‘Devil’s Plan 2’ Choi Hyun-joon “If I had been with Jang Dong-min, would I have been safe? I would have fallen in love” [DA : Interview ①]
Netflix’s ‘Devil’s Plan: Deathroom ‘(hereafter referred to as’ Devil’s Plan 2 ‘), which made survival variety show viewers’ overly immersed ‘, has come to an end.
‘ Devil’s Plan ‘, which returned for Season 2 following Season 1 that aired in 2023, is a brain survival game where players from various occupations live together for 7 days to determine the best brain.This season consists of a total of 12 episodes and was released sequentially over 3 weeks from May 6 to 20.
From the sleeveless exposure(?) episode to the unexpected fighting spirit of the injured Choi Hyun-jun shared various behind-the-scenes stories that were not shown on TV.We looked back on the journey of ‘Devil’s Plan 2 ‘with him, who has shed his’ anxious mind ‘and returned to his original’ loveable self ‘.Below is a Q&A.
Q The response to’ Devil’s Plan 2 ‘has been hot since its release.Are you feeling it?
A I feel it.I get a lot of calls from people personally, so of course I feel it, and when I go out, people almost always recognize me, which is not common for a model.Since it is not a job where I always appear in front of the public, I enjoyed working in the interests of minor people, but it feels like I have come out into the open a little.It is strange and I am grateful.
Q A total of 12 episodes were released over 3 weeks.The viewer response varied with each week, but the last week’s response was especially explosive in many ways.
A It’s funny just looking at people’s reactions.It didn’t go up gradually, but it seems like my recognition increased by leaps and bounds with each episode.The public’s perception of my name changed.At first, they didn’t know what my name was, so they called me ‘model friend’, but then they changed to ‘Hyun-jun’, ‘Our Hyun-jun’.Just looking at that, I think they paid a lot of attention to me, and because they liked me, they gave me nicknames.I think I experienced the difference in the amount of interest that accumulated.The funny thing is, I’m doing well, but they look at me with pity.It’s not like I suffered a huge humiliation, but many people told me that it was really unfortunate.I’m okay.Haha.
Q I think it’s because your last appearance lingers as an afterimage.You looked very tired during the last prison match, ‘Formula Pyramid’.
A During ‘Formula Pyramid’, Hyungyu hyung and I were both very tired.We played a lot of games, and on the 6th day, after the main match, we played an additional game, so our heads didn’t work very well.The screen was far away, so I couldn’t see it well.I squinted my eyes, so I was even more out of it and tired.I think the viewers felt even more pity because that must have been their last impression.
Q I focused on Hyun-jun again before the interview.When I watched it from the beginning again, I thought, “Was he really this lively?” (Laughs).I had high expectations for the “Devil’s Plan” series because it was produced by PD Jeong Jong-yeon, who is good at brain entertainment.Did that factor into your decision to appear?
A That’s right.There was.I got a call from a similar survival show, and PD Jeong Jong-yeon contacted me at the end.’Which one should I go for?’ In a way, I was in a happy dilemma.Ultimately, I was thinking between ‘Blood Game 3’ and ‘Devil’s Plan 2 ‘, but at first, when I was young, I told my agency,’ I want to go for both.’The company said that the airing dates were similar, and it would be out of courtesy to both sides, and that it might be difficult for me to focus, so I should choose one.
That’s why I chose ‘Devil’s Plan 2 ‘.Of course, my selfishness went into it a lot.I grew up watching’ The Genius ‘in middle school, and while binge-watching’ Great Escape ‘from late high school to early college, I got to know the charm of PD Jeong Jong-yeon’s works.When I watch PD’s works, I don’t get immersed in the beginning, but as I go into the middle, a player who matches my taste appears, and I get immersed in that person and become ‘over-immersed’ by the end.I was also one of those viewers, so it was a great honor to be able to participate.I made the decision quickly without hesitation.
Q Isn’t ‘Blood Game 3’ very painful both environmentally and physically? If you imagine Hyun-jun in ‘Blood Game 3’, it must have been very difficult.
A Haha.It’s just my imagination and I would have done well.Doing things in line with the program’s purpose is also the courtesy I can show to the PD.’Devil’s Plan 2 ‘felt more like a battle of wits and intellect rather than a feeling of blatantly criticizing someone.’ Blood Game 3 ‘is a program that lets out my instincts.I think I would have been remembered with a completely different image if I had gone to’ Blood Game 3 ‘.I might have been’ angry-ping ‘instead of’ anxious-ping ‘.
Q There was also an opinion that if Hyun-jun had been with Jang Dong-min, it would have been’ Stability Ping ‘.
A That’s right.I usually like my older brothers and sisters a lot and have good synergy.I have one younger sibling that I’m close to.I don’t think I’m the type of person who can lead someone, so it’s hard and burdensome when dealing with my younger siblings.I learn a lot from my older brothers and sisters, and I like hearing about the struggles they went through to get to where they are.
If someone has charisma like Jang Dong-min, I fall in love.I really like them.I think it would be similar to Lee Se-dol.If you imagine, ‘What would it have been like if Jang Dong-min and Choi Hyun-joon had played together?’ , I think the answer would be similar to ‘What would it have been like if Choi Hyun-joon and Lee Se-dol had played together until the end?’ If it was someone who didn’t pressure me, I think I would have played really well with them and asked for a lot of advice during the game and after the program filming.If I had continued playing with Lee Se-dol, I think there would have been greater synergy.However, since they are such great people, I’m not confident that I would have won in the finals if we had allied until the end.I still have a lot to learn.
Q It seems like you like Master Lee Sedol a lot and rely on him mentally.
A I can definitely feel a good person.When I first meet someone, if I feel the line is broken, I usually maintain the relationship for a long time.In ‘Devil’s Plan 2 ‘, Sedol-hyung and Justin Min-hyung were exceptions.First of all, Sedol-hyung was harmless.It didn’ t seem like he had any intentions and he seemed lively.I felt like he was similar to me.Justin-hyung was similar to the friends I had when I was in school in the US.I thought if I just spoke honestly, nothing bad would happen.I thought we could stay together with honesty as a weapon.
Q Were there any players or characters you referenced while preparing for your survival appearance?
A I worried about it in the beginning.I asked myself a lot, ‘What kind of person do I want to be remembered as?’ It may be a question about my in-game persona, but I decided to do exactly what I want to do.While working as a model, I’ve been thinking about what kind of model I want to be for several years since my debut.The answer I’ve come to now is that it doesn’t matter what I wear or how I act, and it’s cool when my true self is conveyed most truthfully.I think it’s changed from pursuing a certain character to ‘Let’s go out and work hard.’
Q I watched the review video of the 3rd week of’ Devil’s Plan 2 ‘that was uploaded on Channel TEO.Hyun-jun emphasized the program’s message, “Even if your victory is tainted by betrayal and lies, we will gladly applaud and respond with prize money.” So I thought there might have been a point where he set himself up like a character in a game rather than being completely his original self.
A Rather than settling for a character, I thought it was an extension of ‘I will participate faithfully ‘.When I think about what it means to participate faithfully in survival, I think I have to do well, but the viewers also have to have fun.It’s not like just sticking to the basics every time will bring fun to the viewers.Obviously, when the viewers see a breakthrough, they feel catharsis together, or when they see an unexpected action, their emotions are heightened, so I think I relied a lot on ‘I will applaud you when you betray ‘.
Even during interviews during the game, I often said to myself, “I’ll have to betray at some point.” I also told the production team, “Just wait a little bit.I’ll betray soon.” That really exploded during “Balance of Mancala.” I had been sharpening my sword thinking, “When will I betray?” before that.
Q The sword that you had been sharpening so hard was revealed during the third main match, ‘Halloween Monster’.Didn’t you work behind the scenes to eliminate Jeong Hyeon-gyu? Although you didn’t try.
A Fortunately, the plan to kill Hyun-gyu hyung was not revealed.The moment he raised the knife was ‘Halloween Monster’, and the moment he pulled the knife out in public was ‘Mancala of Balance’.
Q In ‘Halloween Monster’, even though Hyun-jun swung his sword, Jeong-hyeon-gyu was not on the battlefield(double solid line), so he did not die.
A I have had an ‘anxiety radar’ since my school days.At that time, Hyun-gyu hyung cleared the hidden stage in the living room and received a ‘10 pieces’ reward.I didn’t know the specific reward, but I thought he was lying.When I saw him telling an unnecessary lie about clearing the wall game, I thought he must have an extraordinary reward.When I beat Hyun-gyu hyung during ‘Halloween Monster’, he would have come back to life even if he lost the pieces.Then I would have felt like I was getting beaten even more 1 vs.many between the living room and prison room.It was a fortunate but also regrettable choice for Se-dol hyung.It’s really like a twist of fate.
Q It was inevitable because it was a game.Master Lee Sedol and Hyun Jun were placed side by side on the battlefield.If you didn’t attack Master Lee Sedol, wouldn’t you have been in danger of being eliminated?
A I thought, ‘Why is it like this?’ ‘Why is that hyung there(on the battlefield)right now?’ I felt sorry.Someone might ask, ‘Why didn’ t they just pass without attacking? ‘Then the game wouldn’ t have been fun and the arrows would have been aimed at me.Of course, since I have the most pieces, they would have gone and hit me.The result of the various situations working together was that Sedol-hyung was sent away.
[DA : Interview②] Continued.
Reporter Jeong com -yeon, Donga.com shine2562@donga
Photo courtesy of Ghost Agency-Netflix
This article is automatically translated using Google AI. If you notice any inaccuracies, please let us know at allkstar@donga.com.
