So Ji-sub as an Obstacle, the Ground Beetle.. Won Hyun-jun: "'Chief Kim' Was a Turning Point"[★FULL Interview]

*This content was translated by AI.

• Interview with actor Won Hyun-jun, who played Kang Guk-cheol, aka the Ground Beetle, in SBS's Saturday-Sunday drama "Chief Kim"

Actor Won Hyun-jun has reached a turning point in his acting career thanks to the drama "Chief Kim."

Recently, Won Hyun-jun held an interview at the FreinTPC office in Samsung-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, to commemorate the conclusion of SBS's Saturday-Sunday drama "Chief Kim" (written by Nam Dae-jung, directed by Lee Seung-young and Lee So-eun).

"Chief Kim" is a father-universe revenge action drama in which an ordinary dad becomes the world's 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, peak viewership soared to 27.1%, shattering its own record and delivering a flawless finale.

Won Hyun-jun, who portrayed Kang Guk-cheol, director of the Special Mission Bureau of South Korea, also known as the Ground Beetle, convincingly depicted a character existing for the nation and the greater good, heightening viewers' immersion.

Regarding the record-breaking ratings that brought his work to a successful conclusion, Won Hyun-jun said, "At the wrap party, no one, including the director, expected it would go this well." He added, "I am grateful again and again. It feels like I should be thanking the viewers and even heaven. All the actors are happy."

He then joked, "If I said I hadn't checked the ratings, that would be a lie," revealing that he checked them every day at 10 a.m., drawing laughter from the audience.

Regarding his character Kang Guk-cheol, Won Hyun-jun explained, "The director told me, 'Since you were cast second time around, please do well.' I felt a lot of pressure but studied Kang Guk-cheol diligently. The director also said, 'You can interpret it freely.' I worried a lot about how to best incorporate the Ground Beetle character and what aspects to emphasize. When the webtoon was the original source, I deliberately avoided watching it because the Ground Beetle character itself didn't quite align with me. While discussing external traits with the production team, I remained faithful to the script."

He further stated, "When considering what position the Ground Beetle occupies from Chief Kim's perspective, I never thought of him as a villain. I approached the role assuming he was someone chasing the dangerous element, Chief Kim, driven by a sense of mission and conviction for the nation."

As seen in the line, "I may not trust spies like you, but your daughter is a South Korean citizen. I will protect South Korean citizens with my life," Kang Guk-cheol moves solely toward the goal of 'the nation.' However, from a narrative standpoint, he also becomes an obstacle for the protagonist Chief Kim and drew some viewers' criticism.

Addressing this, Won Hyun-jun said, "There was nothing in the script I didn't understand," but added, "When watching the drama myself as a viewer, I found (Kang Guk-cheol) quite frustrating. People around me often reacted with comments like 'Leave Chief Kim alone' or 'Give Minji some rice.' While I received plenty of hatred, I am satisfied." He said this with a playful tone, eliciting laughter.

Regarding his acting chemistry with So Ji-sub, who played Chief Kim, Won Hyun-jun revealed, "Like everyone else, I have been a fan since 'Sorry, I Love You,' so I was truly happy to film this drama."

He remarked, "(So Ji-sub) is far more internally strong than I imagined. He creates a positive atmosphere on set and not only balances his own acting but also harmonizes the chemistry with co-actors very well. I felt many unexpected moments of gratitude while filming."

He continued, "We mostly discussed the work itself, and he gave me great help regarding the Ground Beetle character. The final scene was one where So Ji-sub, the director, and I reached a conclusion through discussion with the Special Mission Bureau that 'this is how the Special Mission Bureau's conclusion should look.' We shared ideas moment by moment and element by element, making filming enjoyable." He expressed his satisfaction.

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

Regarding Season 2, Won Hyun-jun said, "I want it so badly. If Kang Guk-cheol is included in the Season 2 characters, I hope he becomes a slightly more generous Ground Beetle than in Season 1," he joked.

He also revealed the secret behind co-star Yoon Kyung-ho's pledge of silent meditation tied to viewership ratings. Earlier at the "Chief Kim" production presentation, when discussing ratings, Yoon Kyung-ho responded to a question about a ratings pledge: "Since So Ji-sub is returning to SBS after 13 years, if viewership exceeds 13%, I hope Season 2 gets produced. (If we exceed the pledged rating) I will try silent meditation for 13 hours." This sparked widespread discussion. Subsequently, "Chief Kim" recorded 15.7% viewership in just two episodes, and Yoon Kyung-ho naturally began fulfilling his 13-hour silent meditation pledge.

In this regard, Won Hyun-jun revealed, "I sent a KakaoTalk message to (Yoon Kyung-ho), but he didn't reply. I thought, 'He must be working hard.' I couldn't believe he would actually complete the silent meditation. The next day after Episode 8 ended, I received a message saying, 'Why do you keep criticizing Chief Kim?'" This drew laughter.

What meaning will "Chief Kim" leave for Won Hyun-jun? Regarding its significance in his filmography, he said, "I think it could be a turning point as an actor. This is the first time I've heard so many good and bad comments, which makes it even more meaningful. It's a work of great significance that may serve as a stepping stone for me to become an even better actor in the future."

Won Hyun-jun left words for himself after enduring a long period silently: "I was lucky. Work harder from now on and become an even better actor." To Kang Guk-cheol, he simply said, "You worked hard," with a smile.

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*This content was translated by AI.