Shin Seung-ho, former bodyguard for Irene, faces military service questions

Actor Shin Seung-ho, a former soccer player, revealed his unique past working as a bodyguard for Red Velvet before his acting debut, which unexpectedly led to questions regarding his military service. The topic gained traction as fans discovered footage of Shin from his past, leading to a wave of online reactions inquiring about his military service status. It is known that Shin received a military exemption following surgery for a torn cruciate ligament.

On the 19th, a video for 'Just an Excuse' featuring leading actors Koo Kyo Hwan, Kang Ki-young, and Shin Seung-ho from the film 'Reawaken Man: The Red' was released on the YouTube channel 'DdeunDdeun'.

During the appearance, Shin revealed that he went through a quite unique career path before becoming an actor. He explained that after quitting his career as a soccer player, which he pursued through his university years, he worked as a security guard at a department store.

"I did it for about three months, and it was so much fun," Shin reminisced about the experience. He stated that his role went beyond simple facility security; when celebrity-related events were held at the department store, he was deployed for close protection duties. His physical conditioning and athletic experience from his time as a soccer player aligned with security and bodyguard work, allowing him to build an unexpected career.

In particular, the highlight of the discussion was his story about providing security at a Red Velvet fan signing event. Shin introduced the connection, saying, "I was in charge of close protection at a Red Velvet fan signing event.""

The even more interesting part is that after transitioning to acting, he ended up meeting the celebrity he once protected in an actual production. Shin remarked, "As time passed and I started acting, I ended up filming a movie with Irene.""

Shin and Irene worked together in the film 'Double Patty', which was released in 2021. It is a remarkable instance where the person who once protected Irene as a bodyguard at a department store event later met her as a co-star in a film. The cast showed interested reactions to this rare continuity of fate in the entertainment industry.

"When I looked it up later, there was footage from that time left. The fans found it all," Shin said, drawing laughter. In fandom culture, it is a common phenomenon to dig up past videos or photos of famous celebrities and connect them to their current selves. This time, as Shin personally revealed his past, his time working as a bodyguard was once again brought into the spotlight.

However, as his past career became a hot topic, unexpected questions emerged. Some netizens began to wonder about Shin Seung-ho's military service status.

Online reactions included comments such as, "Have you not gone to the military yet?”, “You played a soldier in 'D.P.', so what happened with your actual military service?”, and “You were a soccer player and even a bodyguard, so why were you exempted?”

In particular, since Shin left a strong impression playing Hwang Jang-soo, a character who shows the violent reality within the military in the Netflix series 'D.P.', some reactions confused his image as a soldier in a drama with his actual military service history. However, the fact that an actor plays a soldier in a production is a separate matter from their actual military service.

In Shin's case, the reason for his military exemption is known. It is reported that he underwent surgery for a torn cruciate ligament while handling personal schedules in 2021, after which he received a military exemption during his military service examination. Therefore, the fact that he worked as a bodyguard is not connected to his military service issue. That security career took place before his acting debut and before his injury.

Shin did not take his military exemption lightly. In an interview last year, he stated, "Since it is right that everyone should go, it is naturally disappointing," adding, "I feel upset and also feel sorry.""

This explanation suggests that he himself felt complex emotions regarding the military exemption.

Soccer was an important foundation in Shin's history before transitioning to acting. Having been dedicated to soccer to the point of continuing his player career through university, he experienced a completely different profession as a security guard after retiring from sports, and subsequently chose a new path as an actor. His career, which moved from athlete to security/bodyguard and then to actor, aligns to some extent with his current image.

The work that imprinted Shin's name on the public as an actor was Netflix's 'D.P.'. He played the role of Hwang Jang-soo, powerfully portraying a character positioned as a perpetrator within the structure of military hierarchy and violence. It is a case where his acting skills were recognized for convincingly portraying a character regardless of his actual military service.

He later expanded his range with roles in 'Alchemy of Souls' and showed his presence in genre-heavy works like 'Weak Hero Class 1'. He has steadily built his filmography, extending his activities to the big screen with films such as 'Omniscient Reader: The Prophecy'.

The recently revealed history of his time as a bodyguard serves as a reminder of the life Shin led before becoming an actor. A young man playing soccer transitioned to working as a department store security guard, performed protection duties at celebrity events, and eventually stood before the camera as an actor. The fact that he eventually co-starred with Irene, whom he once protected, makes his journey a truly fascinating story.

Shin is set to release the film 'Reawaken Man: The Red' on the 30th. He will meet audiences on the big screen once again in this project, which stars Koo Kyo Hwan and Kang Ki-young. Interest is growing to see how his journey—from his days as a bodyguard to his intense military character in 'D.P.' and now to his new film—will continue to evolve.