Her groupmate saw huge acting success first.
Former Tiny-G member-turned-actress Joo Se Bin opened up about her idol past and revealed that acting had always been her real goal.
In a recent interview following the conclusion of TV Chosun’s Doctor Shin, the actress reflected on her transition from K-Pop to acting, admitting that she originally debuted as an idol because she had been told it would eventually lead to acting opportunities.
Joo Se Bin, who played Geum Ba Ra on the show, shared that she had dreamed of becoming an actress long before her idol debut.
I originally wanted to act. They told me that if I became an idol, they would let me act too, so that’s why I debuted. I mean, I enjoyed being on stage, dancing, and singing, too. So my idol experience became a huge source of strength and training for me.
— Joo Se Bin
However, Joo Se Bin eventually realized she still was not getting the acting opportunities she truly wanted. By the time she was preparing to enter her senior year of high school, she made the difficult decision to leave the group altogether.
I told them, ‘I want to act. I want to study acting and go to college for it. I’m going to leave the group.’
— Joo Se Bin
She explained that the timing felt especially important because it would shape the rest of her career. Having trained since she was just 14 years old, she said her agency respected her decision.
Another major source of inspiration came from fellow Tiny-G member Dohee, whose breakout acting success in the hit K-Drama Reply 1994 left a strong impression on her.
Dohee unnie was doing really well with Reply 1994 at the time. I was honestly very jealous… My dream of acting like her grew even bigger.
— Joo Se Bin
Joo Se Bin added that stepping away from idol life ultimately helped her recognize her own shortcomings and motivated her to properly study acting before returning to the entertainment industry!
This also clears the air of rumors that Joo Se Bin was “kicked out” of Tiny-G. Read more about why such a rumor started here:
Where Is She Now? The Idol “Kicked Out” Of Her Group For Being Too Tall