[Sportschosun Lee Ji-hyun] Actor Kim Moo-yul expressed gratitude for his impoverished past, when his annual income during his unknown years was only 200,000 won, and for his wife Yoon Seung-ah, who believed in him until the end.
On the July 1 episode of tvN's "You Quiz on the Block," Kim Moo-yul, the star of "Teach You a Lesson," returned to the show for the first time in two years. He appeared wearing the signature black suit of Na Hwa-jin, the character he played, drawing a warm welcome from the start.
Kim Moo-yul said he earned just 200,000 won from musicals over the course of a year when he was a rookie actor. He endured financial hardship, living in a hillside shantytown and taking on countless part-time jobs, but never gave up on his dream. "Looking back, there were so many things I lacked and so many hardships, but I was simply happy," he said. "I stayed up all night talking about unrealistic dreams with friends who shared the same dream. When I saw those friends leave that dream behind, I realized reality was hard and the future was uncertain. Still, I am proud that I made it to the end, and I am glad I was naive enough to simply enjoy it all."
He also said, "My mother is a novelist who debuted through the Shinchunmunye Literature and Art Awards," adding, "I lived selfishly, doing only what I wanted. My mother gave up writing and supported me in every way. After I had a son, I came to understand how she must have felt."
Kim Moo-yul also expressed gratitude to his wife, Yoon Seung-ah. Sitting in the "You Quiz on the Block" studio for her husband, Yoon Seung-ah said, "We actually started out in a really difficult way." She recalled that when she married Kim Moo-yul, everyone asked, "Why would you date a poor man?" But she said she never felt the hardship. "My husband, when he acts and stands on stage, is at his brightest and most handsome," she said. "That passion always shone so brightly. He is human, so there must be hard times, but I think it is admirable that he quietly endures and keeps moving forward."
Kim Moo-yul said, "The reason my passion never faded was my wife," adding, "There were many failures and setbacks, but I am so grateful to my wife for making me so happy that I did not even realize how hard things were." Looking back on the day "Teach You a Lesson" ranked No. 1 globally, he said, "I cried in front of my wife. We hugged and cried together in the underground parking lot."
Now in their 11th year of marriage, Kim Moo-yul said he often plans special events for Yoon Seung-ah. "One day, on my birthday, I realized it was a day to thank my mother for giving birth to me," he said. "Before our son was born, I promised my wife that I would congratulate her first. Of course our child should be celebrated too, but I will always tell you congratulations before anyone else. On our child's birthday, I always try to do something special for my wife."
Yoon Seung-ah also testified, "He is truly kind. We've been together for about 17 years, and he has always been the same."
Meanwhile, Yoon Seung-ah married Kim Moo-yul in 2015, and the couple has a son.
olzllovely@sportschosun.com
