Actress Song Ji-hyo candidly revealed why she changed her real name, putting to rest years of speculation among fans.
THE Running Man The star sat down for an interview ahead of the release of her next film House of Meeting (directed by Cha Jung-yoon), which is scheduled to premiere on October 15. In the film, Song Ji-hyo plays Jung Tae-jeo, a stern 15-year veteran prison officer.
During the interview, Song Ji-hyo reflected on her young co-star Do Young-seo, saying: “His real name was Kim Bo-min, but he changed it to Do Young-seo while we were filming. I could totally relate to that.”
The actress then surprised fans by revealing her name change: “I changed my name from Cheon Seong-im to Cheon Soo-yeon for personal reasons. My birth name was quite unique, and sometimes when I had to give my name on the phone, people recognized me right away. I felt a little uncomfortable.”
Fans of Running Man will recall that Yoo Jae-suk often teased Song Ji-hyo by calling her “Cheon Seong-im”, making her birth name well known to the public.
Addressing the rumor that she changed her name because of Yoo Jae-suk, Song Ji-hyo laughed and clarified, “It’s just a joke. Jae-suk oppa loves playing with names. He memorizes everyone’s names on set and likes to joke about them.”
When asked if life had become easier after legally changing her name, Song Ji-hyo joked, “Nothing at all has changed. Sometimes I wonder why I even bothered!”
He added warmly, “My parents still call me ‘Song Ji-hyo’ when they introduce me to others. My mother is so proud of me that she always says, ‘I’m Song Ji-hyo’s mother’. Then I tell her, ‘Mom, I’m your daughter Soo-yeon!’”
With her down-to-earth honesty and humor, Song Ji-hyo has once again proven why she remains one of Korea’s most beloved entertainers.
Sources: daum
