Mediacorp's first South Korean artiste Lee Sung-chan received opposition from actor parents about going into showbiz

If you have a stressful job, would you want your kids to go into the same field?

For newbie actor Lee Sung-chan's parents, who are veteran actors in South Korea themselves, the answer was initially no.

Sung-chan was announced yesterday (Jan 25) as the first South Korean artiste contracted under Mediacorp's The Celebrity Agency (TCA).

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In an interview with 8world, the 27-year-old revealed his parents' reaction to him wanting to go into showbiz.

"They were very opposed to it because they also worked in showbiz-related jobs in South Korea. My father acted for more than 40 years, so my parents knew that entering the entertainment industry would be difficult," he shared.

"However, because I went to China and the US alone in the past, worked hard in South Korea, then came to Singapore to film a movie, they are very supportive of me now."

Sung-chan went to school in Beijing, studied film and linguistics in the United States and worked in marketing and as a writer in South Korea for five years.

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He also worked behind-the-scenes in filming and eventually starred in the Singapore production Don't Go Home Tonight released last year.

According to Sung-chan, he met an agent from TCA at the preview for the film and decided to sign on to develop his acting career in Singapore. He won't be based here and will instead fly between the two countries for work.

When asked who his parents are, Sung-chan said with a smile: "I don't think anyone would know them, because they never filmed for streaming platforms, only local Korean works.

"South Korean uncles and aunties all know my parents, but today's youth generally don't, since they have been inactive for a long time."

Sung-chan's upcoming gigs include an appearance on The Sheng Siong Show on Jan 27, where he will sing Wang Leehom's songs in Korean and Mandarin. He will also participate in a Chinese New Year special on Feb 9.

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drimac@asiaone.com