After leaving SF9, attention is focused on Rowoon, the second act of his career as an actor.

Rowoon announced a new beginning as an actor on 'Smoke Idol'. As he showed off his acting skills without a break, it became important to solidify his position as a leading actor.

This year alone, two dramas visited viewers in a row. He appeared as the male protagonist Jang Shin-yu in JTBC's 'This Love is Force Majeure', and will also appear in KBS 2TV's new Monday-Tuesday drama 'Wedding Battle', which premieres on the 30th.

Rowoon debuted in the group SF9 in 2016 and has been active as both an idol and an actor. However, last month, he announced his withdrawal from SF9 and turned into an actor. He has stood out as an 'acting idol' by appearing in MBC's 'Extraordinary Day', JTBC's 'Senior, Don't Put on That Lipstick', KBS2's 'Yeonmo', and MBC's 'Tomorrow', but now he plans to show his full appearance as an actor. .

‘This Love Is Force Majeure’, in which Rowoon played the lead role, ended on the 12th. ‘This Love Is Force Majeure’ is a work that tells the romance between Lee Hong-jo (played by Jo Bo-ah), a low-ranking civil servant who obtains a banned book that was completely sealed 300 years ago, and Jang Shin-yu (played by Rowoon), a lawyer who becomes a victim of the banned book. We were able to get a glimpse of Rowoon's sly flirting and 'romance craftsman' side.

In terms of viewership ratings, it achieved somewhat disappointing results. It maintained viewer ratings in the 2% range and quietly ended with 3.1%. Since ENA's 'Kidnapping Day' hit the market on the rise, there has been no sign of a rebound.

The poor viewer ratings cannot be said to be Rowoon’s fault. There are many cases where a drama fails to shine despite the lead actor's passionate performance. However, if the drama in which he plays the main character continues to fail at the box office, it can be a painful experience for the actor.

In addition, Rowoon's transition from idol to actor was an important point. The key is whether 'The Wedding Battle', which will be shown on the 30th, is a box office success. 'Wedding Battle' is a matchmaking comic melodrama in which a Cheongsang sire and a Cheongsang widow from the Joseon Dynasty meet and engage in a 'wedding battle' with a widow and a miner (the term for an old maid and an old bachelor during the Joseon Dynasty). 'Wedding Battle' is a matchmaking comic melodrama about a Cheongsang sire and a Cheongsang during the Joseon Dynasty. It is a matchmaking comic melodrama in which a widow meets a virgin and a miner (a term used to refer to old maids and old bachelors during the Joseon Dynasty) and engages in a 'wedding battle'. In the play, Rowoon plays the role of Shim Jeong-woo, a principled 'Confucian boy', and delivers the most unconventional comical performance in his filmography.

Rowoon tried his hand at the comedy genre for the first time. The reason he chose 'Wedding Battle' was, "Actually, I think comedy is the most difficult genre. It's a genre I've always wanted to try, but I tend to start from the unexpected."

Additionally, Rowoon has already had fun with historical dramas. KBS2's 'Yeonmo', in which Park Eun-bin co-starred, received a lot of love, recording double-digit viewership ratings. Through this work, Rowoon also won the Male Popularity Award, Best Couple Award, and Male Rookie Award at the 2021 KBS Drama Awards. Since he showed a strong performance in historical dramas, expectations are increasing for 'The Wedding Battle'.

Rowoon has officially announced his acting career. This year will be more meaningful to him than anyone else. Attention is being paid to whether he can grow into an actor with a box office guarantee who can capture both viewer ratings and popularity.

Ten Asia Reporter Kim Seo-yoon seogugu@tenasia.co.kr