How did Shin Min-a start her career?

Shin Min-a said in an interview posted on the YouTube channel '이은지' on October 30 that she did not begin as an actress. She first became an exclusive model for the teen magazine 'Kiki' in 1998, a period when young models from magazines such as 'Kiki' and 'Ssessi' were very popular.

What came after the magazine work?

According to Shin, her next project was a music video for singer Jo Sungmo titled 'Do You Know?'. From there, she said her acting career began naturally with the drama 'Hwasan High School'.

Did she enjoy her early career?

Shin said she won first place in the teen magazine model competition and debuted at age 14. She described skipping school for work as a special break and a kind of escape that made her very happy at the time.

Does she have any regrets?

When host Lee Eun-ji asked whether debuting so young was a regret, Shin said she sometimes feels that way, mainly because she never got to experience the typical Korean after-school study sessions known as 야자.

For international fans

Shin Min-a is one of Korea's best-known actresses, and this interview offers a rare look at her teenage years before acting. Her early magazine work and music video appearance are part of the background that fans outside Korea may find interesting.