Actor Jung Hae-in. [Herald Muse]
Actor Jung Hae-in. [Herald Muse]

Actor Jung Hae-in has expressed gratitude for his younger brother, who works as his manager.

Jung and actor Heo Seong-tae are set to appear as guests on SBS's "Tteummanyamyeon," airing Tuesday.

During the episode, Jung brings up an airport photo of him and his manager that once went viral in online communities.

The photo drew attention for showing the manager holding a large umbrella over Jung even though it was not raining, sparking a "gapjil" controversy over what some saw as excessive deference. The backlash quickly turned to amusement when it emerged that the manager was actually Jung's younger brother — a detail that resonated with siblings across the country.

"He's my sidekick my mom made for me," Jung said with a laugh, adding that his brother had come with him that day as well. "He's always by my side on set," he said.

When host Yoo Jae-suk remarked that it must not be easy for a younger brother to work alongside his older sibling, Jung spoke warmly of the arrangement. "We both put in a lot of effort," he said. "Because my brother knows exactly how everything works in my career, he's someone I can really lean on — he helps me a great deal."

Jung went on to say his brother now felt like "more than family," prompting Yoo to respond with an envious "That's great, I love that."

Meanwhile, Jung had been scheduled to take part in a promotional interview Friday for the Netflix series "This Awful/Wonderful Love" but canceled after his co-star Ha Young pulled out following a controversy over her great-grandfather's alleged pro-Japanese collaboration during the colonial era.


choigo@heraldcorp.com