Actor Jung Sang-hoon expressed his gratitude to his wife, who was with him during his long period of obscurity, and shared sincere stories.
Jung Sang-hoon appeared on KBS1’s ‘Morning Yard’ on the 2nd, on the ‘Tuesday Invitation’ segment, where he shared the reasons he was able to endure and build a family during his 18-year-long period of obscurity. He recalled, “I debuted with the SBS sitcom ‘What Do You Think of Me’. At that time, I shot dramas and appeared in movies. Even shared drinks with Kwon Sang-woo, wondering ‘when will we become successful’. Kwon Sang-woo soon became a top star, so I thought I was next, but it took 18 years for me to succeed.”
Even during the long period of obscurity, Jung Sang-hoon had a reliable wife by his side. He candidly confessed, “When we got married, I had 10 million won. My wife, who is 10 years younger than me, had 20 million won. I still remember her seriously contemplating, saying, ‘You really only have 10 million won? That makes no sense.’” However, starting their married life in a small room strengthened their loyalty even more. Jung Sang-hoon emphasized, “Even if I become penniless, I told her it’s okay to go back to the past. Happiness comes from protecting the family, not from grand achievements.”
Jung Sang-hoon is currently a father of three sons. He shared his life as a father, saying, “Waking the kids up for school every morning is my routine.” He also disclosed the story of naming his three sons. “I didn’t like the names my mother got from the naming center, so I studied and named my first son myself. Since then, I’ve named all the others,” he said.
He became widely known to the public through the comedy program ‘SNL Korea’ with the character of ‘Yangkkotchi and Tsingtao’. His exaggerated acting and broken Chinese brought great laughter, earning him the nickname ‘Korea’s Robin Williams’. However, he shared, “Many people judge me as frivolous just by looking at my face, but in fact, I’m very diligent. My diligence was my weapon during my long time in obscurity.”
He also embraced a new turning point by challenging the musical stage. He got the opportunity through the recommendation of fellow actor Jung Sung-hwa, with whom he lived, but received feedback that his singing skills were lacking. “The director told me I needed more vocal training, so I underwent intense training,” he revealed, sharing the continual efforts he made to hold the stage. He is currently meeting audiences by performing in the musical ‘Mrs. Doubtfire’.
