Shuhua Yeh, known globally as a member of the K-pop group (G)I-dle, is now stepping into the acting world with her debut film, Happily Ever After. The movie, directed by Feng-I Fiona Roan, is set to have its world premiere in Toronto, fulfilling a dream Yeh has harbored since her high school days.
“I was aiming to become an actress at first,” Yeh shared in a Zoom interview from Seoul. Growing up in Taoyuan, Taiwan, she attended an arts high school in Taipei, majoring in drama with the clear intention of starting her entertainment career in acting. However, fate had a different path initially, leading her to move to Korea and train under Cube Entertainment, ultimately debuting with (G)I-dle in 2018. The group quickly garnered immense success, achieving numerous hits both domestically and internationally.
Despite the unexpected journey into music, Yeh hasn't found the transition to acting particularly challenging. She credits K-pop's often plot-driven album concepts and elaborate music videos for providing a foundation in performance and character development. “It somehow feels like picking up something from my childhood,” she noted, expressing excitement rather than apprehension about showcasing her acting skills.
In Happily Ever After, Yeh portrays Kitty, the younger of two sisters at the heart of the family drama. Kitty is depicted as the 'ideal daughter,' a character whose personality, Yeh admits, is quite different from her own – a prospect she found appealing and challenging. The film delves into the complexities of sisterhood and the weight of familial expectations, themes Yeh could deeply relate to as the middle child of three sisters.
During the production, Yeh not only drew from her personal experiences but also gained new perspectives on her own family. She found the process illuminating, helping her confront family dynamics she might typically avoid. This reflective journey mirrored her evolving understanding of her sisters as she matured, moving past an egocentric, rebellious phase to see them as individuals.
Having moved to Korea as a teenager a decade ago, Yeh believes her early start in the K-pop industry accelerated her personal growth. While she playfully jabs at her elder sister's occasional childishness, she also observes her younger sister's increasing maturity, noting how these shifts have reshaped her perception of her siblings.
Yeh remains an active K-pop idol, with (G)I-dle releasing new music earlier this year and performing at major events like Lollapalooza. Her bandmates – Miyeon, Minnie, Soyeon, and Yuqi – have been incredibly supportive of her acting aspirations, frequently asking for updates and clips from the film. While she's excited, she also feels a touch of nervousness for them to see the final product, especially since she hadn't seen it herself at the time of the interview.
Despite her extensive experience in the spotlight, the thought of attending her own movie premiere at TIFF brings a fresh wave of anticipation. She describes the feeling as her heart pounding with excitement rather than nerves, eager to fully embrace this new chapter. Yeh hopes that audiences at TIFF and beyond will connect with Happily Ever After, a story that profoundly affected the cast and crew. More personally, she wishes to be recognized as an actress, encouraging herself to continue growing through self-discovery and new challenges, determined not to let herself down.