[Edaily Reporter Choi Hee-jae ] I was curious. Was he a rookie actor, or a real musician?

Watching Park Dae-ho in the film *A Flowing Journey*, these thoughts crossed my mind. His delicate fingertips and the look in his eyes as he immersed himself in the music seemed less like acting and more like that of a real pianist.

“Rookie actor” Park Dae-ho first made a name for himself as a pianist. Currently set to graduate from the Korea National University of Arts, Park Dae-ho is the Grand Prize winner of the 41st Busan Music Competition and a member of the CMK Ensemble, composed of classical music scholarship recipients from the Hyundai Motor Group Chung Mong-koo Foundation.

In a recent interview with Edaily, Park Dae-ho mentioned that he had just finished practicing the piano that day. “More than the significance of appearing in a movie as an actor, I’m just so happy that this film is being released to the world,” he said. His calm and composed demeanor was the spitting image of his character, Seong-chan, in the film.

“Flowing Journey” tells the story of Chun-hee (played by Kim Hye-ok), who, after losing her husband, was preparing for a journey of her own when she encounters unexpected connections in her new apartment, causing a new melody to begin flowing through her once-quiet daily life. Park Dae-ho plays the role of Jo Seong-chan, who, with Chun-hee’s help, continues to pursue his dream of becoming a pianist.

According to Director Kim Jin-yu, the character name “Jo Seong-chan” is a combination of the names of pianists Jo Seong-jin and Im Yun-chan. Park Dae-ho drew attention by noting that he admires both pianists, adding, “Yun-chan is a classmate I attended the Gifted Education Institute with.”

Park Dae-ho said he felt a different kind of nervousness because, whereas he had previously stood on stage as a pianist, he was now appearing in a movie theater as an actor. “With live performances, there’s no concept of ‘do-overs,’ so there’s pressure to deliver a perfect performance in one take,” he explained. “Since this is my debut as an actor, I was very nervous right up until the premiere.”

In an interview with Edaily, Director Kim Jin-yu said he posted a casting call in the group chat for the piano department at the Korea National University of Arts to find an actual pianist, and as soon as he saw Park Dae-ho, he thought, “That’s Seong-chan.”

Why did “piano prodigy” Park Dae-ho apply after seeing the casting call? He explained, “I’ve always liked dramas, and I’d been thinking about trying my hand at acting.” Although he previously served as a hand double for piano-playing scenes in the drama *Do You Like Brahms?*, this marks his first time taking on a full-fledged acting role.

Kim Hye-ok, in particular, held a special place in his heart. This is because she starred in both *Here Comes Jang Bo-ri* and *My Daughter Seo-young*—Park Dae-ho’s favorite dramas—and he was born in 2004.

Park Dae-ho expressed his admiration, saying, “When I first met Ms. Hye-ok, it felt like a fan meeting. When I told her I was a fan, she was so happy. On the very first day, I asked if I could take a picture with her, and she agreed—I even bragged about it to my mom.”

Kim Hye-ok, too, had nothing but praise for Park Dae-ho in a previous interview. “I was amazed because if I taught him one thing, he’d do 100. It even made me reflect on myself,” she said.

Park Dae-ho smiled shyly, saying, “I heard that when we first met, the teacher thought, ‘He’s exactly Seong-chan.’” He also expressed his gratitude, adding, “She taught me things like intonation, pronunciation, and rhythm when delivering lines. She told me that when thinking about a certain emotion, I should visualize the scene while considering that emotion.” The bond between the two continued even after filming wrapped. Kim Hye-ok even attended one of Park Dae-ho’s piano recitals to show her support.

Regarding his chemistry with Justin Min, Park Dae-ho said, “The ad-libs he did on set were so similar to what I actually heard during my lessons.” He continued, “He also struck up a lot of conversations with me to make things feel natural, which was a huge help.”

He also explained how Seong-chan’s relationship with Min-jun in the drama mirrored his own real-life experiences. “What Seong-chan received from Min-jun was unconditional guidance and care, wasn’t it?” he said. “My own professor also teaches me day and night. I think that’s the kind of care Min-jun had for Seong-chan as well.”

Park Dae-ho participated not only in the piano performances in the drama but also in the recording of the “Flowing Journey” soundtrack, released after the film’s premiere. He said, “On the day of the premiere, some audience members asked me how long I’d been studying piano. When I told them I’m a pianist by profession, they said, ‘No wonder your playing was so good.’ I was happy to hear that my acting didn’t seem too awkward,” he said. He then quickly added, “Just kidding,” drawing laughter from the audience.

For him, the core of *A Flowing Journey* is love. He viewed even the heavy theme of assisted dying as stemming from the desire to reunite with a loved one and the wish to protect those currently by one’s side. Park Dae-ho shared, “Even if we aren’t related by blood, I think it’s the willingness to consider and empathize with each other’s pain that makes people a family.”

Park Dae-ho also cited the moment when the characters embrace each other at the beach as the most memorable scene. “No one said it out loud, but we all knew that was the final goodbye,” he explained. “That scene stuck with me the most; it felt as real as if it were my own life experience.” He added, “My maternal grandmother passed away suddenly without even giving me time to say goodbye—those were the words I wanted to say to her,” evoking a deep sense of emotion.

Park Dae-ho expressed his desire to take on the challenge and learn properly if he receives an acting offer. “I think it’s so much fun to become someone other than myself,” he said. “I have so many happy memories from filming, and I felt that the process of making a movie is truly artistic.”

He continued, “Since it’s a field that requires expertise, I can’t just jump into it headfirst,” adding, “I think I need to learn acting with a sense of responsibility,” which has raised expectations for his future endeavors.

Park Dae-ho, who has carved out his own niche as a pianist, took his first step onto a new stage through *A Flowing Journey*. Just as we are captivated by the performances of a piano prodigy, we are equally curious about actor Park Dae-ho’s next move.

“Flowing Journey” is currently playing in theaters nationwide.