'Manager Kim' added a new life character for actor So Jisub, who summoned the variety show 'Infinite Challenge' that he appeared on in the past because the explosive interest and reaction toward 'Manager Kim' were as hot as when he appeared on 'Infinite Challenge' 15 years ago.
So Jisub conducted an end-of-series interview for the SBS drama "Manager Kim" on the 30th at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul. Recording a peak rating of 23.1%, "Manager Kim" has emerged as one of the hottest works these days, and he said he was surprised, calling it "like a hidden camera."
In "Manager Kim," So Jisub played Kim Bujang, a father who, to save his only daughter, becomes "the most dangerous man in the world" from the most ordinary dad and fights. It was his first time playing a role with a high school daughter, and his flashy, cool action delighted viewers' dopamine.
Having decided early on to appear in "Manager Kim," So Jisub completed a life character with a high degree of synchronicity. In an interview with OSEN, So Jisub laughed and said, "I'm usually taciturn, and I think my sync with 'Manager Kim' is over 50%. When I'm angry it's different from him. I don't explode like that."
The popularity of "Manager Kim" was special for So Jisub and his fans. To show his gratitude to fans, So Jisub made a surprise appearance at a group screening event for "Manager Kim" and gave special gifts.
On this, So Jisub said, "An actor needs someone to seek them out to act. They are very precious people, and in a way it was a drama that became an issue after a long time, so I think we were all excited," and he laughed, adding about refusing fans' requests for a fan meeting, "I can't do hip-hop anymore. They secretly expect (hip-hop) from each other."
In "Manager Kim," So Jisub delivered a weighty character, high-difficulty action and deep emotional acting, but when he was with his longtime friends in the drama, Park Jin-chul (Yoon Kyung-ho) and Sung Han-soo (Choi Dae-hoon), he sometimes showed humor. However, unlike in film or drama works, he said it would be difficult to appear on variety shows and show gags in real life.
So Jisub said, "It doesn't seem easy for me. If there's a script and I'm told to act, I will, but if I'm told to let loose, that feels more awkward. It probably won't be easy to see that side of me on variety shows."
When he mentioned his appearance on the 2011 MBC variety program "Infinite Challenge," he said, "I don't think I watched 'Infinite Challenge' from start to finish," and "I watched it in bits and pieces. I remember that when I was on at that time, kids knew me. When I asked how they knew, they said, 'I saw you on 'Infinite Challenge'.' That was when I was really popular. I felt how great its ripple effect was."
Thanks to the popularity of "Manager Kim," So Jisub also ranked first in the July rising star brand reputation released by the Korea Corporate Reputation Research Institute. So Jisub laughed and said, "I was surprised when I saw the article. After 30 years, I thought, 'Is it just starting now?'"
[Photo] Provided by Fiftyone K.
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