Seo Kang-joon, who returned to the small screen after three years, confirmed the title of 'trustworthy actor' with his captivating performance from the very first episode.
The MBC Friday-Saturday drama ‘Undercover High School’ (written by Lim Young-bin, directed by Choi Jeong-in), which premiered on the 21st, depicts the chaotic high school life of National Intelligence Service agent Jung Hae-sung (played by Seo Kang-joon), who disguises himself as a high school student to track down the whereabouts of Emperor Gojong's missing gold bars.
In the drama, Seo Kang-joon plays the role of Jung Hae-sung, an agent from the NIS Domestic Team 4. He is tasked with finding the gold bars of Emperor Gojong and is sent on the 'Undercover High School' operation, infiltrating the school as a student.
Through this work, Seo Kang-joon returned to the small screen for the first time in three years since the Disney+ drama ‘Grid’, which was released in 2022. After fulfilling his military duty and being discharged from the Army last May, Seo Kang-joon chose ‘Undercover High School’ as his comeback project after careful consideration.
Before the premiere, Seo Kang-joon shared at the production presentation, “Time in the military felt like an eternity. I thought a lot about my past, what kind of actor I am, why I want to be an actor, and what kind of actor I want to become. Although I may not be satisfied with the works I have done, I have no regrets. I feel that I did my best at the time of those choices. I decided to choose this project with the mindset of not regretting whatever the outcome may be.”
Seo Kang-joon's thoughtful decision seems to have paid off. In the first episode, he showcased his charm by seamlessly transitioning between comedy and action.
In the drama, Jung Hae-sung demonstrates his skills as an NIS field agent by engaging in gunfights and hand-to-hand combat while attempting to recover stolen national treasures. Notably, he chased a fleeing vehicle on a motorcycle, hung onto the roof of a moving car, and broke through the sunroof to subdue a criminal with his bare hands, captivating viewers with his spectacular action scenes. Additionally, he impressively took down a group of thugs with just a plastic water bottle. Although it was a brief moment, his natural comedic timing during interactions with his homeroom teacher Oh Soo-ah (played by Jin Ki-joo) helped relieve the tension in the drama.
Visually, there was much to admire as well. During the production presentation, Director Choi Jeong-in remarked, “Hae-sung is a very handsome NIS agent, and his appearance is perfect.” Director Choi ensured that Seo Kang-joon's charm was fully showcased, convincing viewers in just the first episode. Particularly, Seo Kang-joon perfectly pulled off the school uniform, which many actors find challenging. Although it has been over a decade since he graduated high school, his youthful appearance created a sense of believability.
Returning to viewers after three years, Seo Kang-joon exceeded expectations from the very first episode. With a viewership rating of 5.6% (Nielsen Korea, nationwide) for the premiere, the show started off smoothly, and viewers are curious to see how Seo Kang-joon will continue to shine as a 'trustworthy actor' and create a new iconic character.
[Kim So-yeon, Star Today Reporter]
