'Married Woman Killer' Jung Jun-won on the 'Tetonom' Rumor: "It's awkward to be teased about being slightly quirky" [Interview ③]

*This content was translated by AI.

Actor Jung Jun-won addressed rumors labeling him as a 'Tetonom'.

On the 14th, Jung met with StarNews at a café on Bongunsa-ro in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, for an interview marking the conclusion of MBC's Friday-Saturday drama 'Married Woman Killer' (written by Kim Eun-hee, directed by Yoon Jong-ho and Kim Ji-hoon).

'Married Woman Killer' is a drama depicting the struggles of a working mother with one of the most dangerous professions in the world, fighting to maintain her work-life balance. The story follows Kingfisher, a killer who eliminates criminals (played by Gong Hyo-jin), Kwon Tae-sung, her husband and an investigative reporter determined to uncover the truth behind the cases (played by Jung Jun-won), and Lee Dong-jin, Kwon's close friend and a detective destined to catch criminals (played by Lee Sang). Their differing beliefs unfold in a balanced manner.

Jung Jun-won vividly portrayed the dramatic story of Kwon Tae-sung: the head of a harmonious family, a reporter relentlessly covering Kingfisher, and a thoughtful husband who embraces his wife's secrets. In the final episode, after facing all the truths, he completed the ending with a harmless yet warm resolution, staying true to Kwon Tae-sung's character by making an unwavering choice to protect his beloved wife, leaving a lingering warmth until the very end.

'Married Woman Killer' concluded on the 12th after recording its highest viewership rating of 10.7% (based on Nielsen Korea nationwide data).

-In some sources, it was said that actor Jung Jun-won is a 'Tetonom' but acted as an 'Aegenam'.

▶He's not quite a 'Tetonom', but he tends to be slightly quirky and finds awkward situations uncomfortable.

-Following his previous tvN drama 'The Interns Will Eventually Be Smart' (hereinafter 'Unseuljeon'), you received significant public attention with 'Married Woman Killer'.

▶'Unseuljeon' served more as a device to refresh the audience rather than sustaining long-term momentum. Of course, thanks to the writer crafting the character well and the director bringing it to life, it was able to receive much love. For this project, I worried about whether I could deliver enough persuasiveness as the lead. Since many viewers might find me unfamiliar, I believed building trust was crucial.

-Did Director Shin Won-ho, who helped bring you into the spotlight as a lead through 'Unseuljeon', provide any feedback on this project?

▶There was absolutely no such discussion regarding this project. Occasionally when we meet, he simply asks if filming is going well.

-In recent works, you have particularly gained attention for your romantic performances.

▶There were moments I had dreamed of while acting, and it was both happy and grateful to see them gradually come true.

-What kind of adjective would you like to be associated with as an actor?

▶I hope that whenever a project featuring me is announced, many people will be curious about it. This has been my thought since I first started acting.

-Recently, you received many negative evaluations at once, so your heart must not have felt good.

▶Regardless, these were consequences of things I did, and the only way to overcome them is through convincing performances. If such opportunities arise again, I believe I must do my best to ensure similar situations do not occur.

-What kind of work will 'Married Woman Killer' remain for actor Jung Jun-won?

▶I gained too many experiences and went through many events. As I emerged relatively late, I had to learn a lot in a short time, which led to overload. Not only professionally but also as an actor named Jung Jun-won, I feel I have been given many tasks to overcome. This has become a valuable learning opportunity for me as an actor and will remain a precious memory.

-You must have also started thinking about what attitude you should adopt moving forward.

▶There is no other way but to do my best in everything. I think I will continue to ponder how I can compete and succeed in this industry. I need to move beyond such doubts and work with confidence.

-What kind of actor do you want to become in your 40s?

▶I am glad that this project concluded well. Although I don't know what projects I will take on next, I believe that if I act with sincerity, I will surely earn the trust of viewers and audiences. I must act with all my heart. Even if there are 99 good things said about me, if just one bad thing is mentioned, it seems people only focus on the negative. I think I can endure thanks to those who speak well of me.

-Are there any genres or roles you would like to take on in the future?

▶I do not have a specific desire to experience a particular genre. In my previous work and this one, I took on roles close to romance, which seems to have shown diverse characters. If given opportunities, I want to try them all with my best effort.

-One final message to the viewers.

▶Thank you for watching until the end with your love. Thanks to you, we were able to achieve a successful conclusion. I will strive to become an actor named Jung Jun-won who can deliver good performances in future works.

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*This content was translated by AI.