Yoo Ah In: "The reason I dropped out of high school was due to stress"

At a press conference held on September 6, actor Yoo Ah In revealed that through his upcoming movie “Wan Deuk Yi” he was able to experience the high school life he had missed out on.

In the movie, Yoo Ah In plays Do Wan Deuk, a high school student who grows up in a tough environment and becomes a problematic child. When comparing the lives of the character he plays and his actual life, Yoo Ah In said, “Although Wan Deuk had a great teacher like Dong Joo, in my real life I was suspicious of teachers and even came to drop out of school.”

“There are no outlets through which students can relieve their stress. I also did not know how to relieve that stress and that’s why I made the radical decision to quit school.”

That doesn’t mean that Yoo Ah In was completely satisfied with his decision, though. He said, “That’s why I have a lot of regrets regarding the high school memories I’ve missed out on. But through acting, I think it’s great that I’m able to experience life as a high school student again.”

He advised students by saying, “Rather than strictly conforming to their daily lives, I think it’s better for students to deviate in small ways that aren’t harmful in order to relieve their stress.”

Yoo Ah In, who transformed from a pretty boy scholar in “Sungkyunkwan Scandal” to the rough Wan Deuk Yi in the upcoming movie, revealed his affection for his latest character. He said, “Honestly I feel repulsed by trying to act cool. In this movie I’ve returned to the state of a natural person who isn’t dripping with artificiality, unlike in ‘Sungkyunkwan Scandal.’ It was very comfortable and I enjoyed it.”

“Wan Deuk Yi” is the story of the 18 year old rebel Wan Deuk, who finds it more comfortable to hide from the world, and Dong Joo, the teacher who persistently tries to pull him out, and the film depicts how they both become mentor and mentee to each other. Based on the manhwa of the same name by writer Kim Ryuh Ryung, the film stars Yoo Ah In and Kim Yoon Suk as the leads and is set to be released this coming October.