Appearing on the January 21 episode of tvN’s You Quiz on the Block, Park Shin-hye joined host Yoo Jae-suk for a candid conversation about her early career and decision to step back at a pivotal time.

Yoo brought up Park’s unexpected hiatus, noting that she stopped all activities around the age of 20 despite being at the height of her acting career following hits like Stairway to Heaven. He asked why she disappeared from the spotlight just as her popularity soared.

Park explained that entering college sparked a curiosity about living a more typical youth experience. “When I started college, I really wanted to know what university life was like,” she shared. “Being in the Department of Theater and Film, I was surrounded by passionate students chasing their dreams. I wanted to understand what made others special without the filter of my own fame, so I took a break for a year to focus on school.”

Yoo cheekily summarized, “So basically… you just wanted to have fun?” Park admitted, “I failed at sugar-coating it. Our theater department was based in Hyehwa a place overflowing with romantic vibes. I definitely spent nights out enjoying myself.”

She went on to share that, having grown up in a conservative household, she had never stayed out overnight before. “I was curious what it would feel like to sleep over at a friend’s house,” she said. “That year, I did everything I wanted went to karaoke, stayed out late I finally got to be just a normal college student.”

Park Shin-hye made her debut in 2003 in Lee Seung-hwan’s music video and rose to fame with roles in hit dramas like You’re Beautiful, The Heirs, Pinocchio, and The Doctors. She also made her mark on the big screen in films like Miracle in Cell No. 7 and The Call. After a public four-year relationship, she married fellow actor Choi Tae-joon in 2022, marking a new chapter in both her personal and professional life.

Sources: Daum