Having majored in voice at
Yonsei University, Son opted against a career in classical music and opera. At that time it was relatively unheard of for voice majors to immediately switch to musical theater and Son later stated that he had shocked his professors upon telling them that he had auditioned for a musical, although they did give him their full support. In 2009 he was double-cast in his first musical and was initially understudy to
Hong Kwang-ho, playing Raoul in
The Phantom of the Opera. Son gained wider recognition when he was cast as Aramis in the critically-acclaimed 2013 production of
The Three Musketeers. The production received positive reviews and attracted foreign fans, leading to producers bringing it to Japan. For several years, Son limited his participation in musicals to devote more time to his young son and mostly performed in concerts or on
Open Concert and
Immortal Songs: Singing the Legend with his wife. In 2019 he garnered critical acclaim for his portrayal of Merlin in the South Korean premiere of
Xcalibur and would return in the same role for its second run two years later. ==Personal life==