In the May 7th broadcast of Problematic child at homeYoon Sang appeared alongside fellow singers Lee Hyun-woo and Kim Hyun-chul as part of a special episode with the “original gabled boyfriends”.
During the show, Yoon Sang spoke candidly about Anton’s journey to debuting as a member of RIIZE. He admitted, “I resisted it at first because there was no guarantee it would debut.” He continued, “When he suddenly said he wanted to return to Korea, I was shocked. I thought, ‘I didn’t spend years living away from my family because of this.'”
However, Yoon Sang said he eventually wondered if he was blocking his son’s dream and decided to let him return to Korea. At the time, Anton had been a competitive swimmer in the United States for over a decade, but his training was interrupted when pools closed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Explaining what changed his mind, Yoon Sang shared, “He kept sending me songs composed by himself. I realized that he was really serious about music and I felt that I couldn’t stop him anymore.”
Anton eventually made a successful debut with RIIZE, and according to Yoon Sang, seeing his older brother’s success inspired his younger son to pursue the same dream. “My second son is five years younger than Anton. Once his older brother became an idol, how could he concentrate on studying?” he joked, revealing that his younger son is also now preparing for an idol career.
Yoon Sang then revealed a funny twist, saying: “Now Anton is the one who objects. He tells his younger brother to focus on his studies instead.” eliciting laughter from the cast.
However, Yoon Sang expressed support for his son’s ambitions, saying: “Opportunities should be given equally. If he later realizes that it is too difficult or not the right path for him, he can always go back to studying.”
Meanwhile, Yoon Sang married actress Shim Hye-jin in 2002 and the couple has two children. Their eldest son, Lee Chan Young, was previously active as a swimmer in the United States before debuting in 2023 as Anton of RIIZE under SM Entertainment.
Sources: Daum
