Son Hyun-joo possession perfectly realized... Lee Jun-young: "'New Employee Kang (Chairman)', a work where I poured everything out"[Q&A]

*This content was translated by AI.

Actor Lee Jun-young shared his thoughts on the conclusion of the drama "New Employee Kang (Chairman)".

In the JTBC Saturday-Sunday drama "New Employee Kang (Chairman)", which concluded on the 5th, Lee Jun-young delivered a compelling performance as Hwang Joon-hyun, a promising soccer player. He received high praise for vividly portraying a character whose soul is possessed by 72-year-old Chairman Kang Yong-ho (played by Son Hyun-joo) following an unexpected incident after losing his life as a player due to a hit-and-run accident involving the Choi Sung Group family.

"New Employee Kang (Chairman)" is a reminder-life drama about Choi Seong-geu-rup (Chairman) Kang Yong-ho, known as the "God of Business," who is forced into an unwanted second life following an accident. The story follows Kang Yong-hoo, now a new employee, as he fights against power struggles and internal corruption surrounding the company while protecting his family and the business. Thanks to its solid storyline and the passionate performances by the cast, the drama consistently achieved its highest-ever ratings per episode, earning warm love from viewers.

Lee Jun-young persuasively embodied the maturity and charisma of a chairman trapped in a young body through his unique acting style. Through subtle differences in his gaze, speech patterns, and vocal tone, he naturally portrayed both 27-year-old Hwang Joon-hyun and 72-year-old Chairman Kang Yong-ho, delicately capturing Oh Gat-go (Chairman)'s insight, the new employee's vigor, comedic elements, and deep emotional lines, fully fulfilling his role as the drama's central axis. In particular, he demonstrated his wide-ranging acting spectrum once again by skillfully handling the unique setting of soul transfer with solid acting skills.

Lee Jun-young, who created another life character through "New Employee Kang (Chairman)", shared his thoughts on completing the work and behind-the-scenes details from filming in a Q&A format upon the drama's conclusion via his agency.

The following is a Q&A with Lee Jun-young regarding "New Employee Kang (Chairman)".

Q. Please share your thoughts on completing "New Employee Kang (Chairman)".

A. I feel both regretful and relieved. It was truly a challenging endeavor, but thanks to wonderful senior actors and the production team, I was able to trust them completely and prepare diligently for filming until the end. I sincerely thank everyone who participated with me.

Q. What was the most difficult part while acting as Hwang Joon-hyun?

A. Surprisingly, there was no particular aspect that felt especially difficult in this work. If I had to pick one, it would be expressing the realistic appearance and tension of Hwang Joon-hyun, a first-time worker taking his first steps into society.

Q. Did you do any special research or reference material to portray Kang Yong-hoo within Hwang Joon-hyun's character?

A. I frequently watched and rewatched the performances of my senior actor Son Hyun-joo, whom I have always admired. By focusing intently on his acting, I believe I was able to express elements such as speech patterns, actions, and atmosphere more naturally.

Q. Is there a particular scene or anecdote from filming that stands out in your memory?

A. Every single scene is memorable. In particular, I remember the scenes with my senior actress Jeon Hye-jin, who played Jae-kyung, having excellent acting chemistry. Also, during filming sessions where four of us—Kang Bang-eul from the Strategic Planning Team (played by Lee Ju-myung), Park Bong-gi (Director) (played by Lee Sung-wook), and Lee Sang-jae (EVP) (played by Kim Jong-tae)—were together, it seems laughter never ceased.

Q. What did you learn from working alongside senior actors including Son Hyun-joo?

A. I was able to learn a lot about freely adjusting tempo in acting, as well as maintaining composure and comfort on set.

Q. If you had to pick your most cherished line or memorable scene, what would it be?

A. While all scenes are precious, the scene where Hwang Joon-hyun says "I'm sorry" to his grandmother and the 'Jjap-Joon-hyun' scene remain most memorable. Although the lines were identical, they felt completely different in terms of emotional depth.

Q. How do you think "New Employee Kang (Chairman)" will be remembered for Lee Jun-young?

A. The first thought that comes to mind is that it was a work where I poured everything out. Having given my all and learned so much, I believe it will be remembered for a long time as a significant work.

Q. Please give your final message to the viewers and fans who loved the drama.

A. Once again, I sincerely thank all the viewers who loved "New Employee Kang (Chairman)" until late hours. As I prepare for military enlistment, I am only grateful to receive such great love. I truly wish you all good health and happiness filled with joyful moments. I hope you also have a wonderful conclusion to the rest of this year. And please be careful not to bump your heads whether sleeping or awake! (laughs)

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*This content was translated by AI.