Actress Kuo Ya-tang reveals childhood struggles fueled her villainous role

Taiwanese actress Kuo Ya-tang is drawing attention for her portrayal of a scheming character, Zhong Shiyin, in the Sanli drama "The Taste of Life." In the series, Zhong Shiyin goes to extreme lengths to marry into wealth, a role that has made viewers intensely dislike her. However, Kuo defends the character, explaining that Zhong Shiyin's ambition stems from a childhood trauma of nearly being sold, leading to a deep-seated fear of abandonment and a desperate need to prove her value.

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If I don't get in the top three, I feel like participating is meaningless.

Kuo herself experienced a challenging upbringing after her parents divorced when she was young. Raised by her father, she developed a strong drive to excel, consistently aiming for top rankings in performances and competitions. Her motivation was to make her father proud and, in a childlike way, to show her mother what she had missed by leaving. Despite this, Kuo emphasizes that she grew up surrounded by love from her father, grandmother, and aunt, never lacking affection, but always seeking validation.

The actress also revealed that her father's business success in her childhood meant she was born into privilege, but his subsequent struggles after the divorce led to a significant decline in their financial situation. This experience of hardship and the "fall from grace" made her empathize deeply with Zhong Shiyin's desire to climb the social ladder. Kuo admitted that playing such a manipulative role was stressful, but she found support from her co-star, Chu Xiang, with whom she discussed character development and staging.

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I think it's hilarious that a man is teaching a woman how to seduce someone.

Kuo humorously recounted how Chu Xiang even demonstrated seductive scenes for her, which she found amusing. A more significant acting challenge for Kuo, however, is the crying scene, a common element in Taiwanese dramas. She explained that Zhong Shiyin heavily relies on tears to feign innocence, gain sympathy, or apologize, but Kuo herself struggles to cry on cue. She recalled a past experience where a veteran actress, Chen Meifeng, shared a deeply emotional story to help her cry, but Kuo remained unable to produce tears, a moment that still lingers in her memory.

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I'm the type of person whose tears get stuck in my eyes and just won't fall.