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On November 27, an interview with Ji Chang Wook for Disney+'s Gangnam B-Side was held at a café Seoul.
Gangnam B-Side is a crime K-drama that follows a top detective who, after being demoted, joins forces with a prosecutor and a mysterious broker to take down sinister forces operating in the shadows of Gangnam's nightlife.
Ji Chang Wook portrays Yoon Gil Ho, a character who dominates the Gangnam area and is also a mysterious broker.
When asked how he feels about Gangnam B-Side ranking No. 1 on Disney+'s global Top 10 list, as of November 26 (FlixPatrol), he said, "Director Park Noo Ri sent me a screenshot of the ranking. Honestly, it still doesn't quite hit me. They say we reached global No. 1, and I'm incredibly grateful and happy about it. In a way, I'm grateful that a project we all worked hard on as a team is being seen and appreciated by so many people. The final episode is being released today [November 27], I hope everyone looks forward to it."
Maybe it's because Ji Chang Wook's such a popular Hallyu star that he doesn't feel the popularity? "I'm not sure about being such a big Hallyu star (laughs). I think it's hard for an actor to really feel that themselves. It's mostly based on the reactions of people around me. But it's not like people I'm close to heap praise on me or anything. I see it [the success and popularity] in the rankings and charts. And it's not that I don't feel it because I've become desensitized to it."
Ji Chang Wook on Gangnam B-Side being likened to The Worst of Evil
Ji Chang Wook also commented on how many scenes in Gangnam B-Side seem to remind people of The Worst of Evil: "Gangnam B-Side is being likened to The Worst of Evil a lot, but I didn't think about it too much. I wasn't worried or thought about the characters overlapping. I was solely focused on portraying Yoon Gil Ho. Since some of the actors overlap quite a bit within the same production company [Sanai Pictures] and genre, I can see how the imagery might feel similar, but that didn't bother me. I have other projects I'll take on in the future, and I won't stick to just this type of work. So I didn't worry too much about it."
When asked if he was shocked by any parts of the script, the actor said, "When reading the script, there were incidents that came to mind, which made me think this was a story worth exploring. It's dramatic and almost unbelievable, yet somehow plausible — like it could actually happen. The script was interesting, with its mix of complex incidents. Every event in the script was shocking. I found myself thinking, 'Do they really go this far?' But then I realized that the audience might see this as being quite close to reality. I don't know much about it personally, but many people come to know about these kinds of incidents through news articles. Those articles can be surprisingly sensational. Things like drugs being circulated in clubs — those real-life stories sometimes feel even more shocking than what's depicted in dramas or films." He also said, "I thought that the character Yoon Gil Ho could turn out to be an interesting role if I add my own color to it."
Ji Chang Wook just doesn't like doing action
Following The Worst of Evil, the actor once again delivers spectacular action scenes.
However, Ji Chang Wook shared his candid remarks about the continuous action roles. He admitted, "I've thought about this — how much I don't want to do action. Actually, I think about it every time," adding, "I actually prefer other genres more. I don't really enjoy doing action that much. But somehow, it seems like there's always action in my projects."
He continued, "In any case, whether I like it or not, I have to do it well and make it work somehow. Fortunately, it seems that many people find my action performances impressive and have given me a lot of praise for them. But honestly, though, I don't really like [doing] action that much."
He also shared, "It was okay for this production, but during The Worst of Evil, there was a moment while filming an action scene where I couldn't finish the sequence and passed out because I was out of breath. I thought to myself, 'This must be because of my age. I used to do this over a hundred times in the past, but now I'm out of breath and can only do till this limit.' But when I see senior actors who are even older than me handling action scenes so well, it makes me think, 'Maybe I can keep going a bit longer too,' which is reassuring."
When asked if he would like to do a rom-com, Ji Chang Wook responded, "Yes, I want to. I really want to do a rom-com. I enjoy that kind of thing. I like it more than action." But then candidly added, "(If another action role comes along) I'll do it if they pay me [good]. If it's a good project, I'd probably take it. While I do say I dislike doing a lot of action, if the role and script are good, I'll take it."
Ji Chang Wook also spoke about his bare-body action scene in the series, saying, "It was a scene that was already in the script." "When we were filming, I asked the director two or three times, 'Is it really okay to fight shirtless?' But the director reassured me, saying it would be fine."
He went on to say, "This is just a personal preference, but I don't really like bare-body action scenes. Maybe because I'm not a martial artist, but without clothes covering me up, I feel like I look a bit insignificant. Bare-body action doesn't seem that cool to me, and even when I react to hits [and punches], it doesn't look as painful."
When asked if he prepared specifically for that scene, he responded, "No, there was no special preparation. We just filmed it as it was, and it came out as it was. Since it was brief, I didn't think there was any need to create something artificial for it."
Ji Chang Wook reacts to being called the "Son of Disney+"
Including his upcoming project The Manipulated, Ji Chang Wook has been a part of three Disney+ projects so far, earning the nickname the "Son of Disney+".
Regarding this, Ji Chang Wook shared, "I'm really happy about it. I want to buy Disney stocks to celebrate becoming Disney's son." He humorously added, "But please don't call me a Disney prince. I think my friends will make fun of me if people start calling me that."
He continued, "When you think about it, an actor can't just decide to perform in a project just because they want to. Like in any industry, there need to be investors for a project to move forward, and an actor is just someone with a role to play in that. Nevertheless, being chosen to play a role somewhere is incredibly rewarding and feels great. Somehow, I ended up continuing to work with Disney+, and I hope to continue to have fun working with them in the future."
He also shared, "One thing I feel pressured about is that the project has to be better than the previous one. Since I'm being paid by Disney+, there's the pressure to do it well. OTT platforms measure success through indicators like subscription numbers and viewing hours, so there's always the pressure for the results to match the investment, and I think this applies not only to Disney+ but to all platforms. "People say the industry is going through a tough time, but I'm grateful for the opportunity to work with Disney+. That's why I'm excited and committed to making a great project."
