a young age, and I didn't care about anything at that time. I was just happy with some money for beer. I didn't care about my image, as I had nothing to lose. I was always that way, but people have started to recognize me for what I am. They know how I behave, and they don't expect too much from me", she said.

After achieving huge success with her early TV series, she didn't fare so well when she returned from a years-long hiatus, starring in a couple of poorly received dramas in recent years.

But with reality shows having gained traction recently, her charms seem to be more appreciated.

And after seeming carefree in her younger days, Kim now has something to care about: her daughter, who is in elementary school. "Her friends tell her when they see me on television. I try to behave myself", she said.

"I began playing mothers and middle-aged women in dramas recently. While I told mysel that I was suited to such roles, because I'm a mother in real life, I actually balked at first. I was afraid of hearing that I'm over the hill", Kim said. "But the roles gave me confidence that I can do anything".