Actress Kim Se-in reveals 13-year ordeal of poverty, abuse after leaving entertainment industry

Actress Kim Se-in, once a promising talent after her 2011 debut in the sitcom 'Oh My God,' has revealed the painful reasons behind her abrupt departure from the entertainment industry 13 years ago. In a recent broadcast of MBN's 'Special World,' Kim shared her current life as a food delivery worker, a job she juggles with occasional acting roles to support her large family of seven rescue dogs.

“

My family was in such a difficult situation, and I felt I had to take the lead.

Kim recalled a childhood of relative comfort, thanks to her businessman father, but the IMF financial crisis plunged her family into severe hardship. She described living in a makeshift shelter with her parents, with conditions worsening by the time she entered high school. The burden of supporting her family weighed heavily on her even after her debut as an actress, leading her to consider and accept roles involving nudity to earn tens of millions of won.

"My family was in such a difficult situation, and I felt I had to take the lead," Kim explained, her voice trembling as she recalled her father's distress over her earnings. "He would blame himself for his business failures, saying, 'I'm spending money my daughter earned like this.'"

“

He would blame himself for his business failures, saying, 'I'm spending money my daughter earned like this.'

Her struggles intensified during her acting career when she alleged mistreatment by her agency's CEO. "I was dragged to places like hostess bars and constantly harassed," she confessed, stating that these experiences left her completely disillusioned with the entertainment industry. The broadcast did not include the agency's response to these claims. Around the same time, her mother suffered a subarachnoid hemorrhage and has remained unconscious for about 15 years, adding to Kim's immense suffering.

“

I was dragged to places like hostess bars and constantly harassed.

"Every day felt like hell, and I didn't want to live," Kim said. After leaving the industry, she attempted to settle in Malaysia, working as a tour guide, but the COVID-19 pandemic forced her return to South Korea. She credits her rescue dogs with giving her the strength to persevere. "I had these animals to take care of, which helped me endure and live more diligently," she shared. "They are the driving force in my life."

“

Every day felt like hell, and I didn't want to live.