Actor Seo Hyun-chul began acting at 31 after quitting his job

Actor Seo Hyun-chul surprised many by sharing that he embarked on his acting journey in his early thirties. Appearing on the YouTube show 'Jjanhan Hyung Shin Dong-yup' with fellow actors Ryu Soo-young and Go Chang-seok, Seo Hyun-chul recounted his career shift.

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I used to work for a shoe company, then at 31, I came to Daehangno to do theater.

"I used to work for a shoe company, then at 31, I came to Daehangno to do theater," he confessed. He admitted that his severance pay lasted only two years, after which he began the life of a theater actor. Host Shin Dong-yup expressed astonishment, noting that while such a decision might be understandable in one's twenties, it was surprising for someone older.

Seo Hyun-chul explained his motivation stemmed from a feeling of existential doubt during his office job. "You have to earn money to live, but repeating the same routine from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. made me question if this was the right path," he said. A chance encounter with a newspaper ad for a theater class at the National Theater led him to apply.

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You have to earn money to live, but repeating the same routine from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. made me question if this was the right path.

When asked by Go Chang-seok if he had pursued theater in high school or college, Seo Hyun-chul replied with a definitive "Never," further surprising the cast. He elaborated that he initially believed acting was for "special people, not someone like me." However, after attending the theater class for a year, his perspective changed, prompting him to explore acting further.

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Never.

He recalled joining the theater troupe 'Small Myth' after his class. Initially, he was told not to ask for a position, but he persisted. Seo Hyun-chul felt he received special treatment from the troupe's representative, who exempted him from distributing promotional posters, a task typically assigned to newcomers. "After 31, we decided not to do this," the representative told him. He considered himself very lucky, as this exemption led to him being cast in subsequent troupe performances.

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After 31, we decided not to do this.