On October 9, Ju Ji Hoon attended the Actors’ House: Ju Ji Hoon event at Shinsegae Department Store’s Centum City branch in Haeundae, Busan, as part of the 31st Busan International Film Festival.
During the event, the actor recalled receiving an offer to appear in Kingdom, admitting, “Back then, I didn’t even know what Netflix was. At the time, it only had around 100,000 subscribers in South Korea.”
He continued, “In situations like that, I think it’s best to keep things simple. The appearance fee was actually lower than what I usually received.” Ju Ji Hoon explained that the production team had told him the platform was still in its early stages and had a limited budget. However, rather than focusing on financial considerations, he decided to approach the opportunity with a straightforward mindset.
The actor emphasized the importance of the people surrounding him when making career decisions. “I think who you have around you really matters,” he said. “At the time, I had Ha Jung Woo and director Kim Sung Hoon around me. Director Kim Sung Hoon had an incredibly good reputation.”
Ju Ji Hoon also revealed that he was drawn to the story itself. “The script was interesting, too. I was working on Along with the Gods at the time, and when I told Ha Jung Woo about it, he simply asked, ‘Is it interesting? Then do it.’” He added that his decision ultimately came down to wanting to work with director Kim Sung Hoon, without overcomplicating the situation.
The actor humorously admitted that he had initially underestimated the project’s potential impact. “I thought that since it was a platform with relatively few subscribers, even if the series didn’t do well, it wouldn’t be a huge blow,” he recalled. “But who would have thought? It ended up receiving so much love. It was like accidentally catching a mouse while a cow was stepping backward,” he joked, referring to a Korean expression describing unexpected success.
Meanwhile, Actors’ House is a special program at the Busan International Film Festival where prominent contemporary actors, recognized for both their acting abilities and star power, share candid and in-depth stories about their careers and creative experiences. Ju Ji Hoon has built an extensive filmography that includes Asura: The City of Madness (2016), Along with the Gods: The Two Worlds (2017), Along with the Gods: The Last 49 Days (2018), The Spy Gone North (2018), and Dark Figure of Crime (2018). His television credits include Princess Hours (2006), Kingdom (2019), Kingdom Season 2 (2020), Love Your Enemy (2024), Light Shop (2024), and The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call (2025).
Sources: Nate