[Edaily Starin Gim Ga Yeong Reporter] “I Was Completely Duped,” “The Great Lady of the 21st Century,” and “Brave New World.” Just hearing their titles evokes these “hot” box-office hits, and they all have one thing in common: actress Chae Seo-an starred in them. While starring in just one hit film would be enough to draw attention, the fact that three of her films have been box-office successes in a row proves that her success goes beyond mere “luck” and is a testament to her “talent.”

In a recent interview with Edaily, Chae Seo-an said, “It feels especially meaningful to be doing this interview now that all three projects have done well,” adding, “I’m feeling both excited and eager to bring you many more great works in the future.”
She continued, “Fame isn’t something you can simply acquire just because you want it, nor does it come just because you work hard. It can also fade quickly.” She confided, “Shin Seo-ri from *Brave New World* was also an unknown actress, but since I, too, went through a period of obscurity, I’m even more grateful for and cherish these moments. I’m excited thinking about all the things I still have to do in the future.”
Chae Seo-an has showcased distinct presence in each of her roles: as Mrs. Hak in *I Was Completely Duped*, as Han Da-young in *The Grand Lady of the 21st Century*, and as Mo Tae-hee in *Brave New World*. By portraying these diverse characters with depth and nuance, she enhanced the viewers’ immersion in each drama and demonstrated her broad acting range.
She said, “At the time, every opportunity I was given was precious, and I could only see the role I was playing. I approached each project with the mindset of ‘I have to do well in this,’ without thinking about how successful it would be or its box office potential. Of course, since there were such wonderful senior actors in the cast, I thought it would do well, but I never imagined it would be this successful,” she revealed. “After ‘Poksak’ did well, I had faith that my subsequent projects would also succeed, so I put thought and practice into doing what I could within them in a fun way.”
As the three projects became hits one after another, remarks Chae Seo-an had made in a past interview also became a hot topic. She revealed that she had been working part-time at a factory to make ends meet before the release of *I Was Completely Duped*.
“At the time, after leaving my agency, I wasn’t in a position to work in broadcasting. I had to make a living, so I took a part-time job at a factory. It was really, really hard back then. I lived day by day, just trying to hang on. I never imagined I’d be on TV,” she explained.
She continued, “After *I Was Completely Duped* aired and I saw how much attention it was getting, I became convinced that ‘maybe I can act again.’ It still feels surreal even now.”
Chae Seo-an, who delicately portrayed the ideal woman of the 1960s as Mrs. Hak and a noblewoman of yangban descent as Han Da-young, infused *Brave New World* with fun and suspense through her role as Mo Tae-hee. By embodying the confident and charming chaebol heiress Mo Tae-hee both externally and internally, she enriched the drama.
She confided, “I was so happy to be part of ‘Brave New World.’ Since the senior actors were such outstanding performers and did such a great job leading the drama, I knew it would be a success. I learned a lot from the experience as well. It remains a very precious project for me.”
She continued, “When the writer first described the role of Mo Tae-hee, she said she wanted it to be like ‘spring sunshine.’ I wondered, ‘What is spring sunshine?’ But as I kept reading the script and the episodes progressed, dark clouds began to gather over that spring sunshine,” she said with a laugh. She added, “I think the writer wanted me to effectively portray a narrative where dark clouds overshadow the inherent charm of ‘spring sunshine.’ It seemed like she wanted me to express that aspect using my own strengths, so I tried my best to show a variety of facets of the character.”
Mo Tae-hee is a character who “goes straight for” Cha Se-gye. She explained, “It might not be immediately clear why Tae-hee likes Se-gye. It’s not that she has a clear reason for her unrequited love, or that there are moments of connection, or that it was love at first sight. However, Tae-hee is a character with inner emptiness. She has a strong desire to achieve things on her own, and since she grew up without wanting for anything, I tried to show that she’s never been deprived of anything. I thought Tae-hee believed that was love. I acted with the belief that her refusal to give up stems from her personality,” she explained.

Portraying Mo Tae-hee as a multi-dimensional character was also a source of deliberation and effort for Chae Seo-an. She explained, “I thought Mo Tae-hee would be elegant and princess-like. So at first, I acted that way, but the director said it would be boring if I played her that way. He told me I could change my voice tone and bring out some more alluring aspects of her,” she said. “Mo Tae-hee treats people differently depending on who they are. She’s cunning and very intelligent. Her demeanor is different when she’s with Cha Se-gye, Heo Moon-do, and Shin Seo-ri, so I thought carefully about how to portray those differences in an entertaining way.”
Cha Seo-an’s defining trait is her ability to make viewers “like” her, no matter the role. Whether playing the irritating sister-in-law Han Da-young or Mo Tae-hee, who is driven by greed to possess Cha Se-gye, she ultimately made viewers root for her. That is the true power of an actor and of acting.
Reflecting on her role as Han Da-young in *The Grand Lady of the 21st Century*, she said, “I thought Da-young was a lovable character. I wanted to show that side of her. While playing Da-young, I realized, ‘I can actually pull off being lovable,’ and that gave me confidence.”
Cha Seo-an builds charming characters by infusing her own unique style into any role she takes on. She confided, “I’d like to try a romantic comedy. I want to star in a rom-com that combines all the sides of myself I’ve shown so far and reveal new facets of myself.”
She continued, “Watching my senior cast members in *Brave New World*, I realized the immense weight a lead actor must carry. But I found myself thinking I’d like to try that too. So I want to further strengthen my skills as an actress. I’ve started to develop more ambition as an actress,” adding, “I want to devote myself fully to my work and do my best. I’ll work even harder with the mindset of enriching myself outside of TV as well.”