OH MY GIRL’s YooA has candidly shared her thoughts on turning 30, stepping into acting, and portraying a married woman for the first time an image shift she admits deeply concerned her.

“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t worried at all,” YooA said in an interview held last month at a café in Cheongdam-dong, Seoul. “What I thought about most were my fans. They’re always my top priority. They’ve loved and respected me as YooA of OH MY GIRL, so I kept wondering, ‘What if they’re shocked or hurt by this?’ Even though Ha-kyung is just a character, it’s such a contrasting image from what I’ve shown before.”

Debuting in 2015 with OH MY GIRL, YooA born in 1995 recently entered her 30s. Known for her doll-like visuals, distinctive vocals, and elegant dance lines, she has long been seen as the embodiment of the group’s identity. That’s why her decision to pivot toward acting in 2025 drew particular attention, especially after she signed an exclusive contract with Saram Entertainment last June.

Having established herself as both the group’s center and a successful solo artist, YooA has often been labeled a “born idol.” Naturally, news of her acting transition felt unexpected to many fans. That surprise only intensified when her first film role was revealed.

YooA makes her big-screen debut in Project Y, which premiered on January 21. Directed by the filmmaker behind “Park Hwa-young” and starring Han So Hee and Jeon Jong Seo, the film was already drawing buzz before YooA’s casting was announced. In the movie, she plays a character married to Kim Sung Cheol marking her first-ever portrayal of a married woman.

So why did she choose such a bold role for her debut? YooA explained, “I really wanted to show a completely new side of myself as an actress. I thought of it as a chance to give a ‘fresh betrayal,’ in a good way. I kept thinking about what kind of approach would be most effective when transitioning from idol to actress. Playing a character similar to my existing image might have been safer but in the end, I wanted to make a strong, unmistakable statement.”

Despite maintaining a consistent image for a decade, YooA has never felt stagnant. Instead, her ability to continually evolve has become one of her greatest strengths. “I’m incredibly grateful,” she said. “I can feel that fans don’t just see me as something familiar they still look forward to what I’ll do next. That makes me choose challenging paths rather than comfortable ones.”

She described Project Y as “a bold, refreshing strike” not only for herself as an actress, but also as a gift to fans.

YooA also shared that the director personally reached out to her during a transitional period, shortly before her contract with her former agency ended. “He’s the one who gave me my start as a film actress. After many conversations, thanks to him, I was able to achieve a very special dream as an actress.”

When asked about fear, YooA was firm in her mindset. “I try not to acknowledge fear. An actor’s job is to become the character and convey their story and emotions honestly. To do that, you need self-respect and confidence. When you trust yourself, everything from your eyes to your gestures naturally follows.”

She added, “Fear affects everything, both daily life and acting. So when negative emotions try to surface, I consciously replace them with excitement and anticipation. Acting is still newer to me than singing or dancing, but that unfamiliarity doesn’t scare me it excites me. There’s so much experience ahead of me, and what matters most is my own effort.”

“I truly believe I can do well,” YooA concluded. “I trust myself because I’ve worked hard, and I’m always supported by my fans. With all this excitement and anticipation, I hope people will really look forward to seeing me grow as an actress.”

Sources: Naver