The stars were out for the Netflix series Chicken Nugget press conference held at Lotte Cinema in Seoul on March 13th. Ryu Seung Ryong, Ahn Jae Hong, Kim Yoo Jung, and director Lee Byung Hun all gathered to discuss the upcoming show.
Ahn Jae Hong, who recently played a memorable loner in Mask Girl, returns with another quirky role. “The webtoon felt like it was written for me,” Ahn remarked. “There are just so many similarities between us, even down to the hairstyle. I wanted to bring the character to life exactly as he appears in the comic.”
Director Lee Byung Hun admitted some initial hesitation in casting Ahn. “He just seemed too perfect for the part,” Lee confessed. “I almost felt bad offering him the role since he’s getting so handsome these days. Thankfully, Mask Girl came out and eased my conscience a bit.”
Casting Kim Yoo Jung presented a unique challenge for Lee. “How could I even ask someone like Kim Yoo Jung to play a chicken nugget?” he chuckled. “I sent the script to her agency with a slightly crazy pitch, but it turned out to be a stroke of luck. Even though it’s listed as a special appearance, she’s got a significant role. There’s even running and wirework involved.”
Kim Yoo Jung herself was enthusiastic about the project. “The script had me laughing out loud,” she shared. “I’ve always been a fan of Director Lee’s work, especially Be Melodramatic. I was grateful to be able to participate because I thought it would be great to work with him.”
Ryu Seung Ryong, drawn to the show’s unique premise, explained, “The logline was fresh. ‘My daughter turns into a chicken nugget.’ I had to know what happened next.”
Ryu also praised Kim Yoo Jung’s dedication. “She truly embodied the chicken nugget,” he said. “By the end of filming, I completely saw the nugget as my daughter. It felt like I was channeling Liam Neeson in his action-hero days.”
The actor even made a humorous reference to his previous chicken-related project, Extreme Job, calling chickens “grateful animals” – a comment that left the reporters chuckling.
