Scars on his face, cold eyes… Is that Ji Chang-wook?
Ji Chang-wook in the drama ‘Gangnam Be-side’. Photo courtesy of Walt Disney Company Korea
Ji Chang-wook is going through his first drastic transformation since his debut. He has been loved for his upright appearance and way of speaking, but this time, he returns with a look that has never been seen before.
Ji Chang-wook will change everything from his head to his words and renew his ‘life character’ through the new Disney+ drama ‘Gangnam Be-side’, which will be released on the 6th of next month.
In the drama, Ji Chang-wook plays the role of Yoon Gil-ho, an outlaw broker who holds power in Gangnam. He is a character who has lived a life at the bottom in the darkest back alleys of the city in order to survive.
Even if you only look at the teaser image recently released by the production team, Ji Chang-wook’s presence is considerable. Not only does he show off a strong visual with his long hair, fancy clothes, and accessories, but his facial scars and eyes make you feel not only cold but also chilly.
What is drawing attention is that Ji Chang-wook has been going through a series of ‘transformations’ in his recent leading roles. He has mainly appeared in romantic comedies, but he showed off his strong appearance in ‘The Worst Evil’ and ‘Revolver’, which became a hot topic last year after ranking first in the Disney+ content category.
In addition, since the drama recently drew responses such as “irreplaceable” after its worldwide premiere at the Busan International Film Festival, expectations are rising for Ji Chang-wook‘s transformation.
Ji Chang-wook said, “Another new challenge”, “I spent the most time and effort on my facial scar makeup for every shoot. He said, “I made up my mind to transform into a character who is ambiguous between good and evil, but who doggedly and persistently pursues worse people.”
Jo Woo-jin, who worked with Ji Chang-wook, said, “He appeared to have upgraded compared to before. I felt that his acting range had broadened and deepened,” and added, “You’ll see an expanded version of (Ji Chang-wook‘s) charm.”
Reporter Lee Jeong-yeon annjoy@donga.com
