Chae In-pyo, a 34-year veteran entertainer, takes to the theatrical stage for the first time in his life. The production is the play <Dead Poets Society>. He plays the role of John Keating, the character portrayed by Robin Williams in the original film.

Chae has long focused on television and film. Although he received several theatrical offers, he repeatedly put them off due to the burden of the rehearsal period and compensation issues. However, as he pioneered new territory as a novelist, he realized that life does not have to stay on one path. He explained that he ultimately took on the challenge of theater after confirming that the joy of taking on new challenges grows with age.

The play <Dead Poets Society> is based on the film of the same name written by Tom Schulman, which won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay and the BAFTA Award for Best Film upon its release in 1989. As the first officially licensed production in Korea, it received worldwide acclaim, recording sold-out shows for two consecutive years and a cumulative audience of 350,000 during its 2024 run in Paris, France, and being nominated in five categories at the Molière Awards. It will be performed at the Woori Card Hall, NOL Theater Daehak-ro, in Daehak-ro, Seoul, until September 13.

Keating, played by Chae, is a character who teaches students to think for themselves outside the box and leads them to write their own 'poetry.' Unlike the late Robin Williams, who played a passionate teacher in his early thirties, Chae cited his own distinguishing factor as sincerely conveying, as an 'older Keating' who has experienced the ups and downs of life, that there are various choices available.

During the rehearsal process, Chae sweated alongside the younger actors. Seeing his juniors arrive early at the practice room and endure grueling rehearsals, he resolved to do his best as a team member and said he was able to debut as a stage actor thanks to them.

Regarding the work's message, Chae emphasized that Keating does not simply force the right answers but tries to show various options. He recalled that the memory of a friend who had to make a difficult choice ahead of the college entrance exam during their senior year of high school overlapped with the character 'Neil Perry' in this play. Now, forty years later, he stated that he wants to convey to the younger generation that even if one fails the entrance exam, there are many paths in life, and that 'Carpe Diem' is a declaration that one can choose today.

Experiencing the theatrical stage firsthand, Chae felt that "theater is essential for an actor's growth." Unlike drama or film sets, he was able to experience the importance of teamwork by practicing his lines hundreds of times, and he recommended that his fellow mainstream entertainers also experience personal growth through theater.

Furthermore, after seeing young theater artists in Daehak-ro burning with passion and taking on challenges today, he began to think about ways to provide them with opportunities. He expressed his intention to share the love and benefits he has received with his juniors and to help young actors advance into other media. He is currently working on adapting his full-length novel 'Mermaid Hunt' into a play for the stage.

His family also showed their support. His wife, Shin Ae-ra, spared no encouragement after watching the performance, and his youngest daughter also showed her support by attending multiple times. In particular, Chae shared that it held great meaning for him when his 84-year-old mother watched a play for the first time in her life and sent a message congratulating him on what she called a new definitive work in his career.