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From villainess to It girl

MORE often than not, she has been slammed for her lousy acting.

But Korean model-turned- actress Han Ye Seul has the last laugh now.

With her latest drama Couple Or Trouble, the 25-year-old has finally become the envied It girl of TV land.

She plays a Paris Hilton-like heiress Ana Jo, who loses her memory in an accident, but still behaves like a spoilt brat when forced to live with the ordinary folks who saved her.

Her snobbish catchphrase 'Look at you!' has even been mimicked by thousands of fans.

Ye Seul, who was raised in the US but returned to Korea after winning a modelling contest in 2001, is pleasantly surprised by the changing tide.

Having played the villainess in dramas like Nine-tailed Fox, she said she was prepared to face the firing squad, but got 'friendly responses' instead.

'The Netizens are just too cute. I used to be hated by them, but now I'm loved. Those detractors have suddenly become my fans.'

Perhaps her absence has made hearts grow fonder.

After starring in the 2005 drama Typhoon That Summer, Ye Seul took a one-year break to spend time with her parents in California.

Couple Or Trouble, which was shown in Korea last October, marks her TV comeback. And what a splash she made.

In a recent Internet poll, she beat established names like Lee Young Ae and Son Ye Jin to become 'the actress you most want to see in an entertainment programme'.

French cosmetics giant Clarins also signed her up as its new Korean spokesmodel with a 400 million won ($640,000) deal this year.

But the best sign of Ye Seul's rising star was her triple win at the annual Korean TV station MBC Drama Awards last month.

Besides a popularity award and an Outstanding Female Artiste award, she also won the Best Screen Couple award with her Couple Or Trouble co-star Oh Ji Ho.

So, what's next for Ye Seul?

Breaking into Hollywood is her dream - which makes sense since she speaks perfect English complete with an American accent - but right now she wants to focus on polishing her acting.

'I've been a star rather than an actress, and that's no good. Stars have an inflated image and a short lifespan.

'I want to be more passionate about my job and build my career so that I can continue to act for a long time.'

From: http://newpaper.asia1.com.sg