Popular actress Yoo In Na has spoken about a distressing period from her past: the actress admitted she was the victim of school bullying in high school by a classmate who a teacher favored.

In previous interviews, Yoo, now widely recognized for her roles in popular dramas such as Secret Garden and Guardian: The Lonely and Great God, shared that her initial dream was to become a singer.

She began training at the age of 16 but later gave up due to difficulty in mastering choreography. Eventually, she shifted her focus to acting.

It was during her second year of high school that Yoo's life took a difficult turn.

According to the actress, her homeroom teacher had shown her preferential treatment, which unintentionally made her a target among classmates.

"The teacher liked me a lot," Yoo said, recalling the period. "I was the only one allowed to grow my hair long."

Though seemingly harmless, the special privileges stirred resentment among her peers.

Yoo said the situation escalated into bullying, including damaging her chair so it would collapse when she sat and spilling food on her desk.

The scars from the bullying stayed with Yoo, and eventually, she would empathize with other victims after she found herself in the same situation.

Whilst working as a radio DJ, she always tried to communicate with victims of school bullying and encourage them.

Despite those struggles, Yoo never abandoned her dreams and went on to make her acting debut at age 28.

Her big break came in the sitcom High Kick! Through the Roof won her acclaim.

She went on to win the Popularity Award in the television category at the prestigious Baeksang Arts Awards for her role in Secret Garden.

Yoo has also acted in Queen and I and the hugely popular Guardian: The Lonely and Great God, which solidified her status as one of the most beloved figures in Korean entertainment.

Currently, Yoo is focusing more on her hosting duties than acting.

After concluding her appearance on Fortune Tellers' Love Season 2, she is set to appear in Let Us Meet Now, a local travel variety show featuring foreign guests.

Despite a difficult start to her life, Yoo In Na's story is one of survival and  overcoming fears and prejudices, from a bullied schoolgirl to a respected actress.