Jung Jun-won: "I'm sorry for the I, but ugliness is a matter of taste"... The harsh umpire's bench 'married woman killer' [★ FULL Interview]

*This content was translated by AI.

"I've had too many experiences and a lot has happened. As I rose to the surface relatively late, I had to learn many things in a short period of time, which caused me to become overwhelmed. Not only in terms of my work, but as an actor Jung Jun-won, I feel I've been given many challenges to overcome."

Actor Jung Jun-won, who has a 10-year acting career, faced a fresh barrage of public criticism for his role in the new MBC Friday-Saturday drama "Yubunyeo Killer" (script by Kim Eun-hee, directed by Yoon Jong-ho and Kim Ji-hoon). Evaluations such as "his variety show attitude was passive" and "he starred as a handsome character despite being ugly" were suddenly directed at him.

Jung Jun-won has faced scrutiny over his appearance since news of his casting in "Married Woman Killer" broke, and later, in August, he appeared on MBC's "What Do You Do?" with lead actress Gong Hyo-jin to promote the drama but failed to deliver the requested situational acting immediately, displaying a passive demeanor that sparked a "conduct controversy," leaving him caught between two difficulties.

Nevertheless, he remained focused on his acting without being swept up in negative issues and received praise for his stable performance. As "Killer of a Married Woman" concluded with strong results, including a peak viewership rating of 10.7% (based on Nielsen Korea nationwide), Jung Jun-won became an actor who convinced the public through his work.

"Killer of Married Women" is a drama depicting the arduous struggle of a working mother with one of the most ruthless professions in the world, as she fights to protect her work-life balance. The story unfolds with balanced tension among the differing convictions of Kingfisher, a killer who eliminates criminals (played by Gong Hyo-jin), Kwon Tae-seong, a social affairs reporter and Yoo Bo-na's husband who relentlessly pursues the truth behind the case (played by Jung Jun-won), and Lee Dong-jin, Kwon Tae-seong's close friend and an officer destined to capture criminals (played by Lee Sang).

Jung Jun-won has vividly portrayed the dramatic story of Kwon Tae-sung, a devoted family man, a tenacious reporter covering Kingfisher, and a serious husband embracing his wife's secret. In the final episode, after facing all the truths, Kwon Tae-sung made an unwavering choice to protect his beloved wife, bringing about a harmless and heartwarming conclusion true to his character, leaving a warm lingering feeling until the very end.

"Killer of Married Women" concluded its 14th and final episode with a peak viewership rating of 10.7 percent (based on Nielsen Korea nationwide data).

The 'Married Woman Killer' concluded with excellent ratings. Any comments?

I am very grateful that it seems to have been concluded successfully.

Actor Jung Jun-won appeared on "What Do You Do When You're Bored?" to promote his role as a "married woman killer," but was caught in a "controversy over his attitude" after showing a passive side.

▶ I had no prior experience with impromptu variety shows. I appeared on the program to promote my work, and it was a show I had always enjoyed watching. Meeting Yoo Jae-seok, whom I admired so much as a fan, made me nervous. With the pressure to perform well being overwhelming, I felt like something had broken down; my mind went blank, and I couldn't do anything. I felt deeply regretful that many viewers likely found the experience uncomfortable.

What was senior actress Gong Hyo-jin's reaction during the filming of 'While You Were Slacking'?

The production team tried to make it fun, and Senior Yoo Jae-suk and Senior Hyo-jin said it was fine. When I was on the scene at that time, I apologized. It seemed like the production team also tried hard to make it enjoyable. They put in a lot of effort and offered comfort so that it could come out well. I think I should strive not to repeat the same mistake.

Actor Kong Hyo-jin stated that after filming "What Do You Do?" on that day, actor Jung Jun-won even vomited.

He said he was so nervous that he couldn't remember the day well. If given another chance, he wants to do better.

-If you could turn back time, what would you do on "What Do You Do?"

If I were to return with the memories of now, I believe I would calm down and do my best.

As for what kind of variety show I hope to appear on in the future, I would like to say...

Until now, the variety shows I appeared in were filmed as if there were no cameras, capturing real moments, but this time ('What Do You Do?' is) required a more variety-style improvisation. I felt that I was quite vulnerable to that. I need to gain experience points by trying various experiences.

In the early stages of airing "Killer Married Woman," there were also discussions about whether the drama's protagonist was not very different from the original work's protagonist.

The original script depicted a husband and father in an unrealistically idealized manner. Fans who had high expectations for the original work might naturally have felt disappointed.

In what way do you think 'The Killer Housewife' was a box office success?

It seems the viewers have well received Taeseong's sincerity. I am grateful that many people, fortunately, liked it.

What do you think was your own charm that surpassed the original work, Taesung?

I aimed to show my love for my family as much as possible.

There were also many evaluations of actor Jung Jun-won's appearance. Did this public evaluation make him pay more attention to his looks?

"I have been working hard in my own way, but it seems viewers have different tastes and standards. I am currently managing myself diligently. They say I'm 'ugly,' which isn't something that makes me feel good, but that was not my priority; acting was. It's not that I don't care about my appearance. (Laughs)"

Did you check the viewers' reactions to 'The Married Woman Killer'?

▶We looked at reactions on YouTube clips and others, and as you know, there were many negative responses in the beginning. Seeing things change significantly toward the end, I felt it was a great relief.

-Like a devoted husband and family man in the drama, Choi Soo-jong portrayed such a role.

▶I tried to get close to the child actor before filming and to build a good relationship. I intended to act by having many conversations with the director and senior actress Hyo-jin. The director, who is an incredible father deeply in love with his daughter, provided me with a lot of information since I am unmarried. When I was rehearsing on set, I received clear direction. Since I do not have children myself, I also found myself recalling the affectionate actions I used to show my puppy during my childhood.

-Although still unmarried, what kind of husband and father do you actually want to be? In the drama, Bona also faced conflicts with her in-laws.

I thought that if my husband handled things well in the middle, neither my mother nor my wife would be upset.

What do you think actor Jung Jun-won's actual personality is like compared to Taeseong?

It just takes time for me to get close to someone; I am not silent or anything like that. Basically, I make a lot of effort to be affectionate.

How was your acting chemistry with lead actress Gong Hyo-jin?

Senior Hyo-jin was someone I deeply admired, and I relied on and trusted her greatly. She offered advice by saying things like, "If it were me, I would do it this way," while aligning with the character. Since she had been active since I was young, I felt nervous acting alongside her, yet she treated me not as a junior but as an equal in terms of perspective. A few days ago, when I met her, I mentioned that Bona's character was calmer and darker than Taeseong's, and when I filmed the scene where I proposed to Bona in episode 14, I felt it clearly conveyed a romance sequence. Seeing her eyes change at that moment made me think she wasn't just the "Queen of Rom-Coms." My initial impression was that she had strong charisma, but as I got to know her better, I found her to be incredibly cute and lovely. She was an actor with such excellent focus and immersion that there were moments during filming where I was genuinely startled by her intensity. I relied on her very much and am truly grateful.

How did you prepare for and portray the role of the reporter?

I did not think the profession of Tae-sung in the story was particularly important. The goal of actor Jung Jun-won, who portrays Tae-sung, was "family love." Therefore, he tried to be more faithful to Tae-sung's emotions.

What aspects of the "Married Woman Killer" drew her to decide to appear.

When I first read the script, I thought Taeseong's role was excellent. Whether or not I appeared in it, I felt compelled to watch it myself. The prevailing thought was that everyone would be able to enjoy it without any burden.

-Did they not read the original webtoon of 'Husband-Killer'?

Later on, I watched the original work, and since Taesung's character settings differed between the original and the drama, I wanted to portray him entirely in Jun-joon's unique style so that I wouldn't unconsciously mimic the original performance.

-Recently, as a passive attitude on the show 'What Do You Do?' sparked a controversy over his conduct, it was also brought to light that Director Jang Hang-jun had previously commented during an audition for actor Jung Jun-won that he "lacked manners and was rude."

▶I appeared in a video on BTV, and anyone who watched the entire video from start to finish would know that there was no misunderstanding. The audition scene at the time was very enjoyable. For a long period, the director kindly and affectionately conducted the auditions. Since we met only once back then, we did not exchange contact information, so we have not spoken recently.

-Some sources claim that actor Jung Jun-won, known for his strong masculine hormone image (Tetonam), played a role with a strong feminine hormone image (Aengnam).

He is not quite a Tetnam, but he feels awkward about his personality, which has always been a bit quirky.

-Following her previous work, the tvN drama "Resident Playbook" (hereinafter "Unseoljeon"), she has garnered significant public attention with "Married Woman Killer."

▶ The 'Unsealed' project served as a device to refresh the narrative rather than me carrying it through with a long, drawn-out approach. Of course, it was able to receive so much love because the writer crafted the characters well and the director brought them to life effectively. For this work, I pondered whether I could deliver enough persuasiveness in my leading role. Since many members of the public might find me unfamiliar, I believed that building trust was crucial.

-You must not have felt good recently given the many negative evaluations all at once.

"Anyway, this happened because of what I did, and there is no choice but to convince people through my work. If such an opportunity arises again, I feel I must do my best to ensure that the same thing does not happen."

You must have also thought about what attitude you should adopt for your future activities.

"I have no choice but to do my best in this field. I will need to reflect on what competitive edge I can bring and how I can succeed in this industry. I must move beyond such doubts and strive with conviction."

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

"I am relieved that this work has been completed well. I do not know what project I will take on next, but 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, it seems like only the one bad thing is noticed. It feels like I can endure thanks to those who speak well of me."

If there are any genres or roles you would like to take on in the future?

"I have no desire to experience a specific genre. I took on roles close to romance in both my previous work and this one, so it seems I have shown various characters. If given an opportunity, I want to do my best to experience it."

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*This content was translated by AI.