Cha Jeong-won reveals Jung Yong-hwa went silent before Seoul agency casting him in Busan

Actress Cha Jeong-won appeared on SBS variety program Ani Geunde Jinjja on the 13th with guests Ju Hyun-young and Ivy. She had a story about Jung Yong-hwa worth telling.

They'd known each other since first year of high school in Busan. Back then, Cha was the one chasing the dream. "I really wanted to do this work," she said, recalling how she suggested they visit an acting academy together in Seomyeon. Yong-hwa's response: "What, become a celebrity? Let's just study hard and become English teachers."

He changed his mind fast. Seoul agencies regularly sent scouts down to Busan for street casting. Cha said she would go out and wait every single day whenever she heard someone was coming. Then one day, Yong-hwa went dark. A friend later told her, "Someone from Seoul came down and took Yong-hwa with them."

When she finally got him on the phone, he said he was sorry. A casting offer had found him in front of the school and once he heard the pitch, he couldn't say no. Cha's reaction was dry: "Rather than feeling betrayed about him debuting, I was sadder that they didn't come to our school."

(Her phone had been confiscated at the time, so she found out about his debut the way everyone else did.) She watched TV one day and there he was, necktie on, singing. "I was happy to see him and he looked so cool. My heart felt warm."

Cha also opened up about her own path. Her curfew was 6 PM sharp, with her father calling the moment she ran late. She secretly applied for early admission to a Department of Theater and Film and passed the first round. Her father was furious. When he threatened to cut all her hair so she couldn't pursue anything, she told him to go ahead. He did. Her bangs became a sports cut. The rest stayed.