"Movies are meant to be enjoyed" — The father who opposed it, and how his son Shin Hyun-joon gained recognition as a 'Ttanttara'

Actor Shin Hyun-joon revealed his honest past regarding the conflict with his father, who opposed his path as an actor during his film debut, and how he overcame it.

On the tvN variety show "You Quiz on the Block" broadcast on the 29th, actor Shin Hyun-joon appeared and shared behind-the-scenes stories of his start as a film actor, along with his unexpected popularity in Peru, South America.

The identity of 'Tae-hwa Oppa' who captured Peru

Shin Hyun-joon mentioned the situation where he is currently gaining great popularity in Peru, South America, due to the influence of his past works. He shared the phenomenon of being called 'Tae-hwa Oppa' in Peru, reflecting on the reactions he felt locally.

Shin Hyun-joon spoke about the reaction of local fans calling him 'Tae-hwa Oppa,' saying, "As soon as the door opened, I felt like I was returning to the Tae-hwa of 23 years ago." In particular, he mentioned that the connection to his character in his past work seemed to have been conveyed to the local fans.

"Movies are meant to be enjoyed" — Father's opposition and the debut in 'General's Son'

His start as a film actor was thanks to a fateful audition. While attending Yonsei University in the Department of Physical Education, Shin Hyun-joon applied for the rookie actor recruitment for director Im Ho-tae's film 'General's Son.' Among thousands of applicants at the time, he was finally selected by appealing that he was the only one who could perform the role of 'Hayashi.'

However, conflict with his father, who opposed the path of an actor, was unavoidable. His father, who was in the construction business in the Middle East, did not look favorably upon his son becoming an actor. Shin Hyun-joon recalled the situation where his father opposed him, saying, "I showed you movies so you could enjoy them, not so you would do them. Movies are not something you do, but something you enjoy."

Shin Hyun-joon proceeded with filming with his hair cut short at the director's request, but the relationship with his father was cold. He confessed, "I had such a sad filming period that I wouldn't even make eye contact with my father when we met at home."

The kneeling son and the father who recognized him as a 'Ttanttara'

To resolve the conflict, Shin Hyun-joon visited director Im Ho-tae and asked him to speak directly to his father. After the director met and persuaded his father, the father finally accepted his son's path by saying, "I will recognize you as a 'Ttanttara'" after watching the preview.

During this process, Shin Hyun-joon also candidly revealed anecdotes involving economic difficulties and rebellious feelings. He revealed that when his allowance was cut off after starting his acting career, he took his father's camera and his cherished pipe to a pawnshop. He then shared the moment he shed tears when he visited his father's company and faced his own photo placed in front of the meeting table.

He added that after retrieving the items from the pawnshop, he acted as if nothing had happened to his father and put them back in their places, drawing laughter.