Shin Eun-soo Reflects on First Love While Promoting 'The Reel Love'

Actress Shin Eun-soo has found herself reminiscing about her own youthful first love thanks to her latest project, the Netflix original film 'The Reel Love.' The movie's universal theme of young romance has resonated with audiences worldwide, allowing viewers to recall their own precious memories of first encounters.

In a recent interview with Sports Seoul, Shin Eun-soo expressed her confidence in the film's global appeal, stating, "Because it captures the fresh emotions of first love, I believe people can enjoy it with similar sentiments regardless of their country or nationality." The film, set in 1998, follows 19-year-old Park Se-ri (played by Shin Eun-soo) as she navigates the complexities of her first crush and her efforts to straighten her lifelong complex – her curly hair – with the help of transfer student Han Yoon-seok (played by Gong Myung).

'The Reel Love' has achieved significant success since its release on the 29th of last month, ranking third in Netflix's Global Top 10 non-English film category within just three days, accumulating 6.2 million view hours (calculated by dividing viewing time by total runtime). The film has charted in the Top 10 in 31 countries, including Indonesia, Japan, Turkey, and Mexico, alongside its popularity in South Korea.

Shin Eun-soo shared a personal anecdote about her first love, which occurred in kindergarten. "My first love was in kindergarten. It was the most romantic and precious memory," she recalled. "We were the official kindergarten couple, and my aunt gave me a ring to give to the person I liked. I was so touched. But one day, that friend transferred away. I can't even remember his face, but it remains a poignant memory."

While Se-ri in the film experiences love at the end of her teenage years, Shin Eun-soo's own first love was during kindergarten. Describing Han Yoon-seok, who sees Se-ri for who she truly is, Shin Eun-soo called him a "guilty human" – a neologism for those who unintentionally make others' hearts flutter. "Yoon-seok's affectionate side is truly that of a 'guilty human.' Girls go crazy for that. Really," she chuckled, contrasting him with the openly popular Kim Hyun.

When asked to choose between the two male leads in a spontaneous popularity poll, Shin Eun-soo playfully picked Yoon-seok. "I'll go with Yoon-seok. I don't really like people who are too popular. There are too many competitors! I want them all to myself!" she quipped. She also expressed a desire to play a popular character in the future, saying, "Up until now, the characters I've played have always been the ones with unrequited love. Of course, Yoon-seok liked me first, but... I want to try being the popular one, a 'guilty human' myself!" she added with a laugh.

Shin Eun-soo debuted in the 2016 film 'Vanishing Time: A Boy Who Returned.'

She has showcased solid acting skills in numerous projects such as 'The Legend of the Blue Sea,' 'Bad Papa,' 'RocKicker,' and 'The Witch.'

Recently, she garnered global attention for her lead role as Park Se-ri in the Netflix film 'The Reel Love.'