Sisyphus’ Sigma: A Look into Mental Illness
As children, whenever we were introduced to an adult and after we were asked our name and age, we were asked this question: What do you want to be when you grow up? The adult would be amused as they watched the child's confused expression and attempts at giving the right answer. But it is never an amusing experience for the child. For the child, to think about a future they cannot fully comprehend is an existential ordeal. So we would start thinking. We would think of all the people we like, family members, relatives, teachers, TV personalities, story characters, celebrities, etc. Then we'd tell the adult ten things we want to be. Ten irrelevant and contradictory things.
''I want to be a dentist and a surgeon and an engineer and a scientist and a teacher.''
Haven't we heard this answer before? At least once, if we didn't give it ourselves. But even if we didn't exactly know what we wanted to be, we had things in mind. We learned more as we grew up and we developed likes and dislikes as we unraveled our talents and skills. Day by day our personalities changed and our future dreams and perspectives evolved. Some of us realise early what they want to be and work on it from even during their early teenage years. Some need more time. I found my dream that I'm pursuing now when I was 17. Some find it in college. Some find it even later. Finding that dream is an eternal pursuit.
Why am I saying all this?
These kids who have started acting at such a young age, and no matter how talented they are, how much of it is their choice? What is their part in the process of becoming actors? Those who still act when they started as child actors. Son Chang Min started acting at the age of 6. That was in 1971 and he's still active. We're talking about 45 years of acting. Is it possible that this is all because he likes it? Would these actors never wake up one morning and ask themselves, what on earth am I doing with my life? Is this really what I want and like to do? And if they realise they don't actually want that path anymore, will they be able to change it?
Seo Shin Ae (1998)
Oh! How I love her! Those expressive eyes of hers tell tales. Her innocent smile turns into a deadly smirk and sends shivers down my spine at times. She can be the sweetest thing ever and one second later she turns into a horror heroine. I should start with her role in Thank You but I haven’t watched the drama yet, so.
I know! I have a thing for delaying the greatest works. Not on purpose, believe me.
High Kick Through the Roof. Her dad is chased by debt sharks and she and her sister, Shin Se Kyung, end up living with a certain family. Clever, well-behaved and kind Shin Ae would in no way get along with rude and selfish Hae Ri (Jin Ji Hee). The encounters between these two kids were the funniest parts of the sitcom. Watching Shin Ae freaking out whenever Hae Ri shouts out her name was hilarious every time in all 126 episodes.
In the interesting drama special Boy Meets Girl, Shin Ae plays a genius child with a mother obsessed with fame and success. We watch her psychologically suffer as she tries to live up to her mother’s expectations while doing something she hates and facing the bullying of her classmates and her utter loneliness. We watch her go through a positive change with a new phase in her life. The thing about her is that she makes her ailment ours. She drags the audience into the story of her characters and makes them real.
I’m still watching The Queen’s Classroom where she’s again defeated and miserable. Those black circles under her eyes and the drooped head as she walks pierce your heart.
In SOS - Save Our School and Nightmare Teacher, we see a different side of her. In her eagerness to be accepted and to belong, she becomes mean and cruel. I couldn’t get used to her being the bad girl. She does it so well.
Kang Lee Suk (1998)
Look at his profile! Holy! He’s been in so many works! And he’s such a gifted and good-looking child.
I will mention two of his works here: Ugly Alert and Five Fingers. He played the younger versions of two characters played by Im Joo Hwan and Joo Ji Hoon respectively. Not an easy task, eh? In both, he was a sweet child who only cared about the peace and happiness of his family despite all his abuse and pain. In both, he was heartbreaking. In both, he was amazing. He’s now 17 and in no time we’ll have an enchanting young man with overflowing charisma and talent.
Hong Eun Taek (2008) and Hong Hyun Taek (2006)
These two brothers presented a mind-blowing performance of the childhood of two kids facing a life-changing encounter with a psychopath in I Remember You. The younger brother is mysteriously cruel to living things and subtly dangerous. As a very young kid, he doesn’t realise he has problems. But his older brother does. Watch Hyun Taek bearing all the burden of knowing as he tries to protect his brother from his dark nature.
Watch him talk to the psychopath Lee Jun Yeong (unearthly acted by brilliant Do Kyung Soo). In that monotonous tone and unwavering eyes, he handled LJY and made him obsessed with him for life. Just like Choi Won Young (whom I love to death) couldn’t equal the performance of his younger version acted by Do Kyung Soo, Seo In Guk (who did a marvellous job) missed a huge part of the inner struggle and its burden that 9-year old Hyun Taek showed. Eun Taek and Park Bo Gum complimented each other perfectly; though the older version was aware then of its hideous side. Collectively, the younger actors impressed me more in this one-of-a-kind thriller.
Yoon Chan Young (2001)
When you see a person and you know you should be careful of them. This boy is such a case. In less than 4 years, he will be another Yeo Jin Goo. He will break hearts.
Chan Young is a huge energetic entity. He’s all energy as he walks, talks and looks. Those eyes! You wouldn’t need to listen to what he says to fully understand what he feels. It’s all there in his eyes. Frustration, anger, pain, and confusion in Mama. Childish pride and excitement in Pluto Squad. Fear in Hwajeong, pride in Six Flying Dragons, and love in Bubblegum. When he gets excited and raises his voice! When he screams his agony out! Am I the only one who thinks this kid is better than at least 25% of Korean adult stars?
Ahn Seo Hyun (2004)
This child’s presence is never minor. She was the genius kid in The Divine Move, and how she did it! She sent shivers down my spine as she sat there unconsciously controlling other people’s lives. In Dream High and Baby-Faced Beauty, she played the naughty demanding child talking back to adults and not giving a damn. She was adorable in both. She looked so different in The Village: Achiara's Secret. She is growing up beautifully. Her presence in this dark drama was the voice of the truth. She was the only one who bluntly uttered what everyone else was afraid to. I loved her.
I'm not even halfway through. Yoo Jin Goo is coming. Kim So Hyun is coming. Don't you worry ;)
