“I’m Working Four Part-Time Jobs and Doing Well” Former Idol Draws Attention After Group’s Disbandment
Former ARrC member Park Hyun Been opens up about working four part-time jobs after the group’s disbandment and his determination to return to the stage.
On July 1, Park Hyun Been launched his YouTube channel Gwangjin City Boy and attracted attention by uploading a video documenting his 155-kilometer journey on foot from Seoul to Jecheon.
Park Hyun Been first became known to the public through his appearance on Boys Planet in 2023 before making his debut as a member of ARrC in August 2024. The group disbanded this past June, two years after its debut. Following the disbandment, Park embarked on the 155-kilometer walking journey as a way to mark a new beginning in his life.
In a recent interview with Yonhap News TV, Park Hyun Been shared what he has been doing since leaving idol life. “I spent about a year and 10 months promoting as an idol, and now I’m working around four part-time jobs while trying to live diligently and make an honest living,” he said.
Asked why he chose a filming location from the movie Peppermint Candy as the destination of his journey to Jecheon, Park explained, “At first, there wasn’t anywhere in particular that I desperately wanted to go. But around that time, a thought suddenly came to me: If I could start everything all over again from the beginning, would I choose to go back? The moment the words ‘I want to go back’ came into my head, I thought of that movie.”
Reflecting on the journey, Park said, “It took about five nights and six days, and my backpack was pretty heavy. My shoulders and back hurt. On the first and second days, I really wanted to give up, but by the third day, I thought, ‘How can I turn back now?’ So I gritted my teeth and decided to see it through to the end.”
When asked how he felt upon finally reaching his destination, Park replied, “People might find this strange or wonder why, but when I arrived at the railway bridge, I actually didn’t feel as much as I expected. I didn’t start the journey with some grand goal of fighting against myself and winning. I started because I wanted to let go of something inside me. As I kept letting things go, little by little, by the time I arrived, I felt completely empty.” He continued, “It almost felt like I had been reborn. I was able to empty myself of what I had been carrying and fill that space with new things.”
Park Hyun Been’s walking journey video has surpassed 700,000 views and received thousands of supportive comments. Expressing his gratitude, he said, “People tell me they found comfort through my video, but when I read their words, I found myself thinking, ‘That’s right. I’m someone who can do anything.’ I’ve seen so many kind and encouraging comments, and that makes me happy.”
Park also revealed that he is currently juggling several different jobs. “I have two regular part-time jobs, and I also take daily shifts at a Coupang logistics center and work at construction sites,” he said. “It’s hard. But surprisingly, I’m doing incredibly well—to the point where I wonder if I’ve ever felt this peaceful and happy in my entire life. I feel comfortable and happy because I’ve become the one in control of my own life. Right now, I feel like a bird soaring higher and more freely than anyone else in the world.”
Despite his new life, Park has not given up on music. “Even when I’m carrying packages at the logistics center or simply sitting down to eat, I keep thinking, ‘The place where I belong is on stage,’” he said. “I don’t know how long it will take, but I will definitely return to the stage someday. You can consider that a promise.”
Sources: Nate