Singer and actor Park Jihoon is expanding his presence, seamlessly moving between acting and music.
Park Jihoon is steadily leading the military cooking fantasy in the TVING original series ‘Become a Legend Cook’, where he plays the role of Kang Seong-jae, released on the 11th and 12th.
‘Become a Legend Cook’ is a military cooking fantasy drama that follows Private Kang Seong-jae (Park Jihoon) as he transforms into a legendary cook, swapping guns for kitchen knives and ammo belts for aprons!
With an ensemble cast including veterans like Yoon Kyung-ho, Lee Sang-yi, and Jung Woong-in alongside Park Jihoon, the show has received rave reviews since its release. Despite being released simultaneously on TVING, the first episode recorded a 5.8% viewership rating, which rose to 6.2% for the second episode, maintaining an upward trend.
Park Jihoon is playing a pivotal role, naturally blending sly comic acting with his character’s growth arc. In the second episode, a scene imagining Lieutenant Colonel Baek Chun-ik’s (Jung Woong-in) reaction to the sea urchin seaweed soup made by Kang Seong-jae became a hot topic. Park Jihoon left a strong impression by wearing a seaweed-wrapped costume and striking a pose reminiscent of Michelangelo’s masterpiece ‘The Creation of Adam’.
What’s most striking is the dramatic contrast with his previous work. In the movie ‘The Man Living with the King’ released last February, Park Jihoon left a deep impression with his sorrowful and heartbreaking portrayal of the ill-fated King Danjong. His delicate emotional acting earned him the nickname ‘Danjong Oppa’ and a Best New Actor award at the Baeksang Arts Awards, proving his presence as an actor. Now, in this project, he is showcasing an even wider acting spectrum by naturally handling quirky humor, completely erasing any concerns some had before the release.
It’s not just his acting that’s getting attention. Park Jihoon is also steadily continuing his music career. A former member of the project group Wanna One, he released his first solo album ‘RE:FLCET’ on the 29th of last month.
The album is achieving meaningful results, ranking 60th on the Melon TOP100 and 68th on the YouTube Music Korea Weekly Chart. It’s particularly noteworthy as it marks his first solo comeback in three years and involves his direct participation in the album’s preparation despite his busy acting schedule.
Park Jihoon continues to expand his horizons across the big screen, the small screen, and the stage. Eight years after winning the nation’s heart with his famous ‘Save it in my heart’ line, he is now writing a new golden age as an actor and solo singer. Interestingly, he is meeting viewers as a soldier character just before his actual enlistment next year. All eyes are on how far Park Jihoon’s growth will continue.
