Edited by Seo Hayne
Translated Cho EK
Jinyoung debuted at KBS Dream High 2 in 2012 as Jung Eui Bong, a backup dancer for an idol group. He was a person with his own beliefs about dancing. He says, “You’re still far from being a human” to the idol group he works for. After starring in Dream High 2, Jinyoung debuted as GOT7 through JJ Project under JYP Entertainment. Often called Park Jin Young’s Jr., since he has the same name as producer Park Jin Young, he is often referred to as an idol-turned-actor. However, he began his career as an actor.
Jinyoung gradually gained recognition by playing child roles in several works. In JTBC This is My Love (2015), he played the 17-year-old Eun Ho, who writes an autobiography to find his long-time first love. Through this work, he showed a young boy who had just started falling in love. In the fantasy drama SBS Legend of the Blue Sea (2016), which depicts an encounter between a mermaid and a con artist, he appeared as a young version of the main character, Heo Jun Jae. He portrayed Kim Dam Ryeong when Heo Jun Jae was time-slipped into his adolescence. In the historical romance drama, he meets the young mermaid Se Hwa.
After seven years as an actor, he got his first lead role in tvN He Is Psychometric (2019) as Ian, a boy with superpowers. He played a character with psychometric abilities. He sees afterimages of intense memories of people who touched his skin, whether he wanted to or not. Right after the drama ended, Jinyoung shared an interview. He said, “If I have psychometric skills, I would be curious to know why other people and I like this particular genre.” That shows Jinyoung’s balanced passion for music and acting.
Jinyoung is currently starring in tvN’s The Devil Judge as Kim Ga On, a righteous law enforcer. The Devil Judge is a drama that takes place in a fictional dystopian Republic of Korea. It asks questions about the law, justice, and human nature based on a live court show in which the entire nation participates. Ga On, whom he plays, is expected to find hope in a desperate situation while dealing with the trial judge (Ji Seong). His next works include the webtoon-based drama Yumi’s Cells, and the movie High Five which he co-stars with Yoo Ah In.
Jinyoung joined BH Entertainment after his contract with JYP expired. Jinyoung’s second act as an actor starts now.
Editor Seo Hayne: I like actors as they faithfully lead through their long running-time. I also like idols who accomplish everything on stage within 3 minutes.
Translator Cho EK: I’m a big fan of Korean dramas and movies.
