[Interview] Jang Dong-min, Winner of Blood Game 3, "My Grandmother Is an Outstanding Political Force"

With Skillful and Clever Play, He Wins 100 Million Won
"Survival Is About Staying Alive, Not Money... It's Just Like Life"

Actor Jang Dong-min is posing for photos ahead of the interview. Photo by Wave

"When I was young, I lived apart from my parents and stayed with my grandmother. She was such a unique person that she became the inspiration for the character I played in the Gag Concert segment ‘Halmaega Ppulnatda’ (Grandma Got Angry). From the first grade of elementary school, I lived carefully, trying to please my grandmother, and thanks to that, I learned how to read people's minds and make them feel good."

On the 22nd, at an office in Yeouido, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, broadcaster Jang Dong-min (45) spoke about the secret behind his outstanding political skills in survival variety shows. He showed a relaxed attitude but his voice trembled briefly when talking about his grandmother. Recently, he won first place in the third season of the OTT (Over-The-Top) service Wavve’s ‘Game of Blood’. He dominated the game by understanding the psychology of the contestants and led his way to a fierce victory.

Jang Dong-min has been called the ‘Survival Master’ for his performances in numerous survival programs such as ‘The Genius’, ‘Crimescene’, ‘Society Game’, and ‘God’s Quiz’. While recent survival shows mainly feature young contestants, Jang, in his mid-40s, secured the championship with strong concentration and experience. He said, "Games where you solve puzzles by clues or predict events that happened early on in the hotel were refreshing," adding, "Especially the Deathmatch where you associate hints with sentences to find the answer, the Memory 30 game was impressive."

The production team of Game of Blood Season 3 conducted tests beforehand with the PD and non-celebrities, but Jang Dong-min dominated the game with skills surpassing those tests. He laughed, "If they had tested with a prize of 100 million won, they would have done better too." Preparing to produce survival content himself, he added, "Now when I see the problems, I can see the intention of the question setter."

Still cut from 'Game of Blood 3'. Provided by Wavve

Jang Dong-min is considered a leading figure in survival variety shows alongside broadcaster Hong Jin-ho. The two, both competitors and colleagues, faced off again in Game of Blood Season 3. He joked, "I’m not just one of the two major peaks; I am the only peak." He continued, "Hong Jin-ho was relaxed. It was like he was saying, ‘It’s okay to lose.’ But in survival, being relaxed is a shortcut to elimination, so I was most wary of him."

Jang Dong-min debuted as a KBS public comedian in 2004 and has maintained his position in the broadcasting industry for 21 years. He credits his success to always maintaining a tense attitude. He revealed, "During the filming of Game of Blood Season 3, cameras were on 24 hours a day, and there were no set times for meals or sleep, so I was always tense and barely slept. Some contestants even gained weight and were eliminated, but I lost about 10 kilograms."

When asked if the 100 million won prize money was his motivation, he shook his head. He emphasized, "Of course, 100 million won is a lot of money, but I don’t play the game by betraying people. The image I have built over time is more important."

He likened the essence of survival variety shows to life itself. Jang Dong-min concluded, "Survival is like war. Just as you can’t be greedy for a promotion on a battlefield where bullets are flying, survival is the most important goal. If you don’t take down your enemy, you die."