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| ▲ This profile photo of singer-actor Lee Hye-ri is provided by Sublime Entertainment on Aug. 7, 2024. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
SEOUL, Aug. 7 (Yonhap) -- Lee Hye-ri, former member of Girl's Day, showcases her dance skills after a long hiatus in the upcoming film 'Victory' directed by Park Bum-soo, set to release on the 14th.
In the movie, Lee plays the role of Pil-seon, a high school student who dreams of becoming a backup dancer but ends up challenging herself in cheerleading. She performs elaborate cheerleading routines, hip-hop dances, and even intricate moves on the dance arcade game 'Pump'.
Lee Hye-ri performs a total of 11 songs in 'Victory', dancing energetically to cheer songs and popular hits of the time, likely to delight her long-time fans.
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| ▲ This still photo of film "Victory," starring singer-actor Lee Hye-ri (far L), is provided by Mindmark on Aug. 7, 2024. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
"At the movie premiere, the Girl's Day members joked that they were really upset," Lee recalled during an interview at a cafe in Jongno, Seoul on the 7th. "They said, 'Were you always this good at dancing? You should have worked this hard when we were promoting.' Haha."
Lee explained that the choreography in 'Victory' was very different from what she used to perform as an idol, so she dedicated herself to practice starting four months before filming began. This was her first time trying cheerleading and hip-hop.
"When I saw myself trying to dance hip-hop in the mirror, it felt so awkward," Lee said. "It was more challenging than I thought, so I decided I needed to practice much more."
"Pil-seon is a character deeply passionate about dance, so I wanted to show her doing it really well. I checked off each of the eleven dances as I mastered them. Cheerleading alone was so tough that even practicing the basics would leave me exhausted. It’s a genre where the angles, jump timing, and formations all have to be perfectly clean to make a beautiful performance."
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| ▲ This still photo of film "Victory," starring singer-actor Lee Hye-ri (L), is provided by Mindmark on Aug. 7, 2024. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
Not only the dancing, but the character of Pil-seon itself seems tailor-made for Lee Hye-ri. Tough on the outside but tender inside, with a 'girl crush' charm, Pil-seon resonated with her.
Lee's family even commented that "Pil-seon is just Hye-ri." Lee agreed that Pil-seon's personality had similarities to her own.
"Reading the script, I immediately thought Pil-seon was so cool. I wondered if I was as cool as her. Knowing exactly what she wants to do and going for it at that age... I wanted to express that passion and youthful spirit well."
In the film, Pil-seon initially forms the cheerleading squad 'Millennium Girls' to secure a space for dance practice but gradually becomes genuinely committed to cheerleading through bonding with her teammates.
"I wanted to do a project that reminds people of youth, with a bunch of high school friends bringing joy to the audience," Lee explained. "That was a big reason why I chose to do 'Victory'."
Though the film focuses largely on the lively and comedic aspects of high school girls, it also delivers a touching message about supporting others through the 'Millennium Girls'. Pil-seon’s transformation comes from seeing the impact of her cheerleading on those she supports.
"I started my career with the small hope of being happy to be on TV," Lee said. "Then I gained fans who love me, and I saw people supporting me unconditionally. Maybe that's why Pil-seon comes to love cheerleading."
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| ▲ This still photo of film "Victory," starring singer-actor Lee Hye-ri (far L), is provided by Mindmark on Aug. 7, 2024. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
Debuting without a training period with Girl's Day in 2010, Lee cemented her presence as an actress with the 2015 tvN drama 'Reply 1988'.
She attributes her 14-year career in the entertainment industry to "responsibility." Lee believes that as a loved public figure, she must strive in everything she does, which has kept her out of scandals and active in her career.
However, she faced emotional turmoil recently following her breakup with actor Ryu Jun-yeol and the subsequent post on social media.
"I'm worried that this talk might overshadow the 'Victory' which I love so much," Lee said, adding, "That post was written from the heart of the person Hye-ri."
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