Song Seung-hyun (33), formerly of FT Island, is retiring from the entertainment industry and starting anew as the owner of a Korean restaurant and gukbap shop in New York, U.S.
On the 9th, Song Seung-hyun wrote on his Instagram, "After finishing 15 years of activity in the Korean entertainment industry, it has already been a year since I came to New York," and said, "I worked from the ground up at the soft-tofu shop my father newly opened."
He said, "At first I thought I was humble, but in fact I reflected on how arrogant I had been," and added, "Immigrant life was not easy either, but I endured day by day with a positive mind."
Currently, Song Seung-hyun is preparing to acquire a Korean restaurant called "Jinsang Gukbap" using the money he saved in Korea. Unlike the short, big successes he enjoyed on stage during his celebrity days, he said he is doing daily physical labor and steadily building his place.
Song Seung-hyun expressed satisfaction, saying, "My body and mind, spirit and stamina have been strengthened, and I truly like what I am doing now."
He added, "My father is my mentor," and said, "At first I even confessed that I wanted to give up, but those moments rather became a source of strength."
He vowed, "Even if the shop does not do well immediately, I am confident I can endure, and going forward I will become a more humble gukbap shop owner."
Song Seung-hyun joined FT Island as a guitarist in 2009, left the band in 2019 and switched to acting. He officially announced his retirement from the entertainment industry in February last year and after marrying in June of the same year he moved to the United States.