Lee Jung Eun reveals she once taught Lee Hyori acting and says she still believes the singer had real talent

Actress Lee Jung Eun has revealed an unexpected connection to Lee Hyori, sharing that she once worked as the singer’s acting teacher and still believes Lee Hyori had genuine acting talent.

Lee Jung Eun appeared on the September 9 broadcast of tvN’s You Quiz on the Block, where she looked back on her 36-year acting career and the difficult years before becoming a widely recognized actress.

Before finding steady success, Lee Jung Eun took on several jobs to support herself, including working at a supermarket, selling health drinks, and teaching acting.

While talking about that period, she revealed that she had taught both Ji Jin Hee and Lee Hyori.

“I taught Lee Hyori and Ji Jin Hee acting when they were doing dramas,” Lee Jung Eun said jokingly. She then added that Ji Jin Hee apparently remembered their time together a little differently, saying, “But in Ji Jin Hee’s memory, all we did was drink together.”

Lee Jung Eun then became more serious while discussing Lee Hyori’s acting career.

She recalled teaching Lee Hyori when the singer played a factory worker in the 2005 drama Three Leaf Clover.

“Even now, I still think Lee Hyori had talent,” Lee Jung Eun said.

However, she suggested that audiences at the time may have struggled to accept Lee Hyori in that kind of role because it was different from the image people already associated with her.

“I think it just wasn’t the image people wanted from her,” she explained.

Yoo Jae Suk then revealed that he had recently come across clips from the drama through his algorithm.

With a cautious expression, he joked, “I saw it recently because the algorithm showed it to me, but I’ll stop there,” drawing laughter in the studio.

Despite the playful reaction, Lee Jung Eun remained clear about her assessment, saying she still believes Lee Hyori showed potential as an actress.

The surprising story offered a look at Lee Jung Eun’s earlier years as an acting teacher while also revealing that, long before her own rise as one of Korea’s most recognizable character actresses, she had once helped guide Lee Hyori in front of the camera.