On January 27, the YouTube channel Sung Si Kyung uploaded a video titled, “Meeting Cha Joo Young, the Female Sung Si Kyung | A Fun, Unfiltered Talk with Actress Cha Joo Young.” In the interview, Cha Joo Young opened up about her upbringing in a conservative household and her decision to study abroad due to her father’s opposition to her pursuing the arts.

“I went to Utah State University, but I always wanted to live in big cities like New York or California,” she said. “My dad would always use money to threaten or pressure me. Of course, the funds came from him. I never wanted to win through money I did graduate though.”

She went on to explain that she had a one-year work visa after graduation. “I spent a year in New York. Since I needed a legitimate reason, I applied to a major bank. My dad knew and asked, ‘You think they’ll hire you? Why would they?’” she recalled, revealing her experience living overseas.

Cha Joo Young admitted her real motivation was to simply enjoy life in New York. “I just wanted to live in Manhattan freely, with the safest status possible,” she confessed. “I used leftover tuition funds I had secretly saved to live in the heart of Manhattan.”

Sung Si Kyung appeared shocked and remarked, “There’s nothing here we can actually air!” To which Cha responded, “My dad already knows everything. After I came back, he showed me all the money transfer records. He said, ‘I knew it all.’”

She added, “My dad told me, ‘You asked for more tuition at this time, didn’t you?’ He said my emails usually short started getting longer and more elaborate,” reenacting the way she used to request money in a way that left everyone laughing.

Her story has since gained attention for its mix of honesty, wit, and the relatable tension between youth and parental expectations.

Sources: Naver