Cha In-pyo on his first-ever stage role: 'an energetic, angry Keating'
After 33 years on screen and a parallel career as a novelist, Cha In-pyo is stepping onto the theater stage for the first time—playing Professor Keating in *Dead Poets Society* alongside Oh Man-seok a
Cha In-pyo is 33 years into his acting career. He's also a novelist. Now comes theater.
He's playing Professor Keating in Dead Poets Society, the character who pushes students toward autonomous living. The role is triple-cast with Oh Man-seok and Yeon Jeong-hoon, each bringing something different to it.
"Oh Man-seok does it in a seasoned, somewhat humorous and soft way, Yeon Jeong-hoon does it very kindly," Cha said, "and I seem to do an energetic, angry Keating."
From a guy who spent decades as a TV heartthrob, an angry Keating is a choice. It sounds like a compelling one.
The interview aired August 1, 2026.
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