Byun Yo-han on Marriage to Tiffany Young: "She Believes in Me"

Actor Byun Yo-han says the foundation of his new life with wife Tiffany Young comes down to one thing: trust. In his first interview since the couple registered their marriage in February, he spoke openly about how she supports his career and how their relationship has changed him as an actor.

Byun sat down with reporters on Monday at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Seoul, ahead of the release of his new film "Tazza: The Song of Beelzebub," directed by Choi Kook-hee. He arrived wearing sunglasses and apologized as he took his seat. "My cornea isn't in great shape right now, so everything looks a little blurry," he said. "I woke up this morning and it was like this. I think I scratched it." Asked whether Tiffany knew, he looked slightly embarrassed. "I don't tell her about things like this because I don't want her to worry."

Byun married Tiffany Young, a member of the veteran K-POP girl group Girls' Generation and an actor in her own right, earlier this year. When someone told him he looked more at ease these days, he laughed it off. "Actually, I'm pretty uncomfortable right now. This is my first time meeting reporters since getting married, so I'm really nervous." He added, "I think it's important to feel a little tension whenever you meet someone new."

On married life, he answered carefully. "I'm not used to talking about this, so I'm not sure how to put it, but I'm very happy right now." He then spoke about how he sees the road ahead. "I have some resolve about this too. I'm building a second chapter. I don't know exactly where it's headed, but I really want to keep work and home separate and do both well."

Tiffany has been actively promoting her husband's new film across variety shows and other appearances. Byun said he was grateful, but pushed back gently on the idea that her support alone should shape how people view the movie. "I'm really thankful," he said with a smile. "But our film team worked so much harder, so I think it has to be judged on its own merits."

The film includes intimate scenes, and Byun was asked whether he would recommend it to his wife. "She hasn't seen it yet, but of course I can recommend it," he said. "She's been in this industry a long time, so the first thing she does is consider how hard I worked to prepare. She watched the whole process from up close, and she's really good at staying objective, so watching the film isn't a problem for her at all."

Asked about Tiffany's greatest strength as a partner, Byun did not hesitate. "She believes in me. I can't fully put into words how deeply she trusts me, but I feel it. And I trust her just as much. I think believing in each other might be the coolest thing there is."

He also brushed off the label of being "Girls' Generation's only brother-in-law," which has followed him online since the marriage. "I don't want to think of it that way. I'm just Tiffany's husband. I have zero interest in holding onto a title that sounds like some kind of power," he said, laughing. "As the actor Byun Yo-han, I want to keep fighting my own battles on set. As a husband, I want to live this new chapter well."

He said marriage has already changed him in ways he can feel. "It's a hard world, and it feels good to move through it with someone who believes in me. Coming home after work is really comforting." He added that his approach to his craft has shifted too. "I used to get buried deep inside a project. Now I can sometimes step out of it and look at myself from the outside, like a third person."

That new distance, he said, has made him more sure of himself. "I trust myself more now." He continued, "The hardest thing in life is protecting the person you love. I got through something as difficult as marriage, so when I act, my belief in myself and my confidence have both grown. I feel more responsibility. My capacity to love has gotten deeper. I think it will keep growing."

"Tazza: The Song of Beelzebub" opens in theaters on Sept. 23.