On April 9, Yook Sungjae and Kim Jiyeon appeared as guests on the YouTube channel “Narae-sik” to promote their upcoming SBS Friday–Saturday drama “The Haunted Palace”.
Yook Sungjae and Kim Jiyeon, who have known each other for 16 years, first met through a public audition at JYP Entertainment.
When Park Narae commented “You’ve known each other since you were little, and since you’re both good-looking, I bet you noticed each other right away”, both said, “When you train together, a kind of camaraderie forms.” Kim Jiyeon added jokingly, “It wasn’t about romance—we saw everything, the good and the bad. But Sungjae is the type who really ‘leveled up’.”
Kim Jiyeon shared that from the time she was a rookie, she often sought advice from Yook Sungjae when she faced difficulties. She said, “For example, if I had trouble with the company, he’d say, ‘It’s all the same. Just think of it like this: out of all the same kinds of people, you’re working with the one who understands you the best.’” Yook Sungjae confessed, “That’s a really sugar-coated version. What I actually said was, ‘There are a ton of thugs in this business. Just work with the thug who knows you best.’”
The two also showed their close bond, saying they’d each be willing to lend the other 100 million KRW if needed. Kim Jiyeon said, “Just the fact that we’ve stayed close for 16 years is a show of loyalty. We’ve both worked hard juggling music and acting. And Sungjae has had a big influence on me. He always said, ‘I hope you don’t give up being a singer’ or ‘I hope you try releasing a solo album someday.’ He’s chasing his own dreams, too.”
Yook Sungjae added, “She’s an incredible dancer. It always felt like a waste not to show it.” Kim Jiyeon replied, “I was someone who kind of found my place later than others. When I was filming ‘Twenty-Five Twenty-One’, I struggled a lot physically and emotionally. I remember whining a lot. I think that was when Sungjae had just returned from the military. That was the first time I really had a big breakthrough, and he said, ‘You went through a lot, but it’s great to see it pay off.’”
Yook Sungjae concluded, “We’re not the type to say cheesy things to each other. We don’t really reach out before starting something new. But once it’s done, we’ll reach out and say ‘I did this and it went well’, and the other will say, ‘Congrats’, ‘Thanks’ or ‘You worked hard.’ That’s just the kind of bond we have.”
