“He was always in poverty, all year round…” 7 fun facts about “Twenty-five, Twenty-one” Nam Joo-hyuk
People are paying keen attention to actor Nam Joo-hyuk, who is starring as the male lead in tvN’s “Twenty-five, Twenty-one.”
Nam Joo-hyuk plays the role of reporter Baek Yi-jin and is showing a passionate performance with Kim Tae-ri, who played Na Hee-do of the national fencing team. Baek Yi-jin used to live a decent life but suddenly got separated from his family and suffered from debt as his father’s company went bankrupt due to the IMF.
However, Nam Joo-hyuk is said to have grown up in a difficult family situation just like Baek Yi-jin. In addition to that, let’s take a look at other facts about Nam Joo-hyuk one by one.
Brought up his poor family by himself
Nam Joo-hyuk, during one of his appearances on MBC’s “Radio Star” in 2018, honestly confessed about his difficult family circumstances in the past. Nam Joo-hyuk said, “Our family used to be in a very difficult situation. When I was in the third grade of elementary school, we only ate instant noodles all year round,” he said, raising regret.
He also revealed that there was no toilet at his home. Nam Joo-hyuk, who said his family situation was not good until he reached the age of 21, explained, “The situation has improved little by little since KBS2’s ‘Who Are You – School 2015’.”
When he was young, he was a short little boy
Nam Joo-hyuk has a superior physique of 187cm, but he was said to have been a very small kid when he was young.
He said, “I grew taller in two years. I was 158 centimeters tall in my first year of middle school, but I was 184 centimeters tall in my third year.” Nam Joo-hyuk, who suddenly went through a growth spurt, said, “My mother is quite tall. She is 169cm.”
“My original dream was to be a basketball player, not an actor”
Nam Joo-hyuk also once talked about his school days when he dreamed of becoming a professional basketball player. He said, “I joined the basketball club in middle school. My position was defense. I did points and shoots as well and swept through all the public competitions. I did well.”
However, an injury caused him to stop dreaming of becoming a basketball player. Nam Joo-hyuk said, “I had two leg surgeries in my third year of middle school. So I had to quit basketball in high school.”
“Everyone laughed when I said I was going to be a celebrity”
Nam Joo-hyuk debuted in the entertainment industry in 2013 as a model. Nam Joo-hyuk, who appeared on tvN’s ‘Somehow the President’ last year, drew laughter by saying, “During my high school days, I thought studying wasn’t for me”.
“I said ‘I’m going to be a model’ during my first year of high school, and all the kids laughed at me. I then said ‘Wait and see.’ Three years later, I said I would definitely do it, and I became a real model.”
Not a drama or a movie, he made his acting debut in AKMU’s MV
Nam Joo-hyuk landed his first acting role in the music video for AKMU’s song 200% released in 2014. He played the male lead alongside Lee Su-hyun, creating a sweet atmosphere.
Nam Joo-hyuk caught the attention of many viewers at the time with his handsome appearance and warm aura. His appearance in the MV marked the beginning of Nam Joo-hyuk’s rise to fame.
As soon as he made money, he donated scholarships to students who faced financial difficulties like he used to
In 2017, Nam Joo-hyuk donated 30 million won in scholarship to his old school, Suil High School. He also visited the school in person, delivered the scholarship, and spent meaningful time with his juniors.
As reported by OSEN, an official from YG Entertainment, Nam Joo-hyuk’s agency at the time, revealed, “Nam Joo-hyuk himself went through difficult circumstances back in his school days due to financial problems. After hearing stories of students having to give up on going to college because they could not afford tuition fees or living a hard life because they needed money, he got hurt and wanted to help them more than anyone else.”
He looks like a social butterfly, but he’s actually a homebody
As a former basketball player, he looks like someone who enjoys outdoor activities, but Nam Joo-hyuk is actually a homebody.
In a past interview commemorating the finale of JTBC’s “The Light in Your Eyes”, Nam Joo-hyuk said, “The most comfortable time for me is when I get to stay at home, looking at the ceiling.” Nam Joo-hyuk, a famous “game addict” among male celebrities, likes playing games alone at home.
