[Interview] Kim Jihoon: "I Want to Praise Myself for 20 Years of Diligent Acting"

Playing Both the King and Palcheokgwi in SBS Drama "Guigung"
"Daily Exercise and Diet... I Stay the Same Before and After Getting Paid"

Actor Kim Jihoon took part in an interview at a cafe in Gangnam-gu, Seoul on the 11th. Big Picture ENT

In 2001, Kim Jihoon (44) was a handsome MC and a former SM Entertainment idol trainee, hosting the EBS cooking program "Yorijori Pangpang" and playing the character "Aengdu," the predecessor to Pengsoo. This was the beginning of his career as a rookie actor. His good looks at the time have recently resurfaced among viewers in their teens and twenties, earning him the nickname "the original Cha Eunwoo."

When we met at a cafe in Gangnam-gu, Seoul on the 11th, he said, "Recently, I've been receiving a lot of supportive comments on my social media accounts," and added, "I can really feel the reactions from younger viewers."

In the recently concluded SBS drama "Guigung," he played King Leejeong, who suffers because of the vengeful spirit "Palcheokgwi." In effect, he played both the king and the ghost, taking on two roles in one. In the latter part of the series, the king possessed by Palcheokgwi undergoes a complete transformation, with different eyes and speech.

It was a rare 16-episode drama these days. Filming took place across all four seasons, from summer to spring. Kim Jihoon said, "I poured my 20 years of acting experience into it." He shot arrows, wielded a flaming sword, and even fell into a river. There were many physically demanding scenes, but what was even more challenging was the emotional aspect.

"The emotional intensity in every scene was huge. Not a single scene felt light, so I gave everything I had in every moment. In the latter part of the drama, expressing extreme anger and resentment left me completely drained. I suffered both minor and major injuries, but I am satisfied that I was able to portray the king possessed by Palcheokgwi so well."

He said he can feel the public's response even on the street these days. Kim Jihoon shared, "People come up to me and say, 'I'm enjoying Guigung,' or 'You're the king from Guigung.' I was grateful for those words. The real-time feedback was very rewarding."

He didn't intentionally lose weight for the role, but the grueling filming naturally caused him to slim down. He said, "I tried to draw out my voice from deep within. When playing the vengeful Palcheokgwi, I used up more than twice my usual energy. It wasn't easy, but I have no regrets because I gave it my all."

Kim Jihoon also showed a different side of himself on the MBC variety show "I Live Alone." As he worked out tirelessly, hanging from pull-up bars and learning to sing in his spare time, he earned the nickname "Godsaengler" (meaning someone who lives life to the fullest).

"Actually, I'm a naturally lazy person. Because of that, I set a minimum list of things I must do. I want to spend my time meaningfully. People close to me know this. (laughs) Every day, I fight with myself. If I become endlessly lazy, that itself becomes a source of stress. Sometimes I slack off while trying, and then I wake up again. That cycle feels like my life. That's why I try to maintain the same attitude before and after getting paid for a role, unlike how actors are often described."

A scene from the drama "Guigung." SBS

He said there is a special reason why he maintains a steady weight, eats healthy food, and keeps learning new things. Kim Jihoon said, "I keep up my daily routines to be happy. You can only be happy if your body and mind are healthy. That's why I push myself through exercise and diet management."

This year, Kim Jihoon is returning with the mystery variety show "Crime Scene Zero," which has moved to Netflix. "'Crime Scene' has become much bigger after moving to Netflix. I thought it might be less exciting than previous seasons, but I was genuinely surprised. Every cast member gave real, explosive reactions and we had a lot of fun filming."

He also shared his realistic concerns about the changing production environment. He said, "These days, production companies only want to make projects that are guaranteed to make money. As drama production costs rise, projects that are clearly unprofitable can't even get started. Casting is also difficult unless there's a guaranteed profit structure before the broadcast." He added, "There are fewer projects being made, and that means fewer opportunities for actors as well."

Debuting in 2002 with the drama "Loving You," this year marks his 23rd year as an actor. He has shown many different sides of himself, moving between romance, action, and historical dramas. Looking back on his journey, he said:

"Actors are chosen for their roles. I've lived diligently in a market where your value rises only if many people want you, which is a game of supply and demand. There have been many difficult and tough times, but I want to praise myself for overcoming them. Like Robert De Niro or Lee Soonjae, I want to keep acting into my 80s."