Actor Kim Ji-hoon raised the drama's tension instantly with explosive emotional immersion.
On the 20th, the released TVING original "Dear X" episodes 7-8 depicted the reappearance of Choi Jeong-ho (played by Kim Ji-hoon), which abruptly shifted the mood.
Previously, Jeong-ho, who had formed a connection with Baek A-jin (Kim Yoo-jung) as a shop owner and part-time worker, tried to protect A-jin, who was suffering from stalking, and was mistaken in attacking her biological father Baek Seon-gyu (Bae Soo-bin), who had been tormenting her, as the stalker, becoming embroiled in a murder case. During the police investigation Jeong-ho realized that all of this had been A-jin's scheme, but he was wrongfully convicted of murder and served a prison sentence, shattering his dream of returning as a professional baseball player.
In episode 7, the returning Kim Ji-hoon delivered an impact that shook the center of the drama by his mere presence. Jeong-ho prowled around A-jin, who had already become a beloved actor of the public, creating unease, and with the reliable adult who once protected her gone, he exuded an oddly chilly aura and tension that suggested a revenge drama. In particular, the scene in which he asks the seemingly happy A-jin "What do you think I would be like?" made viewers hold their breath and maximized the suspense. Kim Ji-hoon brilliantly conveyed the character's anger, wounds and fractured emotions with a restrained tone and look alone.
But in the confession scene that revealed Jeong-ho's inner feelings, he showed a completely different face. Hesitating briefly at Heo In-mo's (Lee Woong-jae) questioning about A-jin's true nature, he defended her at the decisive moment by saying the eerie rumors surrounding her were all baseless guesses. Although Jeong-ho was enraged by A-jin's scheme that made him a murderer and once even considered revenge, his self-reproachful remark that if there had been a proper adult by her side, A-jin might not have fallen so far changed the temperature of the drama in an instant.
He went on to reveal his inner resolution toward A-jin, saying, "I thought, 'Could that one adult be me?'", completing a deeper character arc. Kim Ji-hoon's performance, which naturally and convincingly connected the complex flow of emotions from anger to understanding and from vengeance to salvation, created an unforgettable masterpiece scene.
The duality and human kindness of the character Choi Jeong-ho shone even more through Kim Ji-hoon's meticulous emotional control. The chilling undercurrent that continued until his inner change was revealed was sustained entirely by Kim Ji-hoon's expressive power, and responses followed that every scene in which he appeared carried breathless tension. Ultimately Kim Ji-hoon evoked deep sympathy from viewers by showing a complex emotional line in which, despite harboring anger and wounds, he finally views A-jin from an "adult's perspective."
Immediately after the episode was released, viewers reacted strongly, saying, "The character has more weight than in the webtoon and is really well brought to life", "Is there any other actor who can so perfectly switch between chilliness and warmth?", and "Kim Ji-hoon casting is perfect." In this way, Kim Ji-hoon drew immersion with his seasoned acting, raising expectations for the development of "Dear X" while also earning praise for firmly supporting the episode's emotional line.
Actor Kim Ji-hoon's performance can be seen in "Dear X," which is released exclusively on TVING every Thursday at 6 p.m.
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