Reasons Behind The Disappearance Of Korea’s Top K-Drama Lead Actor From The Public Eye Despite Major Success

Park Shin Yang opens up about health struggles and unexpected painting career after 2019

The beloved lead from SBS’s 2004 mega-hit drama Lovers In Paris, Park Shin Yang, broke his silence on why he’s been off the acting radar for so long.

In a recent video on the Sebasi Talk YouTube channel, Park Shin Yang revealed he had to pause his acting career because of serious health issues — 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

He explained how his body wouldn’t cooperate for over a decade, despite his efforts to recover.

“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.”
— Park Shin Yang

Since his last drama role in My Lawyer Mr. Jo Season 2 back in 2019, he’s been focusing on painting. His art career sparked fresh attention and curiosity about whether he retired.

Last year, a film called The Three Days hit screens, but it only featured older footage of Park Shin Yang, adding fuel to retirement rumors.

He shut down those rumors while chatting on singer Sung Si Kyung’s YouTube.

“How could I retire?” he said.
“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

Park Shin Yang is clearly not quitting acting for good — he just hasn’t found the right project yet.

🔥 T R E N D I N G

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See him explain everything in the full video below: