Actor Kim Ji-hoon Opens Up About His Challenging Three-Year Hiatus

Actor Kim Ji-hoon recently shared his struggles during a three-year hiatus from acting.

On August 6, a video titled 'Actor Kim Ji-hoon Seeking Advice from Kim Jung-nan' was uploaded to the YouTube channel 'Kim Jung-nan.' In the video, Kim Ji-hoon visited Kim Jung-nan's home for a candid conversation.

Kim Jung-nan remarked, "When 'Why Did You Come to My House' aired, Ji-hoon was a real flower boy. Why did he suddenly become a beastly man? Is it because he went to the military?" Kim Ji-hoon replied, "I just matured by experiencing the harsh realities of the world as I got older."

When Kim Jung-nan asked, "What harsh realities did you face? Is there something I don't know about?" Kim Ji-hoon explained, "I had a strong image from weekend dramas. I wanted to do movies and dramas and felt I could do well, but no one else thought so. So, I took a break for about three years."

Kim Ji-hoon recalled, "The company kept saying they would look into it, work on it, and talk about it, but I just kept waiting. Finally, they said, 'This is a really promising drama, let's wait a bit.' I was waiting, but one day I woke up to see a news article on Naver about someone else being cast in that drama. I was so frustrated I couldn't stand it."

After missing out on the role, Kim Ji-hoon went through a tough time. He said, "Three years felt incredibly long to me. I ran out of money and had no hope for what would happen next. I learned a lot during that time." He added, "I was constantly sick. I had severe headaches for the first time in my life, to the point where I wondered if I had a brain tumor."

Kim Jung-nan comforted him, saying, "The mind controls the body. But you didn't waste your time; you studied hard." Kim Ji-hoon responded, "I decided that no projects would come my way anyway. So, I traveled and exercised, trying to spend my time constructively."

He also coped by playing games. Kim Ji-hoon shared, "It was an addictive game, and while playing it, I could forget the world and focus. I spent about a year playing and completed all the levels." When Kim Jung-nan asked if he found it hard to date during such tough times, Kim Ji-hoon humorously replied, "I did date."

Kim Jung-nan concluded, "Looking back, you'll realize you followed a very normal path." Kim Ji-hoon nodded, agreeing, "Looking back, I think so too."

Reported by Se-yoon Jung, TenAsia yoon@tenasia.co.kr