'Minister Kim' Yoon Kyung-ho: "A strong contender for this year's 'Pinggeo-ga' Grand Prize? Popularity is like stocks" [Interview ②]

*This content was translated by AI.

Actor Yoon Kyung-ho (46) shared his thoughts on becoming a "trend-setting actor" alongside the popularity of "Minister Kim" and his active role in "Pinggeo-ga."

On the 27th, Yoon Kyung-ho met with StarNews at a café on Hak-dong-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, for an interview regarding SBS's Friday-Saturday drama "Minister Kim" (written by Nam Dae-jung, directed by Lee Seung-young and Lee So-eun).

"Minister Kim" is a father-universe revenge action drama about a father who becomes the "most dangerous man in the world" to reclaim his only daughter. The series launched with a 9.5% viewership rating in its first episode, reaching 21.6% by its fourth episode, marking a new record as the first drama in two years to surpass the 20th% threshold. In its final episode (Episode 10), which aired on the 25th, it achieved a peak viewership of 23.1%, proving its phenomenon status (Nielsen Korea nationwide). "Minister Kim" sequentially surpassed records set by past SBS Friday-Saturday dramas such as "Stove League," "Model Taxi 2," and "Priest," securing the second-highest viewership rating among all SBS Friday-Saturday dramas in history.

Its global box office performance was also dazzling. "Minister Kim" held the number one spot in Netflix's Global Non-English TV Shows category for three consecutive weeks, demonstrating worldwide popularity. Additionally, it topped the TV-OTT drama buzz chart for three consecutive weeks and dominated the top tier of actor-related buzz, achieving dominance in viewership, global popularity, and public discussion.

In the drama, Yoon Kyung-ho portrayed Park Jin-cheol, a former "God of War" who was once beyond state control but now lives as a doting father. Alongside Kim Bu-jang (played by So Ji-sub) and Sung Han-soo (played by Choi Dae-hoon), he showcased the chemistry of the "father universe," delivering fearless power action and embodying the lively, humanistic "Rock & Roll Park Jin-cheol." Yoon Kyung-ho appeared as a marine with an air of pretension, injecting energy into the series through grounded acting that naturally elicited laughter simply by his presence.

-How was your on-set chemistry with actors So Ji-sub and Choi Dae-hoon?

▶I had previously worked with Hyung (older brother) Ji-sub in two productions, and actor Choi Dae-hoon is my same age; we became friends while working together on a previous production called "Confession." Since Hyung Ji-sub tends to be reserved, we didn't have many conversations during our earlier projects. However, this time, sharing much chemistry with both of them made me feel like close friends. Upon closer inspection, Hyung Ji-sub is quite funny and often provided great inspiration during acting scenes. In the fight scenes involving all three of us, it was painful not only as actors but also because I felt a strange emotional connection to him, resulting in emotions that went beyond mere acting. I wonder if such chemistry could have emerged without those two; everything felt like a miracle.

-Were there any particularly difficult aspects while acting?

▶Actor Dong-ha is also very skilled with his body, so I trusted him and acted alongside him. Since the scenes involved fists rather than dialogue, even after Dong-ha threw a few punches, he would ask me, "Senior, are you okay?" So I replied, "It's fine, keep going." We filmed action sequences all day long, trying to feel the dopamine rush. The next day, we were both completely exhausted.

-You're currently on a trend-setting path with appearances in recent YouTube channel 'Tteun-tteun' and its segment 'Pinggeo-ga.' Are there moments when you truly feel your popularity?

▶I try to reset every day, believing that "yesterday's glory belongs only to yesterday." I think popularity is like stocks; thinking it was good yesterday might make me complacent. Every morning, I write my name to keep myself disciplined. I once changed my name based on its meaning, and a naming expert told me, "You are someone who is reborn into a vessel suitable for whatever you undertake," and I always try to remember that. Recently, when I visited a temple and received enthusiastic cheers, it left a lasting impression; when I did a "Rock & Roll" gesture, they shouted along with me, and I was grateful.

-You played the role of a "talkative character" in the 'Pinggeo-ga' segment. Last year, you won the Rookie Award at the 'Pinggeo-ga Awards,' and there are rumors that you are a strong contender for the Grand Prize at this year's year-end 'Pinggeo-ga Awards.'

▶In the past, being talkative was considered a flaw. I often heard my mother and wife tell me to "be careful with your words," so it was surprising that this trait became one of my defining characteristics. Seeing how some people found such chatter to be "meal companions" made me realize it could offer communication, comfort, friendship, and empathy to lonely individuals. Although I know I'm not very knowledgeable and sometimes held back from speaking, I also realized it's good to speak honestly. I am grateful just to be mentioned for the Grand Prize. Last year, when I attended the 'Pinggeo-ga Awards' and saw Hyung Ji-seok receive the Grand Prize after a long wait, I realized it's not an award that can be won easily. Although I've been acting for a long time, seeing me gain attention in variety shows within such a short time was confusing. I even wondered, "Perhaps I have more talent for variety shows than acting," which added to my confusion. A fan wrote me a letter saying, "I liked you because you acted well," and that meant so much to me.

-Is there a possibility of 'Minister Kim' Season 2?

▶Everything is still open. I hope everyone can go on a rewarding vacation happily, and I also hope we can make Season 2. Like Senior So Ji-sub, I'm curious to see what story will be told if Season 2 is produced. If Season 2 comes out, I am currently working out and trying to build an even better body than before.

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*This content was translated by AI.