Actress Ko So-young broke her silence about the reason behind her long hiatus and the wounds caused by relentless rumors — and vowed to restart her activities.
On the 28th, Ko So-young uploaded a new video to her YouTube channel, openly sharing her unfiltered worries and honest feelings. She had previously deleted every video on her channel and halted activity, so this comeback drew even more attention. Explaining why she stepped back, Ko confessed, “I kept debating whether to stop uploading videos. The anxiety felt like an obsession,” revealing why she took time off.
She also revealed lingering regrets about her acting career. When asked to name a signature work, Ko said, “I don’t really have one,” then joked self-deprecatingly, “Sometimes I wonder if my marriage is my best work,” hinting at her complicated feelings. Looking back on her peak years, she admitted, “Back then, I had almost no time of my own because of shoots and schedules, and the more offers I got, the heavier the pressure felt.”
Ko said criticism over doing mainly commercials — and the nonstop rumors — also took a heavy toll. “It hurt to be seen as an ‘actress who only shoots ads.’ I was craving roles and the craft,” she recalled. “Because I had many male acquaintances, people even manufactured dating rumors — I went through so many unfair situations.” She added that at one point even false pregnancy rumors spread, saying, “I was shocked by such ridiculous claims.”
She shared that these experiences affected not just her personally but her family as well. “Now I can’t help but think about my children and my family,” she said. “Sometimes a single comment from someone makes me shrink back.” She also mentioned that she pursued legal action over the spread of false information, calling it “a humiliating and painful time.”
Even so, Ko chose to return. “With a fresh start in mind, I’ll continue my YouTube activities,” she said, expressing her determination to engage with the public in a new way.
Debuting in 1992 with the drama Tomorrow’s Love, Ko rose to top-star status through dramas like Mother’s Sea, Sookhee, and Barefooted Youth, and films like The Fox with Nine Tails and Beat. Since the 2017 KBS2 drama Ms. Perfect, she has largely stayed out of the spotlight, and fans are now watching to see whether her YouTube comeback will mark a broader return to the industry.
Recently, Ko and her husband, actor Jang Dong-gun, signed with ACE FACTORY, signaling a fresh new start.