Actress Yoon Mi-ra reflects on her career over Miryang meal

Actress Yoon Mi-ra expressed her gratitude for the acting profession while eating wheat soybean paste soup and cauldron rice at a 50-year-old restaurant in Miryang. Despite originally majoring in dance, she stated she would choose to be an actor again even if reborn.

What does life mean to someone who has lived their entire life under the name of an actress? Actress Yoon Mi-ra looked back on her past while sitting before a table capturing the atmosphere of a small village at the foot of a mountain.

This journey, presented by TV CHOSUN's 'Home-Style Meal Travels', took place at a restaurant in Miryang, a place surrounded by several mountains that was not heavily affected even during the era of Yu Gi-ho. Having held its place for 50 years, the establishment welcomes guests with an old-fashioned atmosphere, featuring a thatched house coated with red clay and a large zelkova tree. At this location, Yoon Mi-ra continued a calm conversation while facing freshly cooked cauldron rice and soybean paste soup brewed with wheat soybean paste.

"Acting is a profession where one lives many lives"... The choice of a rookie who dreamed of being a dancer

Reflecting on her life as an actress, Yoon Mi-ra expressed that she has no particular regrets. She did not aim to be an actress from the beginning. She happened to read a newspaper advertisement at the time recruiting rookie actors by top directors nationwide, and she entered the path of acting after passing that recruitment. Although her original dream was to be a dancer and she majored in dance, she expressed satisfaction with the fact that she ultimately became an actress.

She defined the essence of the acting profession by saying, "Other people live one life, but we live many lives." Expressing affection for her profession, she noted that she feels "truly grateful" for the ability to experience various lives by acting out the lives of others. Her statement that she would want to be an actor again even if she were reborn reveals the firm heart of someone who has maintained their profession for a long time.

A table set by the mountains and fields of Miryang, the harmony of wheat soybean paste and cauldron rice

The table was set with local foods that captured the rugged mountains and fields of Miryang. The side dishes provided by the owner, who has been in business for 50 years, aimed for the taste provided directly by nature. Of particular note was the 'wheat soybean paste' (mil-doenjang) made from wheat, rather than the typical soybean paste. The owner explained that they use wheat soybean paste, stating, "It is the method I learned from my mother long ago."

After tasting the soybean paste soup brewed with wheat soybean paste, Yoon Mi-ra noted its subtle and refreshing flavor, which differs from typical soybean paste soup, saying, "It doesn't smell like [traditional] soybean paste and it is delicious." This was complemented by the nuttiness of the freshly cooked cauldron rice, completing a rich meal even without fancy meat dishes. The labor-intensive vegetable side dishes, including pickled zelkova tree, gave the impression of bringing the nature of Miryang onto the table.

An attitude toward life saying, "I am happy enough just as I am now"

Yoon Mi-ra, who has breathed with the public for a long time, also showed a way of naturally accepting the passage of time. Amidst lighthearted conversations regarding hair volume, she responded playfully, saying, "It falls out bit by bit as I age, but there is still plenty." To a joke mixed with regret about whether she should have started broadcasting earlier, she affirmed her current life, saying, "I am satisfied with now. How happy am I?"

Rather than her image as a protagonist on a glamorous stage, the sight of the actress easing the weight of life while sharing a warm meal delivers a different resonance to viewers. Her attitude of accepting her life as an actress without regret and speaking of her current happiness seems to prove the depth of the long time she has walked.

Source: TVCHOSUN JOY (YouTube)