On January 27, Park Ji-hoon sat down for an interview at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Jongno District, Seoul, where he spoke openly about his physical transformation for the role. The actor confessed to having lost 15 kilograms due to an extreme diet, admitting that the process had seriously affected his health.
The king’s guardiandirected by Jang Hang-jun, it is set in 1457 Cheongnyeongpo and tells the story of a village chief who voluntarily chooses exile for the good of his village, along with a deposed young king removed from the throne. The film focuses on the last year of King Danjong’s life and the real historical figure Eom Heung-do (played by Yoo Hae-jin), making it the first Korean film to explore the king’s hidden history.
In the film, Park Ji-hoon plays King Danjong (Yi Hong-wi), the sixth monarch of the Joseon Dynasty. Crowned at just 12 years old, Danjong was later dethroned by his uncle, Grand Prince Suyang, and ultimately met a tragic end in exile. To convincingly portray the king’s physical and emotional decline, Park Ji-hoon underwent an extreme transformation.
“The diet method was simple but incredibly difficult, I just wasn’t eating,” Park Ji-hoon explained. “I was surviving on just a small piece of apple and couldn’t even sleep. I wanted to capture a level beyond just looking skinny, I wanted to look completely emaciated.” He added that exercise was not an option to achieve the desired effect, which led him to choose starvation.
Director Jang Hang-jun jokingly remarked: “If Park Ji-hoon didn’t go on a diet, this film could become my last work” a comment that the actor took with good humor. “If I were the director, I probably would have thought the same thing” Park Ji-hoon laughed. “At the time I was on a break to eat, sleep and have fun without stress. I weighed just over 70 kilograms, but in just two and a half months I lost about 15 kilograms.”
The physical toll was severe. “Even during the scenes where I had to eat, I would gag just from putting food in my mouth. My condition was worse,” he admitted. “I wasn’t even hungry anymore and I maintained that state until the end of filming.”
The king’s guardian opens in theaters on February 4, attracting attention both for its untold historical narrative and Park Ji-hoon’s intense dedication to his role.
Sources: Nate News
