Pretty Privilege? — "Single's Inferno 2" Seul Ki And So E's Different Career Trajectories Spark Debate

The second season of the popular Netflix dating show Single’s Inferno gave the public multiple sweethearts, including participants Shin Seul Ki and Lee So E.

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Throughout the show, Seul Ki received praise for her beauty and talent. She was often deemed the “ideal type” of most of the men on the show.

download (62) — Contestant Shin Seul Ki | *Netflix*

On the other hand, So E, became a darling of the viewers thanks to her sweet face, kind heart, and overall endearing personality.

download (63) — Contestant Lee So E | *Netflix*

Even before joining the show So E was an up-and-coming actress, being a Theatre and Film Major at Hanyang University, focusing on acting.

She has appeared in a couple of popular K-Dramas in minor roles so far, including The Glory, Snowdrop, Hellbound, The First Responders, Heartbeat, and Matchmakers.

download (65) — So E in “The First Responders” | *SBS*

Seul Ki, on the other hand, was a pianist before joining Single’s Inferno. To be more precise, she was a student of the Seoul National University’s piano department. From the videos posted on her social media, it is evident that she was quite the talented one.

However, after the show, with her exploding popularity, Seul Ki made a career switch and debuted as an actress. Her first K-Drama, Pyramid Game, started airing on February 29.

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— TVING 티빙 (@tvingdotcom) February 5, 2024

While both So E and Seul Ki have garnered praise for their acting skills so far, the contrast in their career trajectory has caught many by surprise. Many netizens argued that Seul Ki, whose primary focus was not acting before Single’s Inferno, landed a significant role in her first drama. Though she is not the main protagonist or antagonist in the show, she is named among the main cast.

On the contrary, So E has been training to be an actor and is already under the acting house Saram Entertainment, home to veteran star actors such as Cho Jin Woong, Lee Ha Nee, Jung Ho Yeon, and Byun Yo Han. Despite this, so far, all her on-screen roles have been minor in terms of screen time, though they often carried quite the weight in the plot.

Many argued that it was a case of “pretty privilege” which brought Seul Ki more mainstream popularity, making her the safer choice for a casting. Some also speculated that Seul Ki’s allegedly influential background might have helped accelerate her career. However, people agreed that in the long run, both of their fates will be decided by how good they are at the job.