Jung Kyung-ho Declares a Break as the “Frail Male Lead”: “10 Years of Playing Anorexic and AIDS Patients”
On May 12, a video featuring Jung Kyung-ho, Seol In-ah, and Cha Hak-yeon, actors from MBC’s new Friday-Saturday drama Oh My Ghost Client, was uploaded to the YouTube channel Jjan Han Hyung.
During the interview, host Jung Ho-cheol asked Jung Kyung-ho, “I heard you seem low-energy even on set. Have you heard of the term ‘frail male lead’? What do you think about it?” Jung Kyung-ho responded, “I’ve been wondering, ‘Where did this start?’ It probably began when I was filming Life on Mars. Three or four years of such roles would’ve been enough, but I’ve been doing them for over 10 years. In Hospital Playlist, I played Kim Jun-wan, a prickly, sensitive character who doesn’t seem to eat much. In Crash Course in Romance, I portrayed a character with anorexia. And in the play Angels in America, I played an AIDS patient.”
Jung Kyung-ho continued, “This image has coincidentally followed me for 10 years, so after this drama, I plan to take a break and prepare for something new. I’ve been doing these roles for too long, and I feel the need to change. I’ve played professionals for so long that I need time to reset and recharge.“
Jung Kyung-ho is a prominent actor known for his versatile roles in K-dramas and theater. His role as Kim Jun-wan in Hospital Playlist (2020–2021) cemented his popularity, showcasing his ability to portray complex, emotionally nuanced characters. His recent projects include Crash Course in Romance (2023) and the theater production Angels in America, where he tackled challenging roles like an anorexic character and an AIDS patient, respectively.
Oh My Ghost Client is a new MBC series, though specific details about its plot or release are limited in the provided content. Jung Kyung-ho’s decision to take a break underscores the mental and emotional toll of consistently playing intense, often tragic roles over a decade.
