Tiffany Young loves that she “takes up space” in ‘Uncle Samsik’

As a member of one of K-pop’s most legendary groups, Girls’ Generation, and a successful solo artist, Tiffany Young is no stranger to the entertainment scene. Born and raised in California, the multi-hyphenated star was scouted by SM Entertainment at 15 years of age and moved to South Korea to train as a K-pop idol. 

She started her music career at just 18 years old in Girls’ Generation, quickly captivating audiences with her sultry voice, bright disposition and signature ‘eye smile’. In 2016, she expanded her singing repertoire by debuting as a solo artist. With numerous musical accolades under her belt, the singer has embraced a new path in acting that proves she’s a bonafide all-rounder.

She first caught attention on the small screen as an analyst working alongside Song Joong Ki in 2022’s Reborn Rich. Most recently, she played Rachel Jeong in the Disney Plus series Uncle Samsik which also marks the first drama role of award-winning film actor Song Kang Ho (Parasite, Snowpiercer, Broker). 

Set in the turbulent time of the early 1960s in South Korea, the historical drama follows the working relationship between an idealistic man, Kim San, who is dedicated to improving his country’s economy and a mysterious fixer who only goes by the name Uncle Samsik. Young stars as the director of the Albright Foundation who takes an interest in Kim’s visions of national reconstruction. 

Ahead, we speak to Young about how her character defies gender norms, her favourite female role models and more.

What compelled you to be a part of Uncle Samsik?

“Song Kang Ho and Byun Yo Han are both actors that I really admire and was curious about how they work and bring a character to life. I’ve been fortunate enough to be on set with them as scene partners and learned a lot. I was also really in love with the script. Just reading the first five episodes, I was like, “okay, I don’t know who I’m going to play but I want to be a part of this!” [laughs]

“It’s a story of our grandparents, parents and my Korean roots. There was a curiosity around this era that I wanted to learn more about as a Korean-American. If I was curious, I’m sure others would also connect with the story and want to know what South Korea looked like to those who came before us.

“South Korea today is so different. I mean, it was already really different when I first moved here in 2004 but it has changed so much since then! Being able to connect with our history and discover why we are the way we are was another reason why I wanted to be a part of this story.” 

What are some of your favourite traits about Rachel Jeong?

“Being a woman in the political and business space in the early 1960s was practically unheard of. Being able to play a character like her who has so much command and presence to her was inspiring. She has a sort of quiet power to her in that she always keeps her cool and doesn’t say much but when she does, it’s impactful.

“I fell in love with the fact that she wants to take up space and tell people that she has a dream too. Rachel longs for family and love and envisions a different world where people can help one another. Because she was given such a great opportunity through the Albright Foundation, she wants to give back to the community. To be able to support somebody while being supported is the most magical part of her storyline. 

“At first, everyone is fixated on their own dreams and personal interests but when Rachel comes on screen—she may look dangerous and like a villain—but she’s the one person who holds Kim San’s hand to say that they can achieve their goals but through each other’s help. So I love that there’s this vulnerability about her because she is still a woman in that era and there are things she can’t do on her own.”

How has your Korean-American background informed your understanding of your character?

“Oh, it’s helped in so many different ways. My sister studied the 1960s so getting multiple lessons through her about the 1960s Korean-American culture was really fun and informative. I always like to research so studying women in those eras was important because there’s a certain tone and mannerisms that I wanted to pick up on.”

Audiences loved the chemistry between you and Byun Yo Han. What was it like working alongside him? 

“Thank you so much! Song Kang Ho is a legend himself but I feel like Byun Yo Han doesn’t get enough credit [laughs]. I’ve been a huge fan of his previous work so I was eager to act with him. The way he moves and connects with the camera is incredible to watch. 

“I’m so glad that people love the chemistry between us. The characters were just set up so well; they are magnetic to each other. We had so much fun together and would often talk to each other about our character motivations. All those deep conversations came across really well in our performances.”

Lastly, who are some strong female role models you look up to?

“Michelle Obama and Oprah Winfrey are big ones! There are also so many amazing seniors in South Korea—Kim Hye Sun is one of my favourite actresses. As for American actresses, I’m a big fan of Jessica Chastain as she’s done a lot of political pieces and I’ve watched a lot of those to do background work on my role.

“Min Jin Lee is another figure I look up to. She wrote phenomenal period pieces on Korean stories such as Pachinko and Free Food for Millionaires. I also want to mention my bandmates, they’re so inspiring too. We’ve been together for a long time and five of us are in acting now. Watching them chase after their dreams and the roles they’ve taken on has made them my role models too.”

Uncle Samsik is available to stream on Disney+ Hotstar here.

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