Actress Kim So-hyun hosts new travel show set in California
Kim So-hyun speaks about Lifetime's new travel show “Because This is My First Twenty: Kim So-hyun's YOLO SOLO California” during a meeting with the press at Four Seasons Hotel in Seoul, Friday. / Courtesy of A+E Networks Korea
By Kwak Yeon-soo
Actress Kim So-hyun, highly acknowledged for her role in “Moon Embracing the Sun” has turned 20 in Korean age and is now ready to host a travel show titled “Because This is My First Twenty: Kim So-hyun's YOLO SOLO California.” In the show, Kim embarks on a journey to California where she meets and asks advice from social influencers on fashion, beauty and career.
Being Kim's first solo reality program, the starlet shared her feelings on the pressure of having to host the show alone in an unfamiliar environment.
“At first I was a bit hesitant to star in a reality show because I'm not the kind of person that enjoys challenges,” Kim said during a press conference in Seoul, Friday. “But I decided to give it a go because I recently turned 20 and wanted to try new things, beyond my comfort zone.”
Kim shared her thoughts about turning 20, saying that “nothing really changed except the number of my age, but I certainly have more freedom and I'm legally allowed to drink.”
Starting her career as a child actor and carving out an impressive career on television and screen, Kim revealed that she often found herself immersed in the character she played, and the travel show helped her discover her true identity as a person.
“While filming the show, I realized there are many hidden sides of me and discovered I have a bright personality just like an ordinary 20-year-old girl,” Kim said. “Before then, I was mature for my age and tried to look like a grown up.”
When asked about her favorite place in the U.S., Kim chose Warner Bros. Studio and Las Vegas. Her aspirations grew after visiting these places and she now wants to appear in other reality shows and debut in Hollywood in the future.
“Making a Hollywood debut seemed like an impossible, far-fetched dream, but after visiting the studio, I came to have hope that maybe one day, I'll be able to develop my career in Hollywood,” Kim said.
The “Moon Embracing the Sun” actress commented that she wants her travelogue to inspire her peers to dream of traveling alone.
“My travel might appear unrealistic, but I hope those around the same age as me can discover the joy of traveling alone,” she said.
Kim, who began her career as a child actress in 2006, rose to stardom with hit drama series “Moon Embracing the Sun” in 2012. She has won an award for Best Child Actor for her role in “Missing You” in 2012 and starred in drama series “Who Are You: School 2015” and “Radio Romance.”
“Because This is My First Twenty” airs on Fridays at 5 p.m. via YouTube, Facebook and Naver TV and at 8 p.m. on the Lifetime channel. The first episode was aired on Sept. 28.