Kim Min-gyu "Even if I go back, I will appear on 'Produce 101'"

“I am working as an actor, but even if I went back, I would have appeared on ‘Produce Through '

Actor Kim Min-gyu, who broadened his acting spectrum with MBN's 'The Crown Prince Disappeared', said this about his appearance on Mnet's audition program 'Produce X', which is considered the starting point of his entertainment career. He visited the Ten Asia headquarters located in Jungnim-dong, Seoul on the afternoon of the 14th and told reporters about his work and other stories. Kim Min-gyu showed off his sense by handing a moon jar to reporters, saying he had prepared a gift suitable for a historical drama. Kim Min-gyu answered in a polite and sincere manner throughout the interview, making us support him even more.

‘The Crown Prince Disappeared’ is a Joseon version of a romantic comedy that depicts the story of Crown Prince Lee Geon (Suho), who lived a solid life, being bossed around by Choi Myeong-yoon (Hong Ye-ji), the woman who would become the Crown Princess. In the play, Kim Min-gyu played the role of Prince Doseong, the eldest son of Haejong's second wife, Jungjeon Yoon, and the half-brother of Crown Prince Lee Geon. The first episode recorded a viewership rating of 1.5% (based on Nielsen Korea), but it rose to 4% from the 16th episode. The final episode, which aired on the 16th, recorded the highest viewership rating of 5.6% and 5.1% nationwide according to Nielsen Korea. It achieved its finale by breaking its own highest viewer ratings for four consecutive episodes.

When asked if he realized his popularity after appearing in 'The Crown Prince Disappeared', he said, "I remember when I went down to my home in Ulsan after filming. I went out for a walk and a lot of grandmothers recognized me. It was so amazing. Most of the people who recognize me so far are in the age group of 10~30. He expressed pride, saying, “It seems like the age group has increased.” He then honestly said, “I don’t really feel it because I only go back and forth between home and the gym.”

Kim Min-gyu said he was impressed by Suho, "He didn't just film a drama. He also prepared for an album and a concert at the same time. The schedule was really tight and he must have been tired, but he didn't show that he was tired and did his best. I felt he was professional and cool." He said. He then revealed that he and Yeji are close friends, saying, "We got along more comfortably with Yeji because we were one year apart. As a joke, we politely called each other 'senior' and 'junior'."

He was confirmed to appear in ‘The Crown Prince Disappeared’ after going through three auditions. Kim Min-gyu said, "It was just as we were about to start filming the last episode of 'Maestra.' I received a call 2-3 days before the full script reading. Although the preparation period was tight, it was an honor to be able to join."

When asked what he thought was the secret to passing the audition, Kim Min-gyu said, "The confrontation between brothers is important for the character of Prince Doseong, but the romance with Myeong-yoon (played by Hong Ye-ji) must be maintained. I was told by the director that he chose me after seeing my romantic acting in the previous work. “I heard,” he said shyly.

"I've mainly played bright and cute roles. I felt like I had the opportunity to act with a different determination through 'The Crown Prince Disappeared', so I was greedy. I was worried about the fact that it was a historical drama, but I was able to overcome it and show my spirit of challenge to work hard. “Thanks to the director and seniors, I was able to naturally ease the burden.”

It was reported that ‘The Crown Prince Disappeared’ was filmed starting last winter. He said, "It was cold, but it was difficult to say it was cold because Suho and Yeji suffered much more than me. Since the title was 'The Crown Prince Disappeared', the two went to colder outdoor places such as caves and valleys a lot. “Because I was a great general, I spent a lot of time in the palace,” he said. He continued, “I once said, ‘It’s cold these days,’ and Suho and Yeji said, ‘Have you been to a cave or a valley?’ I had nothing to say,” he said, apologizing.

Previously, director Kim Jin-man said at the production presentation, “Kim Min-gyu is like ‘Korea’s Timothee Chalamet.’” Regarding this, Kim Min-gyu joked, saying, "My opinion was not reflected at all. I broke into a cold sweat (laughter)." He said, "I think that's how much the director looked at me kindly. I'm so grateful that he knows my strengths better than anyone else and views me favorably. On the other hand, I feel a greater sense of responsibility to become an actor who can live up to his wishes."

Min-gyu Kim also shared a digression. He said, "After the article (about Timothee Chalamet) came out, I received a lot of questions from my friends. 'What is this?', 'What's going on?' “He didn’t say anything like this, he just sent consistent question marks,” he said, causing laughter from reporters.

When asked what the director thought was good about him, Kim Min-gyu said, "I tried acting a lot, and I heard a lot from my seniors and staff that 'It's good to see you acting proactively and without fear.' Also, I have good absorption and sense." “He gave me a lot of compliments,” he said, guessing the merits. He added, “When I hear such good words, I try to work harder to live up to it, and I think people appreciate that too.”

What is Kim Min-gyu’s own strength? He answered humbly, saying, "I have a good voice. I once asked why I was accepted to the agency, and the answer was that it was my face and voice. It's hard to agree with the former, but I'm grateful for the latter." When asked if there was a genre or character he wanted to play, Kim Min-gyu expressed his passion for acting, saying, "Before, I wanted a noir with a clear charisma and a youth story where people wear school uniforms. However, after playing a lot of unrequited love roles, now I want to do any genre that involves true love." indicated.

Kim Min-gyu, who was in the top ranks throughout the 2019 'ProduceX' broadcast, unfortunately missed the opportunity to debut in an idol group by finishing in 12th place. Afterwards, he chose to become an actor rather than an idol, and debuted in 2020 with the Playlist web drama ‘Man and Woman torn apart’. The image of ‘ProduceX’ was strong. When asked what influence it had on his acting career, Kim Min-gyu said, "Honestly, at first, I wanted to break away from that image and put a lot of effort into it. But as I continued working, I gradually realized that the Kim Min-gyu of today is because of the Kim Min-gyu of that time. There is a need to shed that image." “I don’t think there will be any, but I think I just have to work hard,” he said, raising expectations.

"I wanted to become an actor with a wide spectrum, but another goal has emerged. It's to make people want to see actor Min-gyu Kim when he comes out. I want to make my fans proud so they don't regret liking me. As I have done so far, I will continue to do my best in the future. I will do my best, so let’s live happily together.”

Ten Asia Reporter Lee So-jeong forusojung@tenasia.co.kr