Hello, my name is Taeyang Yoo, and I graduated from Seoil University’s Department of Theater and Film on February 10, 2026. I developed a love of acting by watching theater performances, dramas, and films from a young age. Originally, becoming an actor was not my dream; I had a different dream. However, while attending high school, I watched friends perform onstage as members of a theater club. They looked happy and seemed to be having fun, and I found it wonderful. From then on, I began dreaming of acting and decided to become an actor. I originally wanted to attend an acting academy to prepare for university entrance exams while in high school, but my family was going through financial difficulties. After graduating from high school, I worked on my own for a year to earn money for academy tuition. After that year, I began attending an acting academy in January 2021. My teacher kindly taught me many things about acting, and I was very happy and enjoyed acting and learning together with my friends. While attending the academy, I also watched a large-theater musical. The moment I saw a musical for the first time, I found it so entertaining, impressive, and captivating. That was when I also came to love musicals, and I grew even more fond of acting. Eventually, the early admissions exams for university arrived. I prepared diligently and took the exams, but unfortunately, I was rejected by all four-year universities, which was very disappointing. However, I was accepted into Yong-in Arts & Science University’s Department of Acting Arts, a two-year college, and began attending in March 2022. While attending, I was not satisfied with the school. The distance was an issue, some students did not participate properly in classes, and the teaching methods were not very good either. Since transferring was an option and I wanted to attend Seoil University, I continued attending Yong-in Arts & Science University for a year, never being late or absent, and actively participating in classes so that I could accumulate the credits required for transfer admission. After completing my first year, I withdrew from the university once I had earned enough credits. I then spent another year studying and working to prepare for university early admissions and transfer applications, as well as to earn money for tuition. When the early admissions and transfer application periods came around again, I took the exams without attending an academy, studying acting on my own. Unfortunately, I was rejected by all the two-year colleges in the early admissions round, leaving me feeling lost and uncertain about my future. However, I did not give up. Since transfer admission was still an option, I devoted myself to it with all my strength. Around that time, the results from the universities I had applied to—Seoil University, Induk University, and Dong Seoul University—were released, and I was accepted by all of them. I was so happy and excited that I could hardly contain my joy. I chose Seoil University’s Department of Theater and Film and began attending as a transfer student in my second year in March 2024. I felt incredibly proud and elated to be able to act while attending Seoil University. The moment I performed in my first theater production onstage did not feel real. At first, I was extremely nervous and worried about whether I could do well. It was almost unbelievable that I was really acting in front of people. However, every moment I acted onstage was enjoyable and made me happy because I could share my performance with the audience in that space. I was deeply grateful to see the audience enjoy themselves, laugh, become moved, and shed tears, and to hear them cheer for our team and give us enthusiastic applause all the way through the final curtain call. I also felt absolutely wonderful when my friends and family praised and celebrated me afterward. That experience made me love performing theater onstage even more. I want to continue acting in many more productions. I hope to pursue theater, television dramas, and films broadly. While attending university, I watched many plays and musicals in Daehangno, and I greatly admired how wonderful and impressive the actors were onstage. I also learned many things I did not know before. Watching plays in Daehangno made me want to perform in many kinds of productions there and in external performances someday. I also want to appear in many dramas and films, become an active actor, and receive favorable reviews.