Shin Hyun-joon Says He Was Slapped at a Busan Fan Signing After 'The General's Son' Fame

Actor Shin Hyun-joon revealed a startling episode from his career, saying he was suddenly slapped while meeting fans in Busan during the height of his popularity.

Shin is set to share the story on the June 13 broadcast of MBN's interview program "Kim Joo-ha's Day & Night." During the appearance, he looks back on a fan meeting in Busan where one attendee struck him across the face.

The actor also discusses his new film "Wanted," saying that 36 years after his debut he is attempting a dual role for the first time. In the film, Shin plays both the villain Choi Cheol-gu and an ordinary citizen named Shin Hyun-joon. Describing the difficulty of the assignment, he says, "I had to keep doing action scenes, and in so many scenes I had to put clothes on and take them off again. I thought that for a dual role, you really ought to receive two people's worth of appearance fees."

Shin also brings laughter to the studio by explaining why he told 26-year-old Taiwanese actress Regina Lei, his co-star in "Wanted," that he was sorry when they first met. Speaking about the movie's comedy genre, he adds, "I cannot quit comedy," showing his continued attachment to the kind of performance he considers one of his specialties.

He then shares behind-the-scenes memories of "The General's Son," the film that changed the course of his life. Shin recalls the audition process and says, "Everyone dreamed of playing Kim Du-han, but I found Hayashi far more attractive." He explains that he went to the audition without telling his parents and remembers feeling nervous in front of many prominent directors, as well as senior actors Ahn Sung-ki and Kang Soo-youn.

Shin says he later ran into his father's opposition. "My father picked up scissors and cut my hair," he recalls, explaining the unexpected reason his hair was short when he appeared as Hayashi in "The General's Son." He also remembers the explosive popularity that followed the film, saying, "I held a signing event in Busan, and one person hit me on the cheek, calling me a 'bad guy.'"

Looking back on the people he considers benefactors in his acting life, Shin names director Im Kwon-taek, who directed "The General's Son," as well as the late Kim Soo-mi and the late Ahn Sung-ki. He expresses deep respect for Im, saying, "Director Im Kwon-taek officiated at my wedding, and he is the teacher I respect most." Of Kim Soo-mi, he says, "She really was my mother." Shin also reveals that he originally hoped to become a director, and that Ahn Sung-ki helped him decide to pursue the path of an actor.

Shin expresses regret as he remembers moments of farewell he could not attend. "When Mother Kim Soo-mi passed away, I heard the news of her obituary on my way to a fan meeting in Japan, and when senior Ahn Sung-ki passed, I could not attend the funeral procession because I was filming overseas," he says. "These people left me with yet another goal," he adds, conveying his longing for the figures who shaped his life and career.