Hallyu star Hyun Bin turned 38 on Wednesday. South Korea's most-in-demand actor is basking in the success of his previous drama Crash Landing On You [CLOY]. He recently returned to South Korea from Jordan after completing the shooting of his upcoming movie Bargaining.
From his journey in the world of entertainment to dating his CLOY co-star Son Ye Jin or rekindling his relationship with Song Hye Kyo, here are 10 facts about Hyun Bin that most fans may not be aware of.
1) Hyun Bin's Real Dream
Before becoming an actor, Hyun Bin wanted to be a detective. He always dreamt of becoming a cop/detective and was glued to legal thrillers on TV. He even used to pay detective with his brother. Though he could not realize this dream in real life, he won countless hearts by playing the North Korean military captain in the drama Crash Landing On You. He also played a North Korean special investigation officer in the film Confidential Assignment.
2) Became Actor Against Parents' Wishes
Hyun Bin's parents were against his idea of him becoming an actor. Thus, his parents gave him the task of getting admission into one of the most popular schools of acting, Chung-Ang University. Taking this as his only chance, Hyun Bin tried hard and got admission into the university, leaving his parents with no choice but to accept his wishes.
3) Hyun Bin's First Role Was of a 'Stalker'
Today, many fans stalk Hyun Bin online. But when he started in 2003, he played the role of stalker in the drama Bodyguard. The drama starred Cha Seung Won and Lim Eun Kyung and Hyun Bin played a minor role in the drama. His name appears in the bottom of the cast list of the drama.
4) First Recognition
The person who played a minor role rose to the level of receiving his first award "Best new Actor" [MBC Drama Awards] in 2004. He received the award for his role of Kang Gook in the hit series Ireland. He played a bodyguard and was one of the main characters of the drama.
5) Stars in Highly Rated Drama
The following year, Hyun Bin became more popular by playing the lead role in the drama My Lovely Sam Soon. This was South Korea's one of the most highly rated dramas. This gave him the necessary recognition but his dramas did not do well three years until he landed role the lead role in drama Worlds Within opposite Song Hye Kyo in 2009. Then he went on to play the lead role in drama Secret Garden in 2010. This drama gave him the tag lover boy.
6) Mandatory Service
Hyun Bin was quite popular and on demand when he decided to enroll for military. He served in the military from March 7, 2011 to Dec. 6, 2012. He served in the marines, and is also said to have made a name as an exemplary soldier.
7. How Much can Hyun Bin Drink?
Every party in South Korea is incomplete without alcohol. Be it soju or beer, people including stars love to party with drinks. But Hyun Bin cannot do that. With one bottle of soju, Hyun Bin can get Asian flush [Asian Flushing Syndrome (AFS) is a genetic disease characterized by severe flushing with minimal ethanol consumption]. Thus he avoids drinking as much as he can.
8. Hyun Bin, the Singer?
Reports claim that Hyun Bin loves to sing. He had sung a single in his hit series Secret Garden, titled "That Man." He was also seen performing live and singing during fan meets. During an event, he had also sung Shallow from the music video A Star is Born.
9. Reuniting with Song Hye Kyo?
Hyun Bin's first girlfriend was singer and actress Hwang Ji Hyun. But after their break up, Hyun Bin started dating his co-star Song Hye Kyo after they starred in the drama Worlds Within. The couple made their relationship public in 2009 but broke up in 2011. After Song Hye Kyo divorced Song Joong Ki, there were rumors that she was getting together with Hyun Bin, but agencies of both actors denied the news and put a full stop to rumors.
10. Hyun Bin Dating Son Ye Jin?
The Crash Landing On You, a love story between a military captain of North Korea and Son Ye Jin, a businesswoman from South Korea, was one of best dramas of Hyun Bin's career. The drama made him an internationally recognized actor with drama being loved on Netflix. Soon there were rumors of him dating Son Ye Jin. The rumor only became stronger when the news of Hyun Bin and Son Ye Jin appointed as brand ambassadors of Philippines company's "Smart Connect" product broke. The couple has not refuted rumors, but has repeatedly said that they were good friends.
