Actor Ju Ji-hoon shared the story behind choosing his next project, along with insights into his recent viral appearance on a variety show and the secret to his tireless acting career.
His next project is Disney+ The empress remarrieda drama based on a legendary romantic fantasy web novel. However, he admitted that there were parts of the story that he initially struggled to understand.
He revealed, “I actually refused The empress remarried At the start. It wasn’t a question of whether it was good or bad, I just didn’t understand it. Before making my decision, I asked women of different age groups if they had read it, and the emotional tone they felt was something I personally didn’t identify with.”
“Then people I trust explained the work to me in great detail. It wasn’t the only reason why I decided to join, but it played an important role. Adapting something from 2D to 3D is a very challenging project, so I’m very curious to know how it will turn out.”
He was also asked about similarities between his past dramatic successes Princess Hours and the upcoming MBC series Perfect crown. Ju Ji-hoon first expressed gratitude, saying: “Princess Hours he never really left the spotlight. I’m still amazed and grateful for how much love he continues to receive.”
He continued, “I am close to the director of Perfect crownand I support the project. They even suggested I do a cameo and I said ok even though I knew it wouldn’t work. I think they didn’t realize what my next project was The empress remarried. After that, I never heard back,” he joked, laughing. He added, “The universes of the two projects do not overlap however. It would not benefit either production.”
Recently, Ju Ji-hoon gained a lot of attention after appearing on DdeunDdeun’s show on YouTube channel Pinggyego together with actors Kim Nam-gil and Yoon Kyung-ho. The episode surpassed 11.7 million views in just three weeks.
“I wasn’t expecting this at all, especially since it’s a two-hour video,” he said modestly. He also reflected on his variety skills, noting, “I think I have no instincts as an entertainer. I tend to talk very focused on work. Nam-gil is more like a child who has just learned to talk and keeps asking, ‘What is this? What is that?'”
He added, “Kyung-ho is right too. I often interrupt him because I can predict where the story will end, even without hearing the full context. But for viewers who don’t know the backstory, those moments are actually very funny. Watching people have fun made me realize that.”
When asked if he hopes to win Pinggyegothe first prize, Ju Ji-hoon replied bluntly, “I’m a realist.” He continued, “The main character of that episode is Yoon Kyung-ho. Considering the screen time and impact, I don’t think I can aim for the top prize. It’s people like Nam-gil who would expect it,” he joked, prompting laughter.
Known for his extensive filmography, Ju Ji-hoon even describes himself as a “prolific actor”. When asked about his driving force, he responded simply: “I think I’m very curious by nature.”
“Compared to other actors, I tend to get involved a lot right from pre-production. From preparation to the end of filming takes about 10 months and I try to spread out the physical effort. For example, if there is an action scene, I ask if the ground is muddy and how many times I will have to roll. Not everything goes as planned, but preparing in advance helps manage the fatigue. I think that dividing that ‘damage’ allows me to take on more projects.”
Only three episodes left Climaxhe was asked what he would like to say to the viewers who watched until the end.
“What I felt during this project was that ‘it could happen’. I’m not saying it’s right, but I experienced a kind of catharsis and vicarious satisfaction. Thinking, ‘There really are people like that in the world,’ or ‘Situations like this exist,’ might help viewers enjoy the story more. I personally found the script to be very entertaining.”
Sources: Daum
