Actress Kim Hyun-joo has explained why she took a three-year break from acting. In a video released on October 11 on the YouTube channel Fairy Jae-hyung, she appeared alongside actors Lee Moo-saeng and Jin Seon-kyu.

Why did Kim Hyun-joo step away from acting?

Kim Hyun-joo said she had been running non-stop for about five years, with tight shooting schedules and drama and variety MC work. She described being so exhausted that makeup artists would wipe her makeup off with sponges while she slept in her chair. She said she felt she would not be able to keep going, so she told her agency she needed to stop. According to her account, she said she would not take on any more dramas after finishing Toji.

What was the Toji experience like for her?

Kim Hyun-joo said Toji brought her many awards, but it was a demanding project for her. She admitted she still feels a chill when she thinks about it and worried she had somehow damaged a great production. Soon after, she traveled to the UK at around age 27 and stayed for several months, where she lived alone for the first time.

What did she do during the break?

She said she enrolled in a language school but quit after meeting Korean people, feeling embarrassed. She also considered starting a small fruit-selling business with a truck, but eventually found herself missing life on set and returned to acting. When Jung Jae-hyung asked about money during the break, she said she had savings from earlier work, so it was not a hardship.

For international fans

Kim Hyun-joo said she now puts her own well-being first and avoids overexposure. She limits variety appearances and interviews so that her work speaks for itself, and she has committed to taking on only one project a year. Fans interested in her earlier work can look for Toji and her other dramas on international streaming platforms, depending on regional availability.