On September 25, Harper's Bazaar Korea unveiled its October issue starring comedian Lee Su-ji. In the spread, Lee leans into her signature wit and pays homage to four distinct personas, showing off a colorful range.
In the accompanying interview, Lee reflected on keeping her hot streak after winning Best Female Entertainer at both the Baeksang Arts Awards and the Blue Dragon Series Awards this year. "Even when my schedule is packed, I’m genuinely happy to be doing it. Right up until I hit upload on a video for my YouTube channel, I never know if it’ll land. It’s thrilling and a little scary. But I try things because they truly make me laugh," she said.
Asked why her recent characters skew younger ― think Gen Z Korean-American "Jennie" and would-be rapper "Ham Boogie" ― Lee explained, "I used to be a bit slow on trends, memes and social. Since last year I’ve been asking younger friends, 'What’s everyone into right now? What are you watching?' Comedy lives in what people can relate to in the moment. Once I started playing characters that fit the now, the response got even bigger."
Lee also reads every message that hits her DMs ― and says those notes keep her grounded. "Everyone has such different stories. Some are hurting, some are struggling financially, some are going through rough patches in their marriage. When someone says, 'Thanks to you, I can laugh,' I feel like I’m doing something good for society, even just a little."
She’s not immune to criticism ― she uses it. "If a harsh comment helps me sharpen a joke, I’ll sit with it, even if it stings. It makes me think, 'Okay, be even funnier.' But the one-dimensional stuff ― cursing or 'lose weight' ― honestly just cracks me up. It doesn’t absorb."
Photo= Harper's Bazaar Korea
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Sun-ae)