In a recent interview at a bar in Hwayang-dong, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, Jinyoung talked about KBS2’s Wednesday-Thursday drama “Who Is She.”
KBS2’s “Who Is She” (directed by Park Yong-soon, written by Heo Seung-min, produced by Studio V Plus, Idea Factory, Higround and Yein Plus) is a drama about growing up in romantic music. A remake of the 2014 film “Miss Granny”, it tells the story of Oh Mal-soon, a grandmother who suddenly transforms into her 20-year-old self Oh Doo-ri and experiences a second golden age of her life.
In the drama, Jinyoung played Daniel Han, an idol producer. Drawing on his experiences as a member of B1A4 and a composer, Jinyoung said with a smile, “I dream of becoming an idol producer. Fans and even comments from past shows have often requested this, asking me to consider doing it.“
He added: “Seeing these comments sometimes makes me ambitious. I ask myself, ‘Could I become a good producer?’ But realistically, it’s not easy. Yet it is a dream I cling to. If I do it, I’m confident I’ll do it well. It’s a challenging goal, but I guess there’s nothing more rewarding than weaving together everything I’ve imagined and shining a light on new talent.”
In the original film “Miss Granny” 10 years ago, Jinyoung played the role of Oh Mal-soon’s (Na Moon-hee) nephew, Ban Ji-ha. Now, in the drama version, he plays the male lead opposite the young Oh Mal-soon (Jung Ji-so). What aspect of the original work did Jinyoung want to continue?
“I wanted to embody Lee Jin-wook’s laid-back demeanor. That sense of composure that he exuded at that age left a strong impression on me. Looking at Lee Jin-wook’s ease, I thought, “This is the real charm.” So I paid special attention to this. I really wanted to make it happen. Although our styles and roles are different, it was really something I aspired to. Even if I have to take on another drama, I think that’s something I’ve learned as an actor.
“Miss Granny” director Hwang Dong-hyuk is now world famous for the Netflix series “Squid Game.” Was Jinyoung disappointed when his former co-star Lee Jin-wook was cast in “Squid Game” Season 2 over him?
“It was my film debut at the time, so I don’t think I had high expectations. Even now I remain in close contact with director Hwang and “Squid Game” is a truly phenomenal work. I think I deliberately tried to temper my hopes because wanting something too much might be obvious to others. I didn’t expect to be chosen, so it wasn’t something I thought about.
He continued: “The director had talked a lot about ‘Squid Game’ even before the release of the first season. I mostly admired his work as a fan rather than thinking I was singled out. Every time one of his projects came out, I sent him a message of support. When ‘Squid Game’ became a worldwide hit, I was genuinely happy for him.”
When asked who he would like to see play his role in “Who Is She” in ten years, Jinyoung replied smiling: “I would recommend referring to Lee Jin-wook’s portrayal in the film rather than my version in the drama.”
