Cha Jeong-won: "♥Ha Jung-woo also watching" — 'Kill It' Fashion Survival Heats Up [Comprehensive]

*This content was translated by AI.

Cha Jeong-won's boyfriend, actor Ha Jung-woo, is also paying close attention to 'Kill It: Style Creator Daejeon-jung' (hereinafter 'Kill It'). Amid such significant interest, who will emerge as the next-generation style icon of K-fashion?

On the 19th, a media talk event for the tvN variety program 'Kill It' took place at CJ ENM Talent Studio in Mapo-gu, Seoul. Attendees included model and actress Jang Yoon-ju, actress Cha Jeong-won, stylist Ahn Ah-reum, and CP Lee Won-hyung.

Premiering on the 12th, 'Kill It' is a fashion creator survival show aimed at discovering the next-generation figures who will lead K-fashion trends. CJ ENM, which has produced fashion survival shows such as 'Challenge! Supermodel Korea' and 'Project Runway Korea', has launched a project to evolve beyond the previous designer- and model-centric survival formats. In response to shifting trends in the fashion industry, the show seeks individuals who lead trends, communicate with the public, and create culture.

CP Lee Won-hyung introduced 'Kill It', stating, "While the word literally means 'to kill', it is also used to mean 'doing something exceptionally well' or 'looking incredibly stylish'. We wanted to select stylish people." He added, "This is a program aimed at selecting the next-generation style icon."

He also explained the program's background. CP Lee said, "K-pop, K-beauty, K-dramas, and K-food are trending globally. The next logical step is K-fashion. That's why we focused on and researched it." He continued, "CJ has produced many lifestyle genre programs. Although there was a brief lull, we decided to move forward again, which led to this launch."

CP Lee explained, "'Challenge! Supermodel Korea' was 10 years ago. Fashion trends have changed significantly since then." He noted, "In the late 1990s and early 2000s, designers led the fashion industry. Today, with SNS active worldwide, people with diverse, non-traditional careers are leading trends through fashion and lifestyle styles. That's why we gathered 100 of them."

Jang Yoon-ju, who served as a judge on 'Challenge! Supermodel Korea', will appear as a Black Label mentor on 'Kill It'. She remarked, "On 'Challenge! Supermodel Korea', the format was clear. We selected high-end fashion based on a single photo to determine elimination or acceptance." She added, "But it has changed greatly over the past decade. To compete in this field, one must have their own brand and be able to create content."

She continued, "In the case of 'Kill It', we are divided into three labels, so we are also conducting a survival competition. We are in competition. There are also shows like 'Show Me the Money' and 'Street Woman Fighter'. This is the ultimate collection of all survival shows."

White Label mentor Cha Jeong-won shared her thoughts, saying, "It's been a long time since I've done variety, especially a survival variety show, so I was very nervous and prepared extensively." She added, "Since I love fashion, it was enjoyable and rewarding to do something I love."

CP Lee Won-hyung explained the selection criteria for the 100th participating "it girls": "Since we aim to select the next style icon, we cannot call them 'finished products'. We were looking for people with potential." He elaborated, "The basic condition was that they must have their own style. We selected individuals whose personal value is recognized in the market and whom our staff team believes possess a distinct style."

Among the 100th it girls, Choi Mi-na, the older sister of BLACKPINK's Jisoo, and Choi Mi-na, who gained recognition through Netflix's dating variety show 'Single's Inferno 5', drew attention.

Regarding Choi Mi-na's participation, CP Lee stated, "We didn't aggressively recruit her; rather, she had a strong desire to appear. Beyond her image from 'Single's Inferno 5', she had a strong will to prove herself through fashion."

CP Lee also mentioned that Choi Mi-na appeared in the first episode's ending. He said, "We placed her at the end not because she was outstanding, but because she is a topic of discussion." He added, "Starting from episode 2, Choi Mi-na will hear something from Jang Yoon-ju, reset her mindset, and undergo a transformation. Viewers will see parts where she receives high praise." He further noted, "She herself describes herself as a growth character, and we also see her growing. This will be confirmed through the broadcast."

The characteristics and strengths of each label were also introduced. Jang Yoon-ju said, "For Black Label, we plan to focus on selecting and mentoring individuals who are natural, know themselves well, have a clear character, and possess star quality." She added, "Actor Lee Jong-won and the group Two Two Together Federal Reserve, who are with me, have different but similar tastes. We focused on discovering new talent. Many seasoned professionals appeared, and currently, many powerful influencers have emerged."

Jang Yoon-ju continued, "While those who are good at creating their own content are excellent, we are also focusing on raw gems and pearls who were previously unseen." She explained, "For Black Label, we really focused on new talents. We felt that certain participants had potential. Although they are not finished products, we selected many participants with diverse and significant possibilities. You will be able to see the elegant, pure, and truly unblemished friends unique to Black Label."

Cha Jeong-won explained, "For White Label, we also focused on naturalness and the inherent strengths each person possesses. We saw many friends with a firm style. They do not follow trends but showcase their own styling, making it understandable and convincing to anyone who sees it." She added, "Along with mentor Shin Hyun-ji, we discussed mass appeal. We focused on friends who are easily accessible and relatable to the public, those who can be imitated easily and make people think, 'I want to dress like that.' We pursued naturalness that does not feel forced."

Red Label mentor Ahn Ah-reum stated, "The key point we focus on is identity. We wanted to be chic while showing new sides to viewers." She added, "I believe we have diversified the styling of various artists and created trends. The feature is that viewers can see iconic styles rather than styles that cause frowns. Each friend has a clear taste, so I think we can learn from watching them."

'Kill It' is also receiving support from actor Ha Jung-woo, Cha Jeong-won's boyfriend. Cha Jeong-won acknowledged her relationship with Ha Jung-woo in April. At the time, the two were surrounded by dating rumors and marriage speculation, but both sides stated regarding marriage, "Nothing has been decided."

Cha Jeong-won revealed that Ha Jung-woo is also a viewer of 'Kill It', saying, "He watched the first episode. He monitored it and sent enthusiastic support and encouragement."

When CP Lee Won-hyung asked about the specific advice Ha Jung-woo conveyed, Cha Jeong-won replied, "He told me not to be too nervous, to relax, and to show myself as I am, saying exactly what I was thinking."

In response, Black Label mentor Jang Yoon-ju joked, "In my opinion, Ha Jung-woo's styling is Black Label. Ha Jung-woo, please join our team," which drew laughter. Cha Jeong-won then shared about Ha Jung-woo's usual styling, saying, "It actually suits Black Label. He wears only Black Label."

Meanwhile, 'Kill It' airs every Tuesday at 10:10 p.m.

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.