[Edaily Starin Gim Ga Yeong Reporter] The term “actress” now feels more natural. Actress Seo Ji-hye is shedding her label as a former contestant on Channel A’s “Heart Signal” and solidifying her presence as an actress.

In a recent interview with E-Daily, Seo Ji-hye revealed, “Being an actress was my original dream. I aspired to be an actress after seeing senior actress Kang Hye-jeong in the movie ‘Herb.’” She added, “I didn’t realize appearing on ‘Heart Signal’ would generate this much buzz when I took the role, but it became a stepping stone to my acting career.”
Since “Heart Signal,” in which Seo Ji-hye appeared, was so beloved by viewers, the label of being a “Heart Signal” alum has followed her throughout her acting career. However, she has overcome this limitation and is now firmly established as an actress in her own right.
Her recent appearance in ENA’s *The Scarecrow* is a project that demonstrates just how much she has grown and established herself as an actress. In *The Scarecrow*, a crime thriller about a detective investigating a serial murder case who forms an unexpected partnership with a man he despises, Seo Ji-hye played the role of Kang Sun-young—the younger sister of Tae-ju (played by Park Hae-soo), the lover of Ki-beom (played by Song Geon-hee), and the illegitimate child of Cha Mu-jin (played by Yoo Seung-mok)— Cha Si-young (played by Lee Hee-joon).
Sun-young’s life was far from smooth: she was assaulted by a fellow teacher; her boyfriend, Ki-beom, was identified as a suspect in a serial murder case, tortured, and ultimately died; she belatedly discovered she was pregnant; and she learned that Cha Si-young—the man who had tortured Ki-beom—was her half-brother. In particular, after learning she was Cha Mu-jin’s child born out of wedlock, her story became even more complex when she chose Cha Mu-jin over Kang Tae-ju, with whom she had grown up. Seo Ji-hye heightened the drama’s immersion by delicately portraying Sun-young’s life and emotions.
She said that because Sun-young’s life was so heartbreaking, she became eager to take on the role. “When I received the script, I wanted the part so badly that I memorized the entire thing before the audition,” she revealed. “I’m grateful that, thanks to that, I was able to land the role of Sun-young.”
She continued, “While reading the script, I felt so sorry for Soon-young, but when I watched *The Scarecrow* as a viewer, I felt so sorry for Tae-ju,” adding, “Even though I played the role, watching Soon-young made me think, ‘Please be kind to Tae-ju.’”

Since Sun-young’s life was far from smooth, there are many scenes that have stayed with her. “When Ki-beom came home, he came back as a corpse,” she said. “We filmed the scene where I ran out at that moment, and it really broke my heart.” She continued, “We also filmed an imagined scene. It showed Ki-beom returning and living an ordinary life. I could see the words ‘Murderer, die!’ written on the wall behind him—even though I wasn’t even in that shot—and I burst into tears. That’s how much *The Scarecrow* has stayed with me; it was a project I poured my heart into,” she confided.
Tae-ju’s only blood relative, yet Si-young’s half-sister. A character who ultimately chooses Mu-jin and Si-young, leaving Tae-ju alone. Sun-young’s role in *The Scarecrow* was pivotal. She said, “I felt a great sense of responsibility playing Sun-young, but my senior actors treated me exactly as Sun-young. They all referred to me as ‘our Sun-young’ and ‘our little sister,’ so it really felt like I had become their younger sister,” she explained, adding, “Thanks to that, I was able to immerse myself even more during filming.”
Sun-young belatedly discovered that Cha Si-young was her half-brother. Prior to that, a scene showed Cha Si-young gazing meaningfully at Sun-young, leading some viewers to speculate that he might have romantic feelings for her.
Seo Ji-hye, who played Soon-young, also said, “I had no idea. When I saw him looking at me on the monitor, I thought, ‘Does he like me?’ But it turned out he was just feeling a rush of blood to his head,” adding, “I was surprised, too.”
Regarding Lee Hee-joon, who played Si-young, Seo Ji-hye said, “He has a very thoughtful and considerate style. He listens carefully to my personal concerns and everyday worries, and asks me things like, ‘Is there anything worrying you lately?’” She added, “Just watching him prepare for his character was impressive. I learned a lot just by observing him.”
Regarding Park Hae-soo, she said, “He was like a real older brother to me. He’s so sweet. In fact, Senior Hae-soo even told me, ‘You feel like a real younger sister to me.’ It was really great. How could there be such a cool older brother? I feel bad for my real older brother, but it was truly wonderful,” drawing laughter from the audience.
“The Scarecrow” is a work that truly showcased actress Seo Ji-hye’s growth. Within the series, she existed entirely as Soon-young and left a lasting impression on viewers as an actress.
She revealed, “Senior Jung Moon-sung told me, ‘Ji-hye, I cried. You’re the best.’ Seniors Hae-soo and Hee-jun also praised me for doing such a great job—it felt really good, and I was so grateful. I was deeply moved.”
Seo Ji-hye made her acting debut after gaining recognition through her appearance on Channel A’s “Heart Signal,” which aired in 2017. She confided, “‘Heart Signal’ seems to serve as a good goal and a motivator for me as an actress. It gives me a sense of mission to work harder to show my authenticity, and it’s become a driving force that pushes me to work even harder in my acting.”
She said, “I want to try my hand at a variety of roles,” adding, “I want to show sides of myself that I haven’t shown before, so I’m looking forward to seeing what kind of roles I’ll take on and what projects I’ll be a part of. I’m waiting for my next project with anticipation, wondering what new facets of myself I might discover.”
Seo Ji-hye continued, “I want to be an actress whose performances people can enjoy comfortably. I want to draw viewers in so that they can emotionally connect with and empathize with the characters in the projects I’m in,” adding, “Rather than being remembered as ‘Actress Seo Ji-hye,’ I want to be an actress who is remembered for the characters I portray.”