[CELEB] Hyeri mulls lead role in new cheer squad film 'Victory'

Movies

Published: 24 Oct. 2022, 14:49 Updated: 24 Oct. 2022, 14:55

[CELEB] Hyeri mulls lead role in new cheer squad film 'Victory'

Actor Hyeri during a scene of the ongoing MBC drama "May I Help You" [MBC]

Singer-turned-actor Hyeri is “positively considering” the lead role in the coming-of-age film “Victory” (translated), according to her agency Creative ING on Friday.

“She has received the offer and in the process of reviewing it,” the agency told local news outlets.

“Victory” is about a girl who lives on Geoje Island in South Gyeongsang in 1999. She has a passion for dancing and when she meets a transfer student from Seoul, she opens her eye to cheerleading. They then form a cheerleading squad with a rag-tag group of girls called the “Millennium Girls” and lead the team to become one of the most famous cheerleading squads on the island.

If Hyeri does take on the role, "Victory" will be her third film, following action horror film “Monstrum” released in 2018 and boxing comedy drama film “My Punch-Drunk Boxer” released in 2019.

Hyeri is currently appearing on the small screen as the lead in MBC drama series “May I Help You.” She portrays a funeral director who can see and communicate with the dead. Because of this special ability, deceased people ask her to carry out their last wishes for them, and if she refuses to listen to them, her day becomes filled with bad luck.

Hyeri is starring alongside actor Lee Jun-young, who plays an employee at an errand service who Hyeri's character calls for help to carry out the last wishes of the dead.

The series recorded a local viewership rating of 3.7 percent, according to Nielson Korea on Oct. 20.

“May I Help You” premiered on Oct. 19. Two episodes of the 16-part series have aired as of Monday. New episodes air every Wednesday and Thursday at 9:50 p.m.

Actor Hyeri during a scene of the ongoing MBC drama "May I Help You" [MBC]

Hyeri debuted as the youngest member of K-pop girl group Girl’s Day in October 2010. She belatedly joined the group with member Yura, three months after Girls’ Day had debuted in July 2010 with EP “Girl's Day Party #1" and lead track “Tilt My Head.”

Initially the group had five members: Jihae, Jisun, Jiin, Sojin and Minah, but just two months after debuting, Jisun and Jiin left the group and members Yura and Hyeri were added to replace them. In 2012, Jihae left the group and Girl’s Day solidified as a quartet with Sojin, Minah, Yura and Hyeri.

Hyeri’s first music as part of Girl’s Day was the lead track “Nothing Lasts Forever” on the EP “Girl’s Day Party #2” (2010).

The group had its first breakthrough moment with the sleeper hit “Twinkle Twinkle” in 2011, but its subsequent songs, like “Hug Me Once” (2011), “Don’t Flirt” (2011) and “Oh! My God” (2012) saw lukewarm reactions from the public.

Hyeri, second from left, as a member of girl group Girl's Day performing "Something" (2013) [NEWS1]

In 2013, Girl’s Day transitioned from its bubbly image to a much more feminine, sensual concept through “Expect” (2013). Its next song “Female President” (2013) topped major music shows for the first time since the group debuted.

The following year, Girl's Day produced hits such as “Something” (2014), “Darling” (2014) and “Ring My Bell” (2015) and established itself as one of the top K-pop acts of the time.

The four members went their separate ways in 2019, moving to different agencies. The group as a whole has not released any new music since. However, Girl's Day has not officially announced that it has disbanded.

Hyeri transferred agencies to Creative ING and has been focusing on her acting career.

She debuted as an actor early in her K-pop career, in 2012, through SBS weekend drama series “Tasty Life.”

Her breakthrough role as an actor was in 2015 when she appeared as a lead in the tvN drama series “Reply 1988.” The series was a success, peaking with a local viewership rating of 18.8 percent. It is one of the highest ratings that a local drama has recorded on cable television.

For her performance in the series, she received the Rising Star Award at the 2016 tvN10 Awards.

Hyeri during a scene from her hit tvN drama "Reply 1988" [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Hyeri has also made a name for herself on reality television shows and game shows.

She first saw explosive fame after appearing on MBC reality show “Real Men” in 2014. “Real Men” was a TV show where some half-a-dozen celebrities experience military life. It ran for two seasons from 2013 to 2016.

On "Real Men," Hyeri showed a more youthful and cute, otherwise called aegyo in Korean, side of herself during her stint on the reality show, which became viral at the time.

For her appearance on the reality show, she won the Best Female Newcomer award at the 2014 MBC Entertainment Awards.

She also appeared as a permanent panel member of tvN’s weekly variety show “Amazing Saturday” from 2018 to 2020.

She left the show in November 2020 to focus on her acting career, according to a statement made by her agency at the time. She was succeeded by Taeyeon of girl group Girls’ Generation.

Singer-turned-actor Hyeri [CREATIVE ING]

Hyeri (Lee Hye-ri)

Date of birth: June 9, 1994
Zodiac Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Gwangju, Gyeonggi
Debut: October 2010 through girl group Girl’s Day’s second EP “Girl’s Day Party #2”

Agency: Creative ING

Hyeri, whose legal name in Lee Hye-ri, debuted as the youngest member of girl group Girl’s Day in October 2020. The girl group has released hits such as “Female President” (2013), “Something” (2014), “Darling” (2014) and “Ring My Bell” (2015). Though it has not officially disbanded, the group has not released new music since 2019 and its four members — Hyeri, Yura, Sojin and Minah — are now all represented by different agencies. Hyeri debuted as an actor in 2012, through SBS weekend drama series “Tasty Life.” Her breakthrough role as an actor was as a lead in tvN drama series “Reply 1988” which premiered in November 2015. She has acted in over a dozen drama series and two movies. The actor is currently starring as the lead in MBC’s drama series “May I Help You.”

This information was confirmed by Creative ING on Oct. 21, 2022.

BY LEE JIAN [lee.jian@joongang.co.kr]