In the competitive world of Korean entertainment, age isn’t always what it seems. Many celebrities, from actors to K-Pop idols, have admitted to adjusting their ages when debuting or early in their careers. These changes are often strategic: For many stars, it’s a practical move in an industry that prizes youth, maturity, and marketability.
For actress Jin Se Yeon (also known as Jin Se Yun), though, it was actually the other way around.
In the latest episode of TV Chosun‘s Gourmet Traveler Heo Young Man, Jin Se Yeon appeared as a guest. During their exploration of popular restaurants together, the show host Heo Young Man asked Jin Se Yeon her age, to which she replied, “I was born in 1994.”
She then explained that while she was born in 1994, her profile once listed her as a 93-liner, and people took her to be a year older than she actually was.
I was born in 1994, but since I was an early-year baby in February and debuted very young, there was a period when agencies preferred actors with a slightly more mature image. So I just listed my birth year as 1993 on my profile.
— Jin Se Yeon
It was in 2012, after she was seen telling her Five Fingers co-star Ji Chang Wook that she was “born in 1994” and questions were raised about her real age, that Jin Se Yeon finally came clean with a statement through her management agency.
She is indeed an early 1994-born, but she attended school with students born in 1993. Her birthday is the same. There was no intent to deceive, and there was absolutely no malice. Jin Se Yeon debuted in her first year of high school. If we listed her as born in 1994, she would appear as a middle schooler rather than a high schooler. Since the feel of a middle schooler differs from that of a high schooler, and she focused on adult roles rather than child acting, we listed her as born in 1993.
— Jin Se Yeon’s Management Agency Representative
Read more about other Korean celebrities who debuted with fake ages:
How Old Are They Really? 4 Korean Celebrities Who Debuted With Fake Ages
