Korean actor Shin Seung-ho (신승호), a former football player, recently revealed his pre-debut experience working as a bodyguard for K-pop group Red Velvet. This unexpected revelation quickly shifted fan attention, with many online users questioning his military service status and sparking widespread discussion.
On April 19, the YouTube channel 'DdeunDdeun' released an episode of its show 'Brunch is an Excuse,' featuring Koo Kyo-hwan (구교환), Kang Ki-young (강기영), and Shin Seung-ho, the stars of the upcoming film Resurrected Man.
During the program, Shin Seung-ho shared that he played football through university. After ending his athletic career, he worked as a security guard at a department store. He recalled, laughing, "I did it for about three months, and it was really interesting." He added that he was often assigned to close-protection detail when the department store hosted celebrity events.
Most surprisingly, Shin Seung-ho revealed that he once provided close security for a Red Velvet fan signing event. He stated, "At the Red Velvet fan signing, I was on close-protection duty. Then, after some time, I started acting, and I ended up filming a movie with Irene (아이린) herself."
The two later co-starred in the 2021 film Double Patty, bringing renewed attention to their unique connection, from 'bodyguard to actor.'
Shin Seung-ho also shared that fans even managed to dig up old footage of him working as a bodyguard. "Later, when I looked, I found that videos from that time had actually been preserved, and fans had found all of them," he said, eliciting laughter from the set.
However, after this story came to light, some netizens shifted their focus to Shin Seung-ho's military service, asking in comments: "Has he not served yet?" "He played a soldier in D.P., but has he actually enlisted?" and "He was a football player and a bodyguard, so why was he exempted?"
In fact, Shin Seung-ho suffered a torn cruciate ligament and underwent surgery in 2021 during a private schedule. Following a military service examination, he was deemed exempt from mandatory service. His time as a bodyguard occurred before this injury and prior to his official debut as an actor.
Regarding his exemption, Shin Seung-ho personally addressed the matter in an interview last year, stating, "Everyone is supposed to go to the military, so of course, I feel regret." He admitted to having "moments of sadness, and at the same time, a feeling of apology."
Shin Seung-ho gained recognition for his role as the antagonist Hwang Jang-soo in the Netflix series D.P. He has since appeared in works such as Alchemy of Souls, Weak Hero Class 1, and the film Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint. His new film, Resurrected Man: The Red, is slated for release on September 30.
