Handsome “Reply 1997” Actor Disappears From K-Dramas—Now Valet Parking At KBBQ Restaurant

After quietly disappearing from K-Dramas, Song Jong Ho has revealed what he has actually been doing away from the spotlight. The 51-year-old actor recently opened up about his extended acting hiatus and gave viewers a look at the far more ordinary life he now leads off-screen.

Song Jong Ho appeared with his mother on the July 12 episode of SBS’s My Little Old Boy, where the conversation first turned to his single status. When asked what frustrated her most about her son, his mother did not hesitate. She said that Song Jong Ho was already 51 years old but still had not married, despite how much he adored his brother’s children. In her view, it was time for him to have children of his own.

The actor’s love life, however, was not the only part of his current situation that caught viewers’ attention.

Song Jong Ho has not appeared regularly in a drama since 2023, leaving many fans curious about how he has been spending his time during the gap in his acting career. The broadcast showed him living a surprisingly simple life at home, with little furniture or decoration filling the space. He then headed to a barbecue restaurant he operates himself. Rather than remaining behind the scenes as the owner, Song Jong Ho was shown personally greeting customers and even valet-parking their cars.

The unexpected sight of a familiar K-Drama actor taking customers’ keys and parking vehicles immediately stood out. His restaurant also had another unusual feature: many of the employees working alongside him were also actors. Between serving customers, the group spoke candidly about auditions, casting opportunities, and the uncertainty that often accompanies maintaining an acting career.

Song Jong Ho has appeared in numerous dramas throughout his career, but for now, he appears to be balancing hopes of an eventual acting return with the daily work of running his restaurant, even when that means parking the customers’ cars himself!