Actor Won Bin, who has been absent from the entertainment scene for 14 years, is reportedly considering a comeback.
Won Bin's last project was the 2010 film "The Man From Nowhere," which achieved both critical acclaim and commercial success. Since then, he has focused on his personal life, marrying actress Lee Na Young in a private ceremony in 2015 and welcoming a son later that year.
While Won Bin has embraced family life, his wife Lee Na Young has continued to actively pursue her acting career, appearing in various films and dramas. This has led to frequent questions about Won Bin's return being directed at Lee Na Young during media events. In a 2018 interview, she even expressed her own curiosity about his extended hiatus, stating, "I don't know why he's not doing it (acting). I think he wants to tell stories through his work. He wants to convey messages of humanism to the audience, so he's looking for scenarios in that genre, but there don't seem to be many."
Amidst yearly rumors about his potential return, Won Bin faced retirement speculation in 2019. This arose from a press release for a photoshoot that requested media outlets to refrain from referring to him as an "actor." While the agency clarified that this was at the request of the advertiser who preferred "model" for branding purposes, and that Won Bin was still reviewing scripts, the incident fueled concerns about his acting future.
Now, in November 2024, there's renewed hope for Won Bin's return. During a recent episode of the KBS variety show 'Boss in the Mirror', designer Ji Chun Hee, a close friend of Won Bin and Lee Na Young, shared an update. "It's not that he doesn't want to act, but I think he feels a certain pressure," Chun Hee revealed. "He's constantly reviewing scripts." This statement, along with Chun Hee's reassurance that Won Bin has "matured into an even more charismatic man," has reignited anticipation for his long-awaited comeback.
Whether Won Bin will grace the screen again remains to be seen. However, with these recent updates, fans can hold onto hope that the "Dragon," as he's been nicknamed for his elusive presence, might soon emerge from his hiatus.
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