One day, watching my favorite drama on KBS, I saw a woman who played a maid. She was being scolded for her carelessness by an employer's young daughter in a mansion. Even though she appeared on the screen only for a very short while, she was unforgettable to me ever after. No wonder I desired to know who she was, where she was from, and so on. Unfortunately, I didn't know anything about her, because she was just one of many unknown actresses, that is an extra. However, who could ever expect that such a trivial TV star would affect my entire life?
        Chon Won-ju is her name. I found it out through volumes of magazines a couple of years ago. She's in her 50s now, which makes her depressed sometimes, but nowadays it seems that she doesn't care about her age. The reason I think so is that she's been busier acting recently than in the past.
        To tell the truth, she isn't a pretty woman like most teenage stars, because she's short as well as stout. These physical weaknesses have caused her to be estimated unjustly. In fact, people used to believe someone who was related to TV, like entertainers, should be handsome or beautiful, but she wasn't. That's why she had to be an extra as a female servant for a long time. It was the only role that allowed her to act on TV; without doubt, it must have inflicted a wound upon her self-respect.
        Besides, there was another affliction coming to her in life: the time would come when her kids would feel ashamed of their mother, because some friends teased them about their mother who showed up on TV as an ugly and poor servant. Sometimes her two sons pretended not to know her outside on the street, and what was worse, they sometimes didn't convey the message when their elementary school teachers asked her to come to the school for consulting about her children. As usual, teachers need to know about the students that they are in charge of. It's natural for mothers to talk about their children, but the problem was her two sons told a lie.
        She was struck by the news after she realized all these things. With this shock, she was seriously considering whether she would keep making an effort to act or not, for the first time ever since she decided to be an actress. Looking back upon her harsh times, she said with tears on a biographical TV program, "I was very frustrated, so I thought I'd rather lay aside all my desires for my kids."
        However, eventually, she achieved her dream in spite of the tough times. This was possible due to just one incredible ad, which totally changed her life. It was like she had been waiting for a chance to be cast for just one 002 commercial. 002 is a telephone number that you can choose to dial when you call another country. In this ad, she played a mother whose daughter went to study abroad. She really wanted to hear her daughter's voice clearly on the telephone, so when she called her daughter, she started to run to fine the right place where there was no static. Holding an antenna, she even got on the roof. It was funny enough to make a sensation. While this ad was on the air, the public were curious about her. Now, she's distinguished herself thanks to that 002 ad.
        These days, from TV commercials to soap operas, we can see her very often, including her specialty, her eccentric smile, a smile that I can't explain literally. Nowadays, you're able to hear the sound of her laughter in the drama, Queen, which she's in now on SBS.
        She turned her shortness into a strong point and never gave up her goal. No matter how many setbacks, she faced the world on her own again and again. On Power Interview, a TV program which invited her as a guest, she said, "I dare say that even an ugly and old woman like me can be success as an actress, so why not you? Of course, you can accomplish what you want."
        Personally, when I heard her advice, it gave me hope. Also thanks to the impact of her speech, I could check where my life was going. At that time, I didn't have any dreams, living like a robot according to my daily schedule. Because of he inspiration, I've begun to think about my precious life, identity, and future life. In addition, she modified my negative thought of success so that I could challenge the highest goals. Before I heard about it, I was uncertain of being a success all by myself without having lots of money and connections.
        Now, true success to me means making progress toward one's dream, even it takes 30years like her. Chon Won-ju didn't give up her dream at all; as a result, she is successful now. These days she's not so much an actress as a comedian, because her character is very humorous, but I know that she already paid a painful price to become a successful woman. It's not easy for me to imitate her life, but so far I've been keeping Wonju's advice in mind deeply. She's not only a good example for my entire life, but has been a positive role model for other people who feel like hope is gone. I guess she wants to be the evidence that wishes can come true.