[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bong-ju] Actor Park Eun-seok revealed the story behind giving up his U.S. permanent residency.
On the afternoon of the 22nd, MBC aired 'I Live Alone,' which showcased the daily life of actor Park Eun-seok, who played the role of Logan Lee in the drama 'Penthouse.'
In the broadcast, Park Eun-seok revealed his house in Yangpyeong for the first time.
Park Eun-seok introduced himself, saying, "I have been living alone for 15 years. It has been 15 years since I came to Korea. When I first came to Korea, I lived at my grandmother's house for about six months before entering school."
Having lived in Long Island, New York since he was seven years old, he came to Korea in 2005. After moving around various places in Seoul, he spent six years in a semi-basement apartment in Sinsa-dong and recently moved to Yangpyeong.
Park Eun-seok explained, "I borrowed money from my aunt because even all my assets combined were not enough. My parents are planning to come to Korea, and I thought apartment living would feel suffocating for them, so I prepared this place. The best thing about moving here is that when I lived in the semi-basement, sunlight was my hope. Here, sunlight shines every day, so it feels like I have surfaced above water and can breathe freely."
He especially introduced his pets, a dog named Molly and some cats. He said, "It was so dark and I could hear the sound of a water deer, which was a bit scary. So I brought Molly along."
That morning, as soon as he woke up, Park Eun-seok cleaned up Molly’s waste, then fully prepared with gloves and boots before starting snow removal work in front of his house.
While energetically sweeping with a broom, he also explained the story behind his enlistment in the military.
Park Eun-seok said, "I was a U.S. permanent resident, but when I first came to Korea, my Korean wasn’t very good, so I thought I should learn Korean."
He continued, "I wanted to learn quickly and effectively, so I voluntarily enlisted. At that time, there was a program to maintain permanent residency. After completing military service, I gave up my permanent residency," he confessed.
Park Eun-seok explained, "I thought that if I had permanent residency, I might think I could just go to the U.S. if my acting career didn’t work out. I felt that having a backup exit was cowardly, so I gave it up. I believed this was the only path for me."
Using a shovel to quickly clear the snow, he said, "Country living is not easy. You have to be more diligent than you think. You have to mow the grass and sweep the fallen leaves. When it snows, this kind of situation happens."
Park Eun-seok revealed that he enjoys kayaking, saying, "Since I often go camping by the water, I wanted to be near the water," and he disassembled his kayak due to the sudden snowfall.
He also confessed his passion for cycling. Park Eun-seok said, "I enjoy cycling enough to participate in competitions," and that he has been riding for nine years. He added, "Actors don’t always act. When it seems like everyone else is doing well, how I rest well is important. It helps me a lot mentally."
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