Shocking candid talk: Actor So Ji-sub opened up about everything from his unlikely debut to how marriage changed his mindset, admitting he's now more relaxed and comfortable.
On the 21st, a new video dropped on singer-composer Jung Jae-hyung's YouTube channel featuring So Ji-sub, Yoon Kyung-ho, and Choi Dae-hoon, the lead actors of the SBS drama Manager Kim. The four discussed the project and their lives in an honest, wide-ranging conversation.
Jung Jae-hyung brought up the moment at last year's entertainment awards when So Ji-sub, Yoon Kyung-ho, and Choi Dae-hoon walked onstage holding hands. Yoon Kyung-ho said, "Ji-sub hyung has a mischievous streak he's always keeping in check, so I tease him on purpose," adding, "When I joke around, he really enjoys it." So Ji-sub agreed: "I love things that are fun and happy. Acting with these two brings that energy to set, and I love it."
So Ji-sub also shared how he pivoted from athlete to entertainer. He revealed he swam and played water polo from third grade through his freshman year of college, saying, "During the school year, I'd train seven hours a day, and over breaks more than ten. That period built the mental toughness I have today."
His showbiz debut was almost accidental. In the winter of 1995, So Ji-sub was selected as a clothing brand model and debuted in drama the following year. He recalled, "I had about two to three months before entering the department of physical education when there was a casting call for a sub model to pose behind the late Kim Sung-jae. I applied with a friend. My friend didn't make it, but I did." He explained that after Kim Sung-jae's sudden passing, he and Song Seung-heon became the main models.
When asked if he felt more at ease after getting married, So Ji-sub smiled and answered briefly, "That could be true." He married former announcer Cho Eun-jung in 2020. Known for his quiet, enigmatic image, So Ji-sub has slowly shown a more relaxed, flexible side through marriage and years of work.
The drama Manager Kim, starring So Ji-sub, Yoon Kyung-ho, and Choi Dae-hoon, premieres on the 26th.