Lee Jin-wook Cast in “Squid Game” Through Connections? Jinyoung Shares Insights on Director Hwang Dong-hyuk
In a recent interview at a café in Hwayang-dong, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, Jinyoung talked about KBS2’s Wednesday-Thursday drama “Who Is She”.
KBS2’s “Who Is She” (directed by Park Yong-soon, written by Heo Seung-min, produced by Studio V Plus, Idea Factory, Higround and Yein Plus) is a romance music growth drama. A remake of the 2014 film “Miss Granny”, it tells the story of Oh Mal-soon, a grandmother who suddenly transforms into her 20-year-old self Oh Doo-ri and experiences a second golden age of her life.
In the drama, Jinyoung played Daniel Han, an idol producer. Drawing from his own experiences as a member of B1A4 and a composer, Jinyoung said with a smile, “I do have dreams of becoming an idol producer. Fans and even comments from past shows have often requested it, asking me to please consider doing it.”
He added, “Seeing those comments sometimes makes me ambitious. I wonder, ‘Could I become a good producer?’ But realistically, it’s not easy. Still, it’s a dream I hold on to. If I do it, I’m confident I’ll do it well. It’s a challenging goal, but I imagine there’s nothing more rewarding than weaving together everything I’ve envisioned and shining a light on new talents.”
In the original film “Miss Granny” from 10 years ago, Jinyoung played the role of Oh Mal-soon (Na Moon-hee)’s grandson Ban Ji-ha. Now, in the drama version, he stars as the male lead opposite the younger Oh Mal-soon (Jung Ji-so). What aspect of the original work did Jinyoung want to carry forward?
“I wanted to embody Lee Jin-wook’s relaxed demeanor. That sense of composure he exuded at that age left a strong impression on me. Watching Lee Jin-wook’s ease, I thought, ‘This is what real charm looks like.’ So, I paid special attention to that. I really wanted to achieve it. While our styles and roles are different, it was truly something I aspired to. Even if I take on another drama, I think that’s something I’ve learned as an actor.”
The director of “Miss Granny”, Hwang Dong-hyuk, is now globally renowned for Netflix’s series “Squid Game”. Was Jinyoung disappointed when his former co-star Lee Jin-wook was cast in “Squid Game” Season 2 instead of him?
“At that time, it was my debut in film, so I don’t think I had high expectations. Even now, I remain close with Director Hwang, and ‘Squid Game’ is such a phenomenal work. I think I deliberately tried to temper my hopes because wanting something too much might be noticeable to others. I didn’t expect to be cast, so it wasn’t something I thought about.”
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He continued, “The director had talked a lot about ‘Squid Game’ even before the first season came out. I mostly admired his work as a fan rather than thinking about being cast. Every time one of his projects was released, I would send him a message of support. When ‘Squid Game’ became a global success, I was genuinely happy for him.”
When asked who he would like to see take on his role in “Who Is She” ten years from now, Jinyoung smilingly replied, “I’d recommend referring to Lee Jin-wook’s portrayal in the movie rather than my version in the drama.”
