Actress Shin Ye Eun is widely praised for her chilling performance in The Glory, where she portrayed the teen version of the main antagonist Park Yeon Jin—a role that pushed her emotional limits and left a lasting impact far beyond the screen.

A Scene Too Real

One of the most disturbing and memorable scenes in The Glory involves Park Yeon Jin torturing a fellow classmate with a burning hot curling iron—a moment so intense that even though it was fictional, it deeply affected the actors involved. During a recent appearance on The Omniscient Point of View, Shin Ye Eun opened up about how traumatizing it was to film the scene:

“It’s acting, and honestly we all film knowing that we’re only acting. But in that moment, you just think, ‘What am I doing?’ It was a cold curling rod that I was holding up to her, but the actress was crying her eyes out. I just thought, ‘What am I doing?’ and I ended up getting an outtake like that.”

The experience was so harrowing that Shin Ye Eun began having nightmares after filming the scene and found it difficult to sleep without earplugs, as her senses had become overly sensitive from the stress of filming.

A Role That Left Scars

When asked by her The Secret Romantic Guesthouse co-stars which drama was more difficult—The Glory or The Secret Romantic Guesthouse—she didn’t hesitate. The Glory was emotionally heavier, requiring her to tap into a much darker space that haunted her even after the cameras stopped rolling.

Despite the emotional toll, Shin Ye Eun’s performance was widely acclaimed, contributing to The Glory becoming one of South Korea’s most talked-about dramas of 2023. Her portrayal of a young, sadistic bully not only showcased her versatility but also earned her new respect in the industry for her dedication to such a complex role.

While the nightmares have faded, it’s clear that The Glory left a permanent mark on the actress—both professionally and personally.