Park Ji Hoon recently opened up about his upcoming military enlistment and personal growth as an actor during an appearance on Kim Jung Nan’s YouTube channel.
The two shared a meal prepared by Kim, who is not only his agency colleague but also his co-star in the film Audrey.
When the conversation turned to his mandatory military service, Park revealed his plan to enlist soon. “I really have to go next year,” he said, noting that at 28, he is nearing the age limit of 29 for the Marine Corps.
“Many people say, ‘You’ll regret it if you go,’ but the more someone tells me not to go, the more I want to,” he explained. “I don’t just want to join the Marines; I want to join the Marine Reconnaissance Unit. I heard you have to be specially selected even within the Marines.”
When Kim Jung Nan asked about his mother’s reaction, Park joked, “My mom actually loves it. She tells me to ‘go and have a hard time.’ Maybe she expects me to learn a lot from the training,” adding with a laugh that she simply thinks the challenge is “cool.”
Kim Jung Nan had high praise for Park’s professionalism, recalling their time filming Audrey. She noted that despite his background as an idol, he was entirely focused on the craft rather than his image.
“Nowadays, many actors just read their lines during script readings, but Ji Hoon expresses his emotions as if he’s already in front of the camera,” she said. “I thought he’d be very focused on his appearance, but that wasn’t the case at all. I even thought he hadn’t washed his face.”
Following his recent success in The King’s Warden, Kim offered the young star some grounded advice.
“It’s crucial to stay grounded, especially at times like these,” she warned. “I’ve seen many people in the entertainment industry stumble when they lose the mindset they started with.”
This prompted Park to reflect on his internal struggles with fame.
“Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about innocence,” he confessed. “I wonder why I’ve become so concerned with how I’m perceived, to the point where I care more about the public image of me than who I really am.”
Kim comforted him by explaining that self-reflection is a sign of maturity rather than a loss of character.
“Experiencing the world doesn’t mean you’re no longer innocent. Self-reflection itself comes from a genuine place,” she told him.
She added that these complicated feelings would eventually deepen his acting, sharing an anecdote about the legendary Lee Soon Jae to illustrate that even the greatest actors never stop worrying about their performances.
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