Actor Ji Seung-hyun Reflects on Career Turning Point with 'Descendants of the Sun'

Ji Seung-hyun revealed that he encountered 'Descendants of the Sun' when he was on the verge of giving up his acting career.

On the 261st episode of tvN's variety show 'You Quiz on the Block,' which aired on the 11th, Ji Seung-hyun appeared alongside three siblings who had an emotional reunion after finding their lost brother, and the actor who had to issue a public apology for his 'national villain' role.

Ji Seung-hyun shared, "I wrote it thinking it was a conversation with myself. I wanted to cheer myself up and also comfort myself." He added, "The content was mostly about 'auditioned,' 'failed,' 'let's do better next time,' and it was repetitive."

He read a page from his writings, which said, "It was a day with no achievements. I took photos without getting paid. No results are coming out. This is just the beginning. Even though I know I can't cover a thousand miles in one go, I keep getting impatient. Let's think positively. There are many opportunities. I just need to seize them."

Ji Seung-hyun recalled the time he wrote that, saying, "It was when I was told to take a bus to a building in Jamsil. The maps weren't as good as they are now. I worked hard to find the place."

Yoo Jae-suk brought up the topic of 'Descendants of the Sun,' the project Ji Seung-hyun landed after numerous auditions. However, Ji Seung-hyun revealed that it was the most challenging time for him. He said, "We filmed in 2015, and it aired in 2016. The movies and web dramas I filmed in 2015 were canceled after meetings and readings."

He continued, "My second child was in my wife's womb at that time. I had a lot of worries. I thought of 'Descendants of the Sun' as my last work. Since I couldn't do anything with my wife, we decided to open a snack bar in our apartment complex."

Ji Seung-hyun said, "I filmed 'Descendants of the Sun' with the mindset that it was my last chance. While we were looking into opening the snack bar, the show aired in February. My second child was born on February 1st. The response from the first episode was very positive." He added, "I started earning a steady income comparable to a salaried worker while appearing in the weekend drama 'The Gentlemen of Wolgyesu Tailor Shop.'"

He concluded, "Looking at my 20 years of diaries and drawing a graph, I realized that while I might have been stagnant, I never fell. After that, I appeared in various works like 'Lovers,' 'Goryeo-Khitan War,' and 'Good Partner.'"

So-jung Lee, TenAsia Reporter forusojung@tenasia.co.kr