Actor Jung Jun-won, who recently found himself at the center of an attitude controversy following a variety show appearance, has spoken candidly about the moments during his long years of obscurity when he nearly gave up on acting.
Jung appeared Wednesday in a video published on broadcaster Ha Ji-young's YouTube channel, looking back on last year and saying the period just before the release of the tvN drama series "Resident Playbook" was "the hardest time I had as an actor."
"Acting is a profession that requires a lot of luck — ultimately, you have to be chosen," he said. "Before I was cast in 'Resident Playbook,' I actually thought to myself, 'Maybe I'm just not cut out to be an actor. Maybe I'm just not good enough.'"
He added that he could not bring himself to tell others that opportunity would come if they simply refused to quit. "I don't think that holds true for everyone," he said. "I got this chance almost like a miracle — I was just incredibly lucky."
He went on to say that when junior actors confide in him about whether to walk away, he cannot simply tell them to keep going. "It feels like I'd be giving them false hope, like I'd be acting irresponsibly," he said.
Still, he said he believed the gift of this moment came precisely because he never gave up. "Right now, the biggest thing on my mind is to take the opportunities I've been given, carry them with confidence, and work even harder," he said.
Jung also spoke about the pressure of taking on his first lead role in the MBC Friday-Saturday drama series "A Bona Fide Killer." He said that while "Resident Playbook" had made him nervous, this project felt different. "I feel like this is the first time I'm really being evaluated and put to the test, so I'm quite worried," he said.
He added that even after more than a decade in the industry, seeing himself on screen still feels unfamiliar. "I keep wondering whether viewers will actually be convinced by me," he said. "That's why hearing 'I really enjoyed it' is the compliment that makes me happiest."
Meanwhile, Jung had come under fire from some viewers after appearing on MBC's variety program "Hangout with Yoo" alongside actor Gong Hyo-jin, with critics saying he looked tense and gave subdued responses throughout the broadcast.
Fellow cast member HaHa defended Jung, saying it "was a really difficult program for a first variety show appearance" and that Jung had been "so lovable and fun on set." Gong also came to his defense, saying Jung "actually threw up after filming — I couldn't save him."
Born in 1988, Jung made his debut in the 2015 film "Joryuingan" and gained wider recognition through tvN's "Resident Playbook." He is currently appearing in his first lead role in "A Bona Fide Killer."
betterj@heraldcorp.com
