[Exclusive] Hye-ri "My person who knows all of me♥"… 16 Years of Friendship with Girl’s Day [Interview ③]

Interview with Hyeri, the winner of the 'AAA 2025' Best Actor (Female) Award

[Star News | Reporter Kim Mi-hwa]

Hyeri, a member of Girls' Day and actress Lee Hye-ri, 32, expressed her affection for the Girls' Day members.

Debuting in 2010 as a member of the girl group Girls' Day, Hyeri has been walking her own path as both a singer and an actress, and she brings her own unique color to every title attached to her name. From Duk-seon in 'Reply 1988,' loved by the entire nation, to Jae-i in 'Friendly Rivalry,' another challenge for her, Hyeri portrayed characters she excels at with great flavor and was never afraid of new challenges. In this way, she has naturally become a trusted actress people enjoy watching.

Hyeri's talent is not limited to acting. Hyeri has an energy that makes those who watch her feel good. With her signature laughter, cheerful jokes, and adorable gestures, she gives strength to the people around her. Hyeri also made special memories at the '10th Anniversary Asia Artist Awards 2025' (10th Anniversary Asia Artist Awards 2025, hereinafter 'AAA 2025') held at Kaohsiung National Stadium on December 6 last year. At the ceremony that day, Hyeri won the 'AAA Best Actor' (Female) award for 'Friendly Rivalry' and fully enjoyed the joy of the moment. She also created a new kind of fun by taking on the 'aegyo challenge' to TWS's 'Overdrive.' More than 10 years after the 'eeeeng~' syndrome she sparked on MBC's 'Real Men' in 2014, she created a new Hyeri syndrome. Hyeri, who has an unparalleled charm no one can imitate, looked back on that day's 'aegyo' with us.

- It seems you are still very close with the Girls' Day members. You recently shared a photo of yourselves meeting up again.

▶I met the older sisters after a long time. We had set the date a few months in advance and all met together that day. Once we meet, we really talk until very late. I don't drink much, but I eat a lot and talk a lot. I think we chatted until 5 a.m. We met at 5 p.m. and spent nearly half a day talking together. We can't meet often. We only meet when those photos are taken. I think we'll have to see each other again next year. (laughs)

- It's not easy for all the members, who are so busy with acting, to gather without missing anyone, even more so than the number of meetings. It's so nice to see.

▶The daisies like it. We, well, people who have been in a girl group will know, it's a relationship that is hard to describe. When we meet, it's just the same. Everyone is the same as when we were active back then. In a way, it feels like meeting relatives during the holidays. Honestly, it feels like a bit of an obligation and, in another sense, like meeting people you naturally should meet. When we meet, it's not a warm 'Unnie~' atmosphere, but more like 'Oh, you came?' Still, we think we should definitely see each other at least once a year. It feels like, now it's time to meet, let's set a date. The last time we met, we even set the date for the next meeting. In the group chat, everyone talks in a similar way. Everyone talks a lot, and if someone doesn't reply, they tag that person's name and tell them to answer; it's that kind of atmosphere.

- What do the Girls' Day members mean to you?

▶Because of my personality, it takes me a long time to become close with someone, and I'm not the type to meet people privately often, so I'm careful about saying 'I'm close with so-and-so.' For me, someone I'm close to is someone I can call right away. Someone I can call without worrying, 'Are they in the middle of a schedule?' or 'Will they answer the phone?' So when I talk about closeness with someone, I use the expression 'someone I like' more often. The Girls' Day members are simply close friends. (laughs) They there know everything about me, and I know everything about them. They are my people who have all of me. When we talk, there's no need to tiptoe around or calculate anything; whatever I say is fine, and whatever they say is fine too. I think that is really important. We were all kind, so even during our activities there was no need to fight, and that's probably why we can still get along so well now. My age is kind of in the middle wherever I go these days, but I still like being the youngest when I meet the older sisters.

- Following Sojin, Mina also got married, becoming a married woman. Hearing about marriage, do you ever think you want to get married too?

▶Honestly, when we get together, it doesn't really feel like the older sisters are married. It doesn't match up. When we actually meet, there's no such feeling at all. Even now, when we meet, they're exactly the same as before.

- When the Girls' Day members meet, do you talk about things like 'Let's try promoting again like other girl groups once more'?

▶We talk about it from time to time when we meet, but when it comes to actually doing something, it's not something that can be done by our individual will alone. Our hearts are definitely in it, but realistically, it's not easy. There's a gap between that and reality. I do think we may already be at an age where things are a little difficult.

- Since all the members are acting, I imagine you talk about that a lot more.

▶That's right. The topics of conversation have changed a lot. Talking about those things also makes us feel closer. Not only acting and projects, but also YouTube, so we give each other YouTube advice and talk about variety shows, and because our categories are similar, we share our worries and the conversation never stops.

- I've been watching Hyeri for a long time, and it's nice to see that both your appearance and your behavior have not changed much and you still seem the same.

▶I don't think I'm especially pretty, but at the same time, I sometimes wonder why I would even need to become prettier. I'm not some beauty like 'Tae-hye-ji' (Tae-hee, Hye-kyo, Ji-hyun), so I wonder if there's any need to alter my face to become even prettier. I just want to go on as myself.

End

Reporter Kim Mi-hwa [email protected]