Jon Park reveals Northwestern dropout, 16 years into his career: "Superstar K2 brought me to Korea"

Northwestern to Hongdae: 16 years of Jon Park

Sixteen years after his debut, Jon Park still finds ways to surprise people. He appeared on the September 8 episode of SBS variety program Tteumannhamyeon (Season 5) alongside model-turned-broadcaster Joo Woojae. MCs Yoo Jae-suk and Yoo Yeon-seok guided them through Hongdae, and the conversation got unexpectedly real.

Education came up. Jon Park confirmed he'd dropped out of Northwestern University—a prestigious American private university—after taking a leave of absence. "I was attending school and went on an audition program," he said. "While doing Superstar K2, I naturally moved to Korea, and as a result, I quit school too."

He placed second on Mnet's Superstar K2 in 2010. That's when he relocated to Korea and ended his time at Northwestern.

Married four years, dad to a 35-month-old

Yoo Yeon-seok looked genuinely surprised when he asked, "Do you have a baby?" Jon Park confirmed he married a non-celebrity wife in June 2022 and has a daughter who is currently 35 months old (3 years old). Four years of marriage and a toddler. The cast's reaction said it all.

Joo Woojae held his own that episode too, claiming he can identify a naengmyeon restaurant from just a top-down photo of the bowl. Jon Park, who once had a well-known obsession with naengmyeon, drew laughs by clarifying where things stand now: "It's cooled off. I really liked it before." Walking into a naengmyeon restaurant these days means other customers start whispering and staff suddenly vanish into the kitchen—a "he's here, he's here" energy he's learned to live with.