"Cuteness is the ultimate cheat key"…Park Jihoon, cute comic soldier (production press conference)

[Dispatch=Reporter Kim So-jeong] Former member Jihoon returns as a private with nothing. Instead of a rifle, he's armed with a kitchen knife; instead of a belt, an apron. The journey to become a legendary mess sergeant begins. tvN's "Becoming a Legend Mess Sergeant" is a military cooking show fantasy drama. Jihoon takes on the lead role of 'Kang Seong-jae,' a story about growing from a clumsy new recruit into a chef who brings order to the unit. To this, he added charm through cuteness. Jihoon said, "I acted in a way that was cute and funny. When you watch it, you'll feel like 'Oh, so cute.' That's my strength in comedic acting," he confidently stated. Suddenly, chatterbox Yoon Kyung-ho chimed in. "It's admirable and nice that Park Jihoon calls himself cute," he said, looking at Jihoon warmly. "Becoming a Legend Mess Sergeant" (hereafter "Mess Sergeant") held a production presentation on the 6th at 2 p.m. at the Pullman Ambassador Seoul Eastpole Hotel. Director Cho Nam-hyung, Jihoon, Yoon Kyung-ho, Han Dong-hee, Lee Hong-nae, and special guest Lee Sang-i graced the occasion. "Mess Sergeant" is Jihoon's next project following the box office success of the film "The Man Living With the King." Did success from his previous work bring pressure? Jihoon remained calm. "By nature, I don't usually feel burdened. I only thought about what I could express within the work and what kind of synergy I could create with my senior actors. I was nervous, but there was no pressure." It was Yoon Kyung-ho who felt the burden. "Around the time filming ended, 'The Man Living With the King' exploded, so it was really burdensome on set. It went well and suddenly he appeared as a king, so around episodes 9-10 it was awkward," he confessed. Host Park Kyung-rim asked, "How is it now?" Yoon Kyung-ho replied, "Now I'm glad and grateful he's doing well, and I like that we get our pictures taken together," drawing laughter. His unmarried status actually helped with his acting. Jihoon explained, "Rather, the director wanted someone who hasn't gone to the military to do this role. It seemed necessary to show someone being very awkward and embarrassed as a new recruit." Director Cho's reason for casting Jihoon was his 'eyes.' "Like many other directors and staff, I got to know Jihoon through 'Weak Hero.' His eyes were good. That's why I cast him," he said. He continued, "Seong-jae is an unfamiliar, awkward character. But he has strong conviction and a clear determination to move forward toward his goals—he's an actor with eyes that can express that well," he praised highly. Yoon Kyung-ho also carefully picked up the microphone. "When I first saw Jihoon, I fell into his eyes. Among all the actors I've seen so far, I've never seen eyes like his. They're remarkable," he said with a smile. "He has comedy, cuteness, mischief, and sometimes expresses sadness as well. He excellently portrayed a private who hasn't served in the military. The bewildered look in a new recruit's eyes left an impression," he added with praise. Given the cooking theme, preparation was thorough. Jihoon said, "I practiced cooking before filming. But I don't have any special talent for cooking. On the other hand, my knife skills improved a lot," he laughed. "Mess Sergeant" added a fresh element—games. Through visible quest windows following an unfamiliar voice, the protagonist challenges leveling up. All these quest windows were created through CG work. Jihoon explained, "I rolled my eyes a lot as if the CG was there. I memorized the parts that could be focal points," he said. Director Cho asserted, "Jihoon did well despite it being difficult acting. He resonated well with the unfamiliar path of a cook." Teamwork was excellent. Yoon Kyung-ho said, "The actors had really good chemistry. There are various devices in the drama. There's fantasy. I asked them to handle reality seriously and fantasy seriously. It was unique to meet with different feelings," he added. Director Cho carefully selected each soldier. Yoon Kyung-ho said, "The director enthusiastically helped with the acting. So the acting received great strength. There were actually many military veterans, so each other's background knowledge helped. There were many devices for good acting chemistry," he noted with pride. Lee Hong-nae said, "I've never seen people this fun. The filming set was so much fun that this is a production that strengthened the muscle of holding back laughter. That energy will definitely be transmitted," she was confident. Director Cho gave credit to the actors. "From the director's perspective, I couldn't pay attention to every detail, but the actors acted like soldiers working in squads all on their own. The other actors approached filming with enthusiasm," he said gratefully. Finally, the actors pointed out viewing highlights. Han Dong-hee said, "There's comedy about imagining taste, but through Kang Seong-jae, you can also see each person growing," he expressed confidence. Yoon Kyung-ho said, "You can see oppa as a private. If you enjoyed episode 1, it becomes more fun by the final episode," he emphasized. "By the way, outdoor filming was done in Uljin. If it does well, please enjoy it as a tour course," he joked. Jihoon said, "'Mess Sergeant' is really fun. I'm happy to be able to show such a fun work. It started when it was hot and ended when it was cold. I learned a lot within that time. It was tight-knit and happy," he urged viewership. Meanwhile, "Becoming a Legend Mess Sergeant" will premiere on May 11 at 8:50 p.m. on Tving and tvN. <사진=Seunghoon Lee, Reporter>

Who Wins? You Decide on MURAPOP

by. Kim So Jung