Actor Jung Joon-won drew mixed reactions from viewers after appearing visibly tense during his first variety show appearance.
MBC's "What Are You Doing When You Play?" aired on the 1st as a special centered on the short-form drama "Jjikkeoyu." Jung, who appeared alongside Gong Hyo-jin that day, caught attention early in the broadcast with his stiff posture and somewhat nervous expression.
Yoo Jae-suk asked, "Have you seen our work?" and Jung Joon-won replied, "It's good for a light watch." Yoo and Joo Woo-jae then tried to ease the tension with jokes such as, "Why are you sitting so awkwardly?" and "You're going to fall off soon."
Jung also struggled to speak during the later "One-Sentence Challenge." The task required him to act out a single line with different emotions, but even though he showed willingness to participate by asking, "Where should I look when I do this?" he could not continue speaking for a while when his turn came, keeping his eyes closed.
In the end, Yoo Jae-suk wrapped up the situation by saying, "Let's move on to the next one," and Heo Kyung-hwan stepped in with a demonstration to lift the mood. Gong Hyo-jin also cheered him on with, "Start!" but Jung still failed to complete the challenge, and Gong Hyo-jin took over the acting instead.
Viewers were divided after the broadcast. Some said, "It was a variety show, but he was too passive," "As an actor, he should have been able to handle at least a short acting mission," and "Yoo Jae-suk and the cast kept trying to liven things up, so it was disappointing."
Others were more understanding, saying, "He probably got nervous because he is usually introverted," "He has almost no variety show experience, so wasn't everyone pushing him too hard?" and "If anything, his unfiltered reaction made him feel more human."
Meanwhile, Jung Joon-won is currently appearing with Gong Hyo-jin in MBC's Friday-Saturday drama "Not_found."
Jo Min-jeong, Sportschosun
This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.
