He has since embarked on a completely different career path.
2 hours ago
SBS‘s 2004 K-Drama Lovers In Paris was, undoubtedly, one of the most successful series to air. Its impact was so massive that it was dubbed a “syndrome”-level hit.
“Lovers In Paris” | Prime Video
So, what happened to the male lead, Park Shin Yang, after the fame?
In a new video shared via the Sebasi Talk YouTube channel, the actor has revealed that health issues played a role in his decision to live as a painter, drawing renewed attention to his long absence from the screen.
Actor Park Shin Yang | Hankyung
In the video, Park Shin Yang shared that he had no choice but to halt his acting career due to back surgery and hyperthyroidism.
I think I worked very hard on filming my past projects. But I injured my back several times and underwent surgery. Then I developed thyroid problems and reached a point where I couldn’t even get up.
— Park Shin Yang
The actor revealed, to the fans’ surprise, “I would think, ‘I need to get up,’ but my body simply wouldn’t move. More than 10 years passed like that. I kept thinking, ‘I’ll be better tomorrow,’ for a long time, but I experienced a period where my body simply wouldn’t respond.”
| Sebasi Talk
For that reason, Park Shin Yang has been absent from television since his 2019 K-Drama, My Lawyer Mr. Jo Season 2. During that time, it became known that he had devoted himself to painting for over a decade.
Park Shin Yang posing with his paintings | Vogue Korea
In 2024, Park Shin Yang re-emerged as an actor through the occult film The Three Days. However, the film consisted of footage shot years earlier and was not a new project, which continued to fuel speculation about whether he had retired from acting.
Park Shin Yang did address the retirement rumors on singer Sung Si Kyung’s YouTube channel, denying them. “How could I retire?” he asked, while adding that he would return to acting anytime if he found a project that truly resonated with him.
| Sung Si Kyung’s YouTube
At the moment, I’m not dissatisfied about not acting, nor do I feel a lingering desire to return. Through art, I’m expressing myself immensely. Because it’s a genre of expression that comes entirely from within me, the tension of facing a work is even greater than when I was acting.
— Park Shin Yang
Watch the full video here: