'EXchange 2' Park Won-bin Chooses Life as a PE Teacher over Influencer Fame: "I Gained Happiness Money Can't Buy"

Park Won-bin, who rose to fame as a cast member on TVING's hit dating show EXchange Season 2, recently shared updates about his life as a physical education teacher and his future marriage plans.

Park Won-bin recently appeared on the YouTube channel "Gyu-min JAYQ," hosted by fellow EXchange 2 cast member Jung Gyu-min. He candidly opened up about his life after the show and his journey to becoming a teacher. "Even when I was filming EXchange 2, I was preparing for the teacher certification exam," he shared. "I studied with the mindset that I absolutely had to pass that year, but I failed once. After preparing for another year, I finally passed. You could say I passed on my 1.5th try, so I was very lucky."

He also explained why he chose the path of a teacher instead of pursuing a career as an influencer after his television appearance.

Park Won-bin said, "An influencer has to constantly self-promote and stay active on Instagram, but that just didn't suit my personality. I don't really care about fashion, and I barely used social media." He added, "Many people around me asked if it wasn't a waste to give up influencer opportunities, but when I thought about it, I realized that avoiding those distractions actually helped me pass the exam."

He added, "Once you experience the life of an influencer, it's not easy to go back to your original job. People don't really know how much influencers earn. But looking at the long term, I didn't think that path was the right answer. Youth is limited, and we have to live looking toward the future." He expressed his strong convictions, saying, "I didn't become an influencer through my own talent. Over time, the public's interest naturally fades. I feel much healthier now," showing his satisfaction with his current life.

When asked if he regrets appearing on EXchange 2, he emphasized, "Not at all. Meeting diverse people widened my perspective on understanding others' struggles. It was an experience money can't buy."

Lastly, Park Won-bin mentioned his marriage plans with his current girlfriend. "I'm happily dating my girlfriend," he said. "We are also thinking about marriage. I'm still in the process of adapting to my work life, but we are slowly starting to talk about it."

Meanwhile, Park Won-bin received much love when he appeared on TVING's original dating reality show EXchange 2 in 2022. He subsequently pursued his dream of becoming a teacher, passing the 2026 Gyeonggi-do Office of Education secondary school teacher appointment exam for physical education. He is currently reported to be working as a PE teacher at a middle school in Gyeonggi Province.

(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Kyung-youn)