INTERVIEW Lee Ha-nee depicts Korean actresses’ harsh reality in 1980s-set ‘Aema’

Actor Lee Ha-nee in a scene from Netflix series "Aema" / Courtesy of Netflix

By Park Jin-hai

• Published Aug 27, 2025 10:02 AM KST
• Updated Aug 27, 2025 4:44 PM KST

Acting profession compared to 'being in boxing ring'

“Every project holds a special place in my heart, but with ‘Aema’ I felt a thrill — almost a sense of arrival — that such a work could finally emerge in our era,” actor Lee Ha-nee shared in a video interview with The Korea Times on Aug. 19.

Netflix’s “Aema,” released on Aug. 22, is a drama set against the birth of the erotic film “Madame Aema,” which took Korea by storm in the 1980s. In the series, Lee plays top star Jung Hee-ran, who allies with a rookie actress to boldly confront the dark realities hidden beneath the dazzling spotlight.

“It’s genuinely refreshing to live in a time where stories like this can be told with health, humor and even a touch of comedy, rather than simply confronting violence head-on. That joy is what drew me to the project,” she said.

After Hee-ran boldly declared she would no longer appear in nude scenes, the studio sought to tighten its grip by relegating her to a supporting role in the film. Meanwhile, they launched an open audition to discover fresh talent, casting an ambitious newcomer Shin Ju-ae (Bang Hyo-rin) as the film’s lead.

The behind-the-scenes reality of the production reveals a brutal era in Chungmuro’s film industry when it was commonplace and expected for actresses to bare themselves, and covert sexual bribes were exchanged with political leaders, VIPs and media heavyweights.

In actual Korean film history, the “Madame Aema” series was a major franchise that produced as many as 13 titles. It has been praised for boldly placing female desire at the forefront, but at the same time, the films also objectified the actresses, turning them into objects of universal male lust.

“Living as an actress in the 1980s must have been incredibly challenging. If I had been born in that era, pursuing acting wouldn’t have been easy,” Lee said, revealing that early in her own career, she often felt uncomfortable with project offers that aggressively commodified women and viewed them through a purely sexual lens.

Reflecting on her character Hee-ran, she said, “I admire her deeply. Throughout the entire process of playing her, I kept asking myself, ‘If I had lived in the 1980s, would I have had the courage and resolve she shows?’ That question stayed with me intensely.”

To authentically recreate 1980s Chungmuro, Lee deeply immersed herself in the role by studying videos of actresses from the 1970s and ’80s and practicing the Seoul dialect.

“In fact, this was even more challenging than working on historical dramas, because even though it’s a recent era, there are still vivid memories that must be captured precisely. Otherwise, the smallest inaccuracies can feel jarringly out of place,” she said.

“From head to toe — costumes, hair, makeup, gestures and even the Seoul dialect used in official settings — I had detailed and intense conversations with the director about boldly and accurately implementing those elements, even though the dialect itself still feels a bit unfamiliar to me.”

Empowerment of women in film industry

Lee says she feels much more grateful to live as an actress in 2025.

“Having been in the industry for over 10 years, the scripts I get now are completely different from those a decade ago. Back then, female roles were limited: women were often portrayed as either cold and calculating, or the ‘bad’ woman, and lead female characters usually had to rely on a ‘rescuer’ figure, making them seem quite passive,” she said.

“But nowadays, female characters, like those in our drama, are active and pioneering, carving out their own lives. It’s a world where gender doesn’t restrict the roles, and that expands the choices and range for actresses tremendously. I feel grateful to be part of this era.”

Although erotic films boomed during former President Chun Doo-hwan’s military regime through the “3S policy” that promoted screen, sports and sex in order to divert public attention away from politics, this drama follows two women reclaiming control of their own bodies. Lee believes it’s a story that 1980s drama fans will deeply resonate with.

Lee says one of Ju-ae’s lines, “They say the world of the ’80s has arrived, but the world still sucks. We have to live in this world, so we have to become real bitches,” really cuts to the core.

“The ’80s might have been fiercer and more combative, but honestly, I don’t think much has changed. Such struggles are still happening around us, and in many ways, we must keep fighting where we stand. Our history of struggle is why we’re here today, and that legacy will surely affect the generations to come,” she said.

“So maybe it sounds grand to talk about ‘historical consciousness,’ but really, as someone living today, if there’s something I can do — think about, act on, make a choice, raise my voice, change something — it’s worth trying. That’s why I hope people will watch ‘Aema.’”

In the drama, Ju-ae describes living as an erotic actress in Korea as “being in the boxing ring.” Lee feels a similar, if slightly different, emotion about this.

“Being an actor means receiving much love, and it’s a wonderful profession, but it can also be very lonely. There are parts of the job that are difficult to discuss even with family. But those struggles aren’t unique to actresses — they’re something everyone faces in their own way today. Since acting is a public profession, I think that’s why it’s described as being ‘in the ring,’” she said.

“Sometimes the waves hitting me feel overwhelming, even like they might drown me. Other times, it’s like surfing — though I can’t always push the waves away, I try to ride them as smoothly as possible. Of course, things don’t always go my way on set — no workplace is perfect. When things are unfair, I don’t hesitate to speak up. For me, each of us standing up in our own way is what makes a healthy society.”