One of the biggest challenges Shin Youn Ha faced while filming The Scandal was maintaining her physique. The preparation was necessary because the character has several scenes that reveal parts of her body, including her upper body.
The actress said she is naturally prone to gaining weight and therefore had to make considerable efforts to meet the physical requirements of the role.
“I’m naturally someone who gains weight easily. If I don’t manage myself, I tend to gain weight as soon as I eat,” she said.
Because of the character’s requirements and several intimate scenes that show her upper body, Shin Youn Ha ultimately lost around 7 kilograms.
“Because there were aspects that were necessary for the character and some scenes where my body was revealed, I lost about 7 kilograms. I did everything I could, from managing my diet to exercising,” she explained.
She Originally Dreamed of Becoming a Dancer
Before pursuing acting, Shin Youn Ha dreamed of becoming a dancer.
She attended National Gugak High School, where she majored in Korean traditional dance. However, an unexpected accident left her injured and forced her to reconsider her career path.
As she searched for a new direction, Shin Youn Ha began dreaming of becoming an actress. She eventually enrolled in the Department of Theater and Film at Kyung Hee University and began studying acting seriously.
She said acting appealed to her because, like dance, it gave her the opportunity to stand in front of people and perform.
“Like dance, acting was attractive because I could stand in front of people and perform on stage. At first, after expressing myself physically, it felt embarrassing and awkward to convey emotions through words,” she said.
At the same time, she discovered that she enjoyed being able to capture people’s attention through dialogue.
“But I also liked the fact that I could draw people’s attention through words. I found it so enjoyable that I thought, ‘I could do this for the rest of my life,’” she recalled.
