Park Hee-soon's Transformation Shocks in 'Confidence Queen' as Ratings Soar

In the weekend mini-series 'Confidence Queen' on TV CHOSUN, actors Park Min-young, Park Hee-soon, and Joong-hyuk Joo have transformed into the 'Wind Trio' heading to the countryside, delivering intense performances against Lee Yi-kyung. Notably, Park Hee-soon, born in 1970, captivated audiences with his remarkable transformation.

'Confidence Queen' has climbed to 8th place in the TV drama buzz rankings for the first week of September, as announced by FUNdex and Good Data Corporation. It also made it to the TOP10 in drama TV-OTT search responses, with a steady increase in visitors on Naver Open Talk, proving its growing popularity. Viewers are praising the show for its rollercoaster plot that delivers both laughter and suspense, calling it a 'time-flying drama' and a 'fun-filled drama.'

In the third episode, characters Yoon Yi-rang (played by Park Min-young), James (played by Park Hee-soon), and Myung Goo-ho (played by Joong-hyuk Joo) dream of revenge against the star art critic Yoo Myung-han (played by Lee Yi-kyung), who has a dark side. However, they face a crisis when Yoo Myung-han reports the counterfeit artwork by Kim Yong-bok (played by Choi Hong-il), which was used as bait. The episode ends with a tense moment as Yoo Myung-han seems to notice Yoon Yi-rang, who was shouting at the captured Kim Yong-bok, creating a 'heart-pounding ending.'

In the upcoming fourth episode airing today(14th), Park Hee-soon's shocking transformation, mentioned during the production presentation, will be revealed. In the drama, James transforms into an elderly gentleman from the countryside, leading Yoon Yi-rang and Myung Goo-ho in a cunning performance against Yoo Myung-han. As James, disguised as a rural farmer named Chun Jong-yeop, presents hidden masterpieces, Yoo Myung-han, sensing a jackpot, expresses his intention to purchase all the paintings. James skillfully engages in a back-and-forth with Yoo Myung-han using a local dialect.

Yoon Yi-rang and Myung Goo-ho then appear, delivering a mix of shock and calmness, further infuriating Yoo Myung-han. The suspense builds as viewers wonder what words shook Yoo Myung-han and whether James can maintain his disguise until the end.

In the 'Wind Trio Transformation' scene, Park Hee-soon's six-hour makeup journey amazed everyone, eliciting laughter. The transformation was so perfect that neither the cast nor the crew recognized him, allowing Park Hee-soon to unleash his comedic energy with a local dialect. Park Min-young and Joong-hyuk Joo enhanced the immersion with their perfect chemistry, while Lee Yi-kyung's character brought vitality to the scene.

The production team expressed gratitude, saying, "Despite the long hours of makeup, Park Hee-soon approached filming with humor and positivity, and Park Min-young and Joong-hyuk Joo shone with their strong chemistry. Episode 4 will bring another unimaginable plan to viewers. Expect an amazing story that you won't regret watching."

'Confidence Queen' airs every Saturday and Sunday at 9:10 PM on TV CHOSUN and Coupang Play, and is available globally on Amazon Prime Video in 240 countries and regions, excluding Korea.

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