Korean actor Song Hyun-seo (宋炫序, 송현서) recently opened up about his journey in the entertainment industry, revealing that this year marks his 10th anniversary since he started acting in 2015. Surprisingly, he previously worked as a manager at YG Entertainment, where he was responsible for artists including Yoo In-na (劉寅娜, 유인나) and Son Na-eun (孫娜恩, 손나은). To continue pursuing his dream of becoming an actor, he not only consistently submits his portfolio but also works part-time as a private driver to make ends meet.
On September 27, the YouTube channel “Bin Paper” released a video titled “A Day in the Life of a 30-Something Actor, Former Manager of Yoo In-na, Chasing Dreams While Driving for Billionaire CEOs.” The program invited Song Hyun-seo to share his life and experiences in the entertainment industry.
Song Hyun-seo began by introducing himself, stating, “I started acting in 2015, so this is my 10th year.” He revealed that even after many years in the industry, he continues to actively seek acting opportunities, constantly submitting his resume and actor profiles. “I update my online profile daily, and if I have time, I deliver them in person offline. Sometimes, I also ask my agency for help,” he explained.
However, pursuing an acting dream is not easy. Song Hyun-seo admitted that he “had no choice but to work part-time” due to financial pressure, leading him to take on various odd jobs. For the past five to six months, he has been working as a private driver to support himself. He explained that this job primarily involves providing transportation services for wealthy families in their 40s, whose clients possess assets worth billions of Korean won, and he directly assists these high-net-worth individuals with their transportation needs.
After taking a leave of absence from university in 2015, Song Hyun-seo moved to Seoul. At the time, he had asked his mother for “two years,” believing he could make a name for himself within that period. “I took a leave after my sophomore year and came to Seoul. I told my mom to give me two years, thinking I could succeed by then. But it ended up taking a very long time. I had even said I wouldn’t take money from home anymore, but in reality, it wasn’t that easy.”
Before becoming an actor, Song Hyun-seo also worked as a manager at YG Entertainment. He revealed that he was curious about “managers who work for actors,” so he researched major entertainment companies like JYP, YG, and SM, ultimately choosing to apply to YG.
Unexpectedly, he initially received a rejection letter. “I applied to YG and received a rejection notice the next day. But about a week later, I suddenly got a call saying I had passed the subsequent stages and was invited for an interview.”
During the interview, his supervisor even directly asked him, “Which artist do you want to manage?” After some thought, Song Hyun-seo replied that he hoped to be Jang Ki-yong’s (張基龍, 장기용) manager. However, he ultimately ended up managing Cha Seung-won (車勝元, 차승원). Afterward, he successively managed Cha Seung-won, Yoo In-na, and Son Na-eun. His time with Yoo In-na was the longest, lasting approximately four years, making that experience the most memorable for him.
After transitioning from a manager to an actor, Song Hyun-seo admitted that he viewed his resignation as a “formal declaration of war.” “Just like declaring war before it begins, I wanted to formally announce my decision to resign and pursue my acting dream.” He believes that once one decides to embark on the path of an actor, they must put all their chips on the table to truly commit wholeheartedly.
And even though the journey has not been easy, Song Hyun-seo emphasized that he has never regretted his initial decision. “I haven’t regretted it once. To be honest, I’ve never thought about whether I should have resigned earlier. I feel that was the perfect timing for me.”
Now in his 10th year in the entertainment industry, Song Hyun-seo continues to submit his resume and seek acting opportunities, even relying on part-time work to sustain himself. His journey from a YG manager to an actor has garnered significant attention from netizens.
