Cha In-pyo makes stage debut at 59, says he wishes he'd started theater sooner

"If you want to be a true actor, you should have done theater much sooner. How much better would it have been if I had started earlier? I find myself regretting that a lot these days."

Actor Cha In-pyo, 59, made his stage debut 33 years into his career through the play "Dead Poets Society," which opened July 18 at NOL Theater's Woori Card Hall in Daehangno, Seoul. At a press conference held Tuesday at the NOL Theater rehearsal room in Daehangno, he spoke candidly about what led him to take on theater just over a year before turning 60, the preparation process, the lessons he drew from the experience and his plans going forward. For Cha, who has long been one of South Korea's most beloved entertainers, the theater stage had always been an unexplored territory lingering in the back of his mind.

"I received many theater scripts over the years, but the long rehearsal periods and relatively modest pay kept pushing it down my list of priorities," he said. "At some point, I looked at myself and realized I had grown too comfortable with life as a mainstream entertainer. I came to understand that not staying confined to one mold — that challenging yourself in new areas — is the essence of life."

After being offered the role in April, Cha went through two grueling months of rehearsals before stepping onto the stage. Six days a week, rehearsals ran from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m., making it a physically demanding challenge.

He said he was moved watching younger cast members commute long distances by public transit and arrive early for rehearsals, which gave him a sense of responsibility to give his all as a member of the team.

"Theater is not something one person can carry alone — everyone has to become a team," he said. "Through the rehearsal process, we pushed and inspired each other, and I was able to grow."

He sought advice not only from the director and senior actors but also from younger cast members, picking up new skills in vocal projection, breathing and stage movement.

"Unlike dramas or films, theater is a genre where you repeat your lines hundreds of times to build a team performance — I experienced that firsthand," Cha said. "When I made mistakes or missed a line, my fellow actors would cover for me naturally. Through that, I came to appreciate the value of ensemble on stage and the exchange of energy with the audience."

The experience also brought unexpected challenges. Cha found that actors are responsible for far more than just performing — from publicity to drawing audiences — and that facing the audience's real-time reactions from the stage carried its own pressure.

"I thought theater was just about working hard on your acting, but having to handle everything yourself was tough," he said. "It was also hard to adjust to the fact that in theater, you perform while seeing the box-office results right in front of you."

Despite those difficulties, Cha said he intends to return to the stage if the right project comes along.

"Not starting theater earlier is my biggest regret," he said. "I hope fellow actors will also experience personal growth through theater."

Cha, who is also a novelist, revealed for the first time that his 2022 novel "Mermaid Hunt" is currently being adapted into a play.

Cha made his debut as a novelist in 2009 with "Jalgayo Eondeok" and has since published five novels in total, including "Aug. 11 (Tuesday) Forecast," "Mermaid Hunt," "Their Day" and "Our Neighborhood Library." The revised edition of his debut novel, retitled "If Someday We Look at the Same Star," was selected as required reading for Korean studies at the University of Oxford. Last year, he received the emerging writer prize at the 14th Hwang Sun-won Literary Awards for "Mermaid Hunt."

"Professional theater and musical writers asked to use the original work for a play adaptation, and I agreed," he said. "I look forward to seeing my novel take on new life on the stage."

Cha also made no secret of his affection for "Dead Poets Society," the work that drew him to the stage. Set at a prestigious American boarding school in the 1950s, the play follows English teacher John Keating as he helps students — pressured by strict rules to focus only on college entrance and success — discover a genuine attitude toward life.

Cha plays the lead role of Keating, delivering the message of "carpe diem" — seize the day — to his students.

"Education is not about teaching the right answers, but about posing good questions and letting people find their own," he said. "It is a story about values — asking individuals living within a system, 'What will you choose?'"

He also said the production is not simply a nostalgic exercise or a vehicle for moral lessons.

"Every person is born into a certain framework, but knowing that there are many choices available — that is the essence of life," Cha said. "I hope audiences find direction and courage through this work."

"Dead Poets Society" runs through Sept. 13.