Actor Choi Kang-hee (49) has opened up about her past plans to leave the entertainment industry and work at a mask factory.

Appearing on Lee Sung-mi's YouTube channel, which was released on the 13th, Choi reflected on the time she took a hiatus from her acting career. She confessed that despite debuting at a young age and working in the industry for a long time, she went through difficult times due to low self-esteem and a fear of people, eventually leading her to want to put down her profession as an actor and live an ordinary life.

Choi Kang-hee said, "I think I was exhausted, scared, and my mental state had collapsed quite a bit. As you know, I don't have much greed, so I just wanted to live as myself. If there was a second life, I wanted to try living it." She added, "I had no fear at all. I thought I would survive somehow. My family is also similar to me, so we don't have greed for money. Even if you give us money, we don't spend it."

In fact, it was reported that after stopping her acting activities, Choi Kang-hee intended to get a job at a mask factory, which was very busy during the COVID-19 pandemic.

She explained, "Because it was during the COVID-19 era, I thought the mask factory would be extremely busy, so I planned to go there. At that time, my close friend, comedian Mija, suggested that I work at the BBQ restaurant she was running, so I took on the dishwashing job. Mija was studying for a real estate license at the time, so she wasn't at the shop often. I was nervous working with people I didn't know, but it was fun, and I felt a sense of accomplishment in getting the job done."

Choi Kang-hee spent her time cleaning houses for Song Eun-i and Kim Sook or working part-time washing dishes at the BBQ restaurant. When asked by Lee Sung-mi, "Even though you were a celebrity, didn't you feel sad about working like that all of a sudden?" she replied, "I didn't have that thought at all. Not even 1%. I actually felt very refreshed." She drew laughter by adding, "I even thought, 'I should target celebrities. I should do celebrity-specialized cleaning.' I also thought about learning massage."

Choi Kang-hee also revealed that her thoughts on marriage have changed significantly along with her Faith. Regarding the past, she said, "Because I had a sense of lack, many people around me also had a sense of lack. So I thought there were no happy couples. However, as I gradually saw couples living happily, I naturally started thinking about marriage." She honestly added, "My ideal type is a Christian."

Choi Kang-hee debuted in 1995 and has been loved for her roles in numerous works, including the dramas "School", "Sweet Buns", "My Sweet Seoul", "Protect the Boss", and "Queen of Mystery".

(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Kyung-youn)