Jeong Kyung-ho, "I play the role of an eating disorder patient, now I need to gain weight and change."

“I have a particularly skinny body. My girlfriend Choi Soo-young also asked me, ‘I’ve been with you for 10 years. How do you always maintain a skinny body?’ Over the past 10 years, I’ve played a lot of sensitive and tough roles. Previous I also played the role of an AIDS patient, and this time I played the role of a lecturer with an eating disorder. I am 41 years old this year, and I think I am now in the middle age as an actor. I feel that it is time to change my mind and body to survive well at this age. This includes weight gain. “I think we have entered the most important period.”

On the 2nd, an interview with tvN's 'One Scandal' actor Jung Kyung-ho was held at a cafe in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. 'One-hit Scandal' is a drama depicting the 'bittersweet' romance between Nam Haeng-seon (played by Jeon Do-yeon), the passionate owner of a national side dish shop (played by Jeon Do-yeon), and Choi Chi-yeol (played by Jeong Kyeong-ho), a Korean math instructor, unfolding in the battlefield of private education.

Jeong Kyung-ho played the role of Kyeol-ho, who is the best instructor in Korea with both ability and wealth, but cannot feel the happiness of a full stomach due to an eating disorder.

Jung Kyung-ho, a male actor with a ‘sickness’ that makes you feel like he could fly away when the wind blows. While everyone was eating chicken breast to build muscle, he was doing the opposite by wearing sweatpants and losing body fat. He was reborn as the 'paper doll' of the actor world and maximized his charm as a sickly male lead.

He, who stimulates a protective instinct that makes him feel like he needs to buy and feed him, has reached his second golden age with the role of Choi Chi-yeol. Now, he has shed the ‘Sooyoung’s boyfriend’ tag and met the character of his life as an actor.

He said he was more nervous about filming the scene of a popular math instructor than about acting with an eating disorder. Jeong Kyung-ho said, "We rented an academy in Mok-dong and filmed it. It was a scene where I was giving a class in front of over 100 students, and I was so nervous that my underwear got wet. I memorized all the math formulas and solved them, but I got one problem wrong. The student who appeared as a supporting actor was "I knew because they told me. From then on, I worked hard and worked hard. I didn't understand math, but I memorized it all and filmed it."

He added, "I tried to understand math for about 3 days, but it was difficult. It was easier to memorize it all. I actually followed the instructors' videos and memorized it."

He said, "I stayed with an advisor for two months. I saw how the class was conducted and had drinks with him. I wanted to experience a little of what the life of a teacher is like. I prepared an inexpensive blackboard at home and practiced writing. The teacher solved the problems. “After I wrote it down, I painted over it several times. I even tried to imitate the teacher’s intonation,” he said.

His thorough preparation for the character ultimately resulted in high viewership ratings. Compared to the first episode, viewership ratings increased 3 to 4 times, showing the positive influence of a warm drama.

In addition, the perfect chemistry with partner Jeon Do-yeon could not be left out. Jeong Kyung-ho said, "It's impossible to have bad chemistry with senior Jeon Do-yeon. I've liked senior Jeon Do-yeon's acting since I was young. I don't know why I like it so much," and added, "For 20 years, I've always been concerned about pursuing change. But my senior never changes." “He was charming. The way he spoke, his breathing, and his laughter were all indescribably good.”

He added, "You may not know this, but I always watched it again on the monitor after filming the two shots. I liked it so much that I kept watching it. It was a glorious moment for 7 months. It was the only work I didn't feel stressed about. There were so many happy moments." .

Ryu Ye-ji, Ten Asia Reporter ryuperstar@tenasia.co.kr