Nam Joo Hyuk steps forward when army trainees turn to watch

"I felt the eyes on me, so I had to take the lead" Nam Joo Hyuk's way of navigating military life

Actor Nam Joo Hyuk has revealed a special experience from his military service. Appearing on the content 'Salon Drip' on the YouTube channel 'TEO' on the 14th, Nam Joo Hyuk shared his inner thoughts regarding his military life for the first time since his discharge in September 2024.

At the time, Nam Joo Hyuk was enjoying great popularity for his role as 'Baek Yi-jin' in the drama 'Twenty Five Twenty One.' Because of this, he drew significant attention among the approximately 2,000 to 3,000 trainees, even being called by his character's name rather than his real name at the training center.

Nam Joo Hyuk expressed his feelings at the time, stating, "I thought if I felt the pressure, I would be the only one suffering, so I decided I should take the lead." He explained that instead of avoiding the pressure he felt upon enlistment, he chose to confront the situation head-on by volunteering for roles such as class leader or assistant class leader. He conveyed his determination to shed his title as a star actor and blend in as a trainee, saying, "Since I could feel the eyes on me anyway, I thought I should just step forward."

The romance of searching for four-leaf clovers and the reality of the film set faced after discharge

Military life seems to have suited his temperament. Nam Joo Hyuk recalled finding a sense of romance even within the military, sharing an episode of searching for four-leaf clovers in the forest with a junior during his time as a sergeant. He burst into laughter while describing his junior's reaction to finding a five-leaf clover, shouting, "That is bad luck!" and telling him not to touch it.

The conversation continued regarding his first project since returning from the military, the Netflix series 'Donggung.' Actor Roh Yoon-seo, who stars alongside him in the upcoming 'Donggung,' also appeared on the broadcast. Nam Joo Hyuk mentioned feeling excited to see himself acting naturally upon returning to the filming set, but humorously confessed the realistic fatigue that set in as filming progressed, saying, "By the 3rd or 4th day, I was like, 'Ah, Yoon-seo, this is so hard.'"

'Donggung,' starring Nam Joo Hyuk and Roh Yoon-seo, is a mystery series where Gu Cheon (played by Nam Joo Hyuk) and the court lady Saeng-gang (played by Roh Yoon-seo) are summoned by the King (played by Cho Seung-woo) to uncover a curse dwelling in the Donggung (East Palace). The work will be released on Netflix on the 17th.