[INTERVIEW] Lee Sun-bin embraces comedy, chaos in movie about college entrance exam

Actor Lee Sun-bin plays Maeng Bo-ram, a provincial high school teacher drawn into a secret CSAT question-drafting camp, in the comedy film Ugly Duckling Ms. Maeng. In an interview in Seoul on Wednesday, Lee said the film’s 40-day isolation setting and strict security made the subject fascinating to her. She described learning from experienced co-stars and hopes the movie offers audiences laughter and comfort. The film opens in local theaters on Oct. 28.

Lee said she did not take the CSAT because she began pursuing an entertainment career at a young age.

Lee compared her trainee years to exam preparation, saying she practiced for monthly evaluations as if taking a test.

Yoo Jae-myung plays Moon Joo-yeol, the ambitious committee head, and Lee said he encouraged her when she struggled on set.

Lee said she felt anxious about audiences judging her performance but was eager to see their response.

Published Oct 21, 2026 5:34 pm KST

Actor Lee Sun-bin / Courtesy of BY4M Studio

In the upcoming comedy film "Ugly Duckling Ms. Maeng," actor Lee Sun-bin plays Maeng Bo-ram, an earnest provincial high school teacher who unexpectedly finds herself locked away in a top-secret camp to draft questions for the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT).

Ahead of the movie's theatrical release, Lee expressed both anxiety and anticipation during a recent interview in Seoul, saying the unique subject of the annual exam posed its own challenges.

"This moment right before the release is both the time I want to avoid and the moment I look forward to," Lee told The Korea Times at a cafe in Seoul on Wednesday.

"I tend to be harsh on myself and worry about my shortcomings. At the same time, I am deeply curious whether audiences will recognize actors’ intentions behind the performance. It feels like I am scared, but also eager to face the verdict as soon as possible."

The movie centers on the 40-day isolation period where test developers are completely cut off from the outside world under strict security. Lee said that while the CSAT is an inescapable part of life in Korea, the secretive process behind test drafting remains mysterious to most people.

"When people asked me about my next project and I mentioned it would be about CSAT drafting camp, everyone said it was such a fresh subject," Lee said.

"I started working at a young age and did not take the CSAT myself, but I knew the heavy atmosphere that every high school senior faces. However, I had no idea that test writers were completely isolated from the outside world or that security was that tight. Seeing all those details made the story truly fascinating."

Actor Lee Sun-bin in a scene from "Ugly Duckling Ms. Maeng” / Courtesy of BY4M Studio

In the movie, Bo-ram is surrounded by veteran teachers who clash over their own ambitions and academic pride. Working alongside seasoned actors was initially intimidating for Lee, but she found strength in open communication and teamwork.

"At first, I felt a lot of pressure because my co-stars were senior actors with immense experience. Even when they tossed out a single line, the depth of their tone was completely different from mine,” Lee said.

“I was worried my lack of experience would show, but I shared those concerns openly with them. None of them minded at all. Instead, they gave me warm advice, and I was able to learn so much from them.”

Actor Yoo Jae-myung, center, in a scene from "Ugly Duckling Ms. Maeng” / Courtesy of BY4M Studio

Regarding her co-star Yoo Jae-myung, who plays the ambitious committee head Moon Joo-yeol, Lee praised his warm nature.

"He is such a warm and affectionate father in real life," Lee said. "Whenever I was struggling with worries on set, he noticed it right away, came over and encouraged me to act comfortably."

Though she did not take the CSAT due to her early pursuit of an entertainment career, she emphasized that her years as a trainee required a similar level of discipline and relentless practice.

"When my peers were studying for the exam, I was preparing to become an idol, living in practice rooms," Lee said. "My version of the CSAT was the monthly evaluation. I practiced every single month as if taking an exam. Through that experience, I learned that hard work never betrays you."

Ultimately, Lee hopes the movie brings laughter and comfort to people living busy, stressful lives.

"Life gets harder and responsibilities grow heavier when we grow up. So when people take a day off, they want to laugh rather than feel heavy," Lee said. "I believe comedy is an essential genre in cinema. I hope our movie provides a moment of pure laughter for the audience."

"Ugly Duckling Ms. Maeng” will hit local theaters on Oct. 28.

‘Ugly Duckling Ms. Maeng’ tackles high-stakes drama of Korea’s CSAT

在喜剧电影《丑小鸭孟老师》中，演员李善彬饰演孟宝蓝，一位被卷入秘密高考命题训练营的乡村高中教师。周三在首尔接受采访时，李善彬表示，影片40天的隔离拍摄环境和严格的安保措施让她对这个题材非常感兴趣。她还谈到了向经验丰富的合作演员学习的经历，并希望这部电影能给观众带来欢笑和慰藉。该片将于10月28日在韩国各大影院上映。

李说她没有参加高考，因为她很小就开始追求演艺事业。

李将她的实习生时期比作备考，她说她会像参加考试一样练习每月的考核。

刘在明饰演雄心勃勃的委员会主席文柱烈，李说，当她在片场遇到困难时，他一直鼓励她。

李说她很担心观众对她表演的评价，但也很想看看他们的反应。

发布于2026年10月21日下午5:34（韩国标准时间）

演员李善彬 / 图片由 BY4M Studio 提供

在即将上映的喜剧电影《丑小鸭孟老师》中，演员李善彬饰演孟宝蓝，一位认真负责的省高中教师，意外地被关进一个高度机密的营地，为高考（CSAT）编写试题。

在电影上映前，李在最近于首尔接受采访时表达了既焦虑又期待的心情，他说，以年度考试为主题的独特题材带来了自身的挑战。

“发行前的这段时间，既是我想要避免的时刻，也是我所期待的时刻，”李在周三首尔的一家咖啡馆告诉《韩国时报》。

“我常常对自己要求很高，也很担心自己的不足。同时，我也很好奇观众是否能理解演员表演背后的意图。我既感到害怕，又渴望尽快面对评判。”

这部电影聚焦于为期40天的隔离期，在此期间，试题编写人员在严密的安保措施下与外界完全隔绝。李表示，虽然高考是韩国人生活中不可避免的一部分，但试题编写背后的秘密过程对大多数人来说仍然是个谜。

李说：“当人们问我下一个项目是什么时，我提到是关于 CSAT 选拔训练营的，大家都说这是一个非常新鲜的话题。”

“我年纪轻轻就开始工作，自己也没参加过CSAT考试，但我知道每个高中毕业生都会面临的压力。然而，我完全不知道命题人员与外界完全隔绝，也不知道安保措施如此严密。了解了这些细节之后，我觉得这个故事真的很有意思。”

演员李善彬在《丑小鸭孟小姐》中的剧照 / 图片由 BY4M Studio 提供

在电影中，宝蓝身边围绕着一群资深教师，他们因各自的抱负和学术自尊而产生冲突。与经验丰富的演员合作起初让李感到紧张，但她从坦诚的沟通和团队合作中汲取了力量。

李说：“一开始我感到压力很大，因为我的搭档都是经验丰富的前辈演员。即使他们只说一句台词，语气的深度也和我完全不同。”

“我担心自己缺乏经验会暴露出来，但我坦诚地和他们分享了我的顾虑。他们一点也不介意。相反，他们给了我很多温暖的建议，我从他们身上学到了很多东西。”

演员刘在明（中）在电影《丑小鸭孟小姐》中的剧照 / 图片由 BY4M Studio 提供

对于与她搭档饰演雄心勃勃的委员会主席文柱烈的刘在明，李称赞了他温暖的性格。

李说：“他在现实生活中是一位非常温暖慈爱的父亲。每当我在片场遇到烦心事时，他都会立刻察觉，过来鼓励我放松下来，好好演戏。”

虽然她因为早早投身演艺事业而没有参加高考，但她强调，她作为练习生的那些年也需要类似的自律和不懈的练习。

“当同龄人都在备考高考的时候，我却在为成为偶像做准备，整天泡在练习室里，”李说。“我的高考就是每月一次的考核。我每个月都像参加正式考试一样认真练习。通过这段经历，我明白了努力永远不会辜负你。”

李安最终希望这部电影能给生活忙碌、压力巨大的人们带来欢笑和慰藉。

“长大后，生活会变得更加艰难，责任也会越来越重。所以，当人们休息一天时，他们更想开怀大笑，而不是感到压力重重，”李说。“我相信喜剧是电影中不可或缺的类型。我希望我们的电影能为观众带来纯粹的欢笑。”

《丑小鸭孟小姐》将于10月28日在当地影院上映。

《丑小鸭孟小姐》聚焦韩国高风险的公民投票制度（CSAT）的戏剧性事件。