'Minister Kim' Won Hyun-jun: "I've been a fan of Ji-seob since 'Miss', I hope he wins the Grand Prize" [Interview 2]

*This content was translated by AI.

• Interview with actor Won Hyun-jun, who played Kang Guk-cheol, the mole-like character in SBS's Saturday-Sunday drama 'Minister Kim'

Actor Won Hyun-jun recalled the filming set of 'Minister Kim', where he shared acting chemistry with Ji-seob, Choi Tae-hoon, and Yoon Kyung-ho.

Recently, Won Hyun-jun held a wrap-up interview for SBS's Saturday-Sunday drama 'Minister Kim' (written by Nam Dae-jung, directed by Lee Seung-young and Lee So-eun) at the FreinTPC office in Samsung-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul.

'Minister Kim' is a father-universe revenge action drama about an ordinary dad who becomes the most dangerous man to reclaim his only daughter. According to ratings survey company Nielsen Korea, the final episode aired on the 25th recorded viewership of 23.4% in the Seoul metropolitan area and 23.0% nationwide. Notably, the peak viewership soared to 27.1%, shattering its own previous record.

Won Hyun-jun, who played Kang Guk-cheol, director of the Special Mission Bureau (also known as 'Mole') in the drama, opened the interview by saying about his acting chemistry with Ji-seob, who plays Minister Kim: "Like everyone else, I've been a fan since 'Sorry, I Love You', so I was truly happy to work on this project."

He added, "(Ji-seob is) much more internally strong than I imagined. He creates a positive atmosphere on set and ensures not only his own acting but also the chemistry with co-actors remains very balanced. I felt deeply grateful for things I hadn't even anticipated during filming."

He continued, "We mostly discussed the story of the work, and he gave me a lot of help regarding the 'Mole' character. The final scene was also one where Ji-seob, the director, I, and the Special Mission Bureau reached a conclusion that 'this is how we want the Special Mission Bureau to conclude.' We enjoyed filming by exchanging ideas moment by moment and element by element."

When asked about his ambitions for awards, Won Hyun-jun initially waved his hands saying "Not at all," but then added, "I hope Ji-seob wins the Grand Prize and that the drama wins the Best Drama Award," expressing his wish for Ji-seob to win the Grand Prize at the 2026 SBS Drama Awards.

How was the chemistry with Choi Tae-hoon, who played Seong Han-soo, and Yoon Kyung-ho, who played Park Jin-cheol? Won Hyun-jun said, "I've already worked with Yoon Kyung-ho before, and we are the same age. Through this 'Minister Kim', I thought, 'As expected, Yoon Kyung-ho is Yoon Kyung-ho.' Choi Tae-hoon is also my senior of the same age whom I admired as a senior. I saw his human side too. There were many scenes where the three of us born in 1980 appeared together. It was a set where I received much help and inspiration."

Regarding the significance of 'Minister Kim' in his filmography, Won Hyun-jun said, "I think it could be a turning point for me as an actor. This is the first time I've heard both good and bad stories about my work, which makes it even more meaningful. It's such a significant work that I feel it will serve as a stepping stone to become an even better actor in the future."

Won Hyun-jun left a message to himself for enduring silently over a long period: "I was lucky. Work harder from now on and become an even better actor." To Kang Guk-cheol, he smiled while leaving a short but firm word: "You worked hard."

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*This content was translated by AI.