Park Eun-seok Reveals He Volunteered for Military Service Upon Arriving in Korea

In the latest episode of Channel A's 4인용 식탁 (Four-Person Table), actor Park Eun-seok shared that he volunteered for military service as soon as he arrived in Korea. During the broadcast on February 3, Park, who immigrated to the United States in the 1990s, recounted how he began his acting career. He initially aspired to be a 3D animator and studied fashion design in college after being exposed to the industry while living in New York. He attended the first acting academy run by a Korean in Manhattan, which connected aspiring actors to Korean entertainment agencies.

Reflecting on his experience at the academy, Park recalled feeling nervous during introductions, stating, 'I felt my heart race and it was like my heart came alive again.' He mentioned that his teacher advised him not to register for the second semester, as the academy was closing down, and encouraged him to go to Korea instead, suggesting he had potential there. However, his parents strongly opposed the idea.

Park decided to visit Korea during his summer break in 2005 to assess the situation, and he ended up staying. He worked as an English teacher to support himself and enrolled in Seoul Institute of the Arts at the age of 22. Despite his struggles with the Korean language, he chose to enlist in the military after a year at school due to language barriers. He volunteered for service using his American citizenship.

Park expressed his desire to work in the film industry, stating he took on various staff roles at a film company to gain experience. He shared, 'I still get so excited when I step on stage,' to which fellow guest Son Sook responded with surprise, realizing he had worked hard to achieve his success rather than just being lucky with casting.