“It’s been exactly 10 years since I started acting... It feels like I’m just beginning now. I doubted myself, got exhausted, and reached a peak of thirst, but I got a miraculous opportunity. I met the best partner (Go Yoon-jung).”
Finally, tvN, which had been struggling with a 0% rating, received a refreshing rain. ‘Unsung’ was criticized for its medical fantasy due to the conflict in the medical field and felt overshadowed by its older brother ‘Hospital Playlist’. It was saved by romance. Jung Jun-won (37), who played the male lead Gu Do-won, truly acted as a savior.
The weekend drama ‘Someday, a Wise Resident Life’ (hereafter ‘Unsung’) ended successfully, breaking its own viewership ratings record with each episode despite the stark division of opinions.
The drama is a spin-off of ‘Hospital Playlist’ (hereafter ‘Hospital Life’), depicting the growth of residents dreaming of becoming doctors as they go through a period of denial. Unlike professors who have completed their growth as working adults, the protagonists are fresh graduates who started their careers, and the broadcast was delayed by a year due to the collective strike of residents that began in February last year.
Before the broadcast ended, Jung Jun-won, who met at a café in Gangnam, said, “I was worried about everything, but as I saw the viewers’ reactions getting warmer week by week, I initially had doubts. It felt like the world was deceiving me. I thought, ‘Does this make sense?’ I’m just grateful, and that’s all.”
The hit series from PD Shin Won-ho, including the ‘Reply’ series, ‘Prison Playbook’, and ‘Hospital Playlist’, had writer Lee Woo-jung as a creator, but PD Lee Min-soo and writer Kim Song-hee participated as the main team for the first time. Actors Jung Jun-won, Go Yoon-jung, Shin Si-a, Kang Yoo-seok, and Han Ye-ji appeared.
Jung Jun-won said, “Actually, I auditioned for ‘Hospital Playlist’ too, but I didn’t get the part. I didn’t even dare to think about the role of ‘Gu Do-won’ this time either.” He continued, “I had several meetings with the production team, and it seemed they were curious about me as a person, not just my acting. As we met more often, I became more comfortable, and I think I approached everything as I am. I think they saw that positively, and when I heard the casting confirmation, it felt like a dream. I can only express it as a miracle.”
“The year I was cast was exactly when I hit 10 years. It was a time when my thirst for work reached its peak. Like others, nothing was going my way... I think it was a tough time to endure that. When I became ‘Gu Do-won’, it felt like I was being compensated for all that mental suffering.”
But the joy was short-lived, as worries came rushing in. “Being the boyfriend of Lee Young (Go Yoon-jung), isn’t that absurd?” he started, “The script didn’t reveal the ending, and it only mentioned Lee Young’s confession and some flirting. While it was good, I was worried. I’m good at self-objectivity, so I thought viewers wouldn’t accept the setup of Lee Young having a crush on Do-won. So, I told the director several times, and he told me to have confidence and trust the team,” he laughed.
“Gu Do-won is a character like a fantasy. He has the power of this character, and with so many strong friends, I was told to relax. It really was like that. Especially, Yoon-jung is the best partner. Gu Do-won is a character created from Oh Yi-young’s reactions. What I focused on was not about looks or anything (laughs), but just wanting to convey a cool, likable energy from a man. The rest was all created by Yoon-jung.”
“Especially the passionate kiss scene became a hot topic,” he said, “Oh, I never thought that would happen. A kiss scene...” and he shyly laughed.
In reality, the Gu Do-won he portrayed is a perfect character. He is a fourth-year resident known as ‘Class Leader Gu’ to professors and ‘God Gu’ to junior residents. With a heavy calmness, decisiveness, speed, and meticulousness, he appears whenever something happens in the hospital and disappears as soon as the situation is resolved, like a Superman in obstetrics. Given his well-rounded personality and abilities, it’s no surprise that everyone in the hospital, from professors to interns, seeks out Gu Do-won. To make matters worse, he develops from Oh Yi-young’s crush to a romantic partner amidst the arrival of first-year residents.
Jung Jun-won repeatedly expressed his gratitude to Go Yoon-jung, saying, “She acted with a gaze that truly loves Do-won, which allowed me to immerse easily, and I learned a lot. I only thought she was an amazing actress. She was the best colleague.”
He added, “In fact, it was true that I was unsettled because the airing was unexpectedly delayed, and the initial evaluations were mixed. People around me were more worried and felt sorry for me. Fortunately, I met good colleagues and a production team, which allowed me to manage that time positively without anxiety, and the energy of ‘let’s do our best’ reached the viewers, resulting in praise and support. I feel happy, overwhelmed, and moved.”
Moreover, he said, “I feel very regretful about sending off this work, but on the other hand, I think I need to wake up from this dream quickly. I feel like I’m just at the starting line, ready to run.” He expressed his hope, “I sincerely wish for more opportunities to showcase various performances. I want to discover and learn what I’m good at, what I lack, and new possibilities through those experiences.”
“In fact, I was curious and scared whether I, as an actor, could persuade viewers with delicate emotions as a male lead in a romance. I tried to become ‘Gu Do-won’ by mobilizing all the elements I have, and I was very nervous about whether the ‘Do-won’ I created would resonate with the world. I’m grateful for giving me the possibility and confidence. I sincerely thank you for everything I experienced and learned through ‘Unsung’.”
