Actress Seol In-ah recently shared an emotional account of a past relationship that ended after her then-boyfriend said he "couldn't handle" her free-spirited nature.
During an appearance on the May 12 episode of the YouTube show Zzanbro Shin Dong-yup, Seol joined fellow actors Jung Kyung-ho and Cha Hak-yeon to promote their new drama Oh My Ghost Client.
The conversation, while lighthearted at times, took a heartfelt turn when Seol discussed challenges in her dating life.
"I got dumped once before," she revealed. "My boyfriend at the time said, 'I can't handle you. You're too free-spirited,' and broke up with me."
She recounted the moment that triggered the breakup."One reason was that I really wanted to read a book by the sea. So, I spontaneously took the KTX to Busan, read a book, and called him. When he asked where I was, and I said Busan, he was shocked."
Seol, known for her cheerful on-screen presence, admitted that her independence and spontaneity are sometimes misunderstood in relationships.
"Guys think I can't date, and it's unfair," she said. "Jung Kyung-ho and Cha Hak-yeon told me, 'You're not cut out for dating.'"
Jung chimed in playfully, "You're approachable, but no guy could handle you," prompting Seol's protest and laughter from the panel.
The actress also spoke candidly about discovering her ex-boyfriend's infidelity.
She shared that after the spontaneous trip, he became unresponsive and claimed to be busy.
"Eventually, I found out he was seeing someone else," she said.
Host Shin Dong-yup offered words of comfort, telling her, "If a boyfriend can't handle that, you're the blessing. It's good you filtered out a guy like that quickly."
Seol also touched on her years-long battle with insomnia, a topic she previously addressed on the reality show Iron Girls.
"I've been taking sleeping pills for five years, and it made me angry," she said. "I thought, 'Why do I need pills to sleep?' Wondering if I wasn't tired enough, I kept myself busier, which gave me this 'perfect life' image."
She revealed that her health had been significantly impacted. "Sleeping pills made it hard to focus on set. Lack of sleep weakened my immune system, and I ended up taking 24 skin medication pills a day while visiting a university hospital. Eventually, I just wanted to get healthy."
Despite her past struggles, Seol said she's now prioritizing self-care and her acting career.
"I've found fulfillment and happiness in my work," she said, adding that she remains open to love in the future.
Seol will return to television this year in Iron Girls Season 2 and will star as Na Hee-joo in the upcoming drama Oh My Ghost Client.
