Lee Jun Young has shared his thoughts on the upcoming drama “Reborn Rookie”!
“Reborn Rookie” follows Kang Yong Ho (Son Hyun Joo), the powerful chairman of the leading conglomerate Choi Sung Group, who is revered as a business genius. After an accident, however, he unexpectedly finds himself living a second life when his soul swaps into the youthful body of a soccer player named Hwang Jun Hyun (Lee Jun Young), forcing him to start over as a rookie employee at his own company.
Hwang Jun Hyun is a once-promising figure in the soccer world who, after an unexpected accident, becomes possessed by the soul of Kang Yong Ho. As a result, Lee Jun Young portrays two distinct personas: soccer player Hwang Jun Hyun and company chairman Kang Yong Ho.
Lee Jun Young revealed that the “soul-switching” premise was the reason he chose the project, saying, “The fact that I could portray both Hwang Jun Hyun and Kang Yong Ho within a single project felt like an incredibly appealing challenge as an actor. On top of that, the script itself was really entertaining, so I chose the project without hesitation.”
The actor previewed Hwang Jun Hyun’s contrasting appeal, saying, “Soccer player Hwang Jun Hyun is someone who is healthy, has bright energy, and works harder than anyone else to achieve his dream. On the other hand, Hwang Jun Hyun, after the soul of Chairman Kang Yong Ho enters his body, keeps the same outward appearance but exudes an extraordinary sense of pressure and charisma from within.”
Because the souls switch during the course of the story, Lee Jun Young said he carefully analyzed the character of Chairman Kang Yong Ho in order to portray him fully. Lee Jun Young said, “I wanted soccer player Hwang Jun Hyun and Hwang Jun Hyun after Kang Yong Ho’s soul enters him to look clearly different. I thought a lot about Chairman Kang Yong Ho’s distinctive speech patterns and emotional tone.”
The actor also recalled working to match the performance of Kang Yong Ho as portrayed by Son Hyun Joo, saying, “I paid close attention to senior Son Hyun Joo’s usual way of speaking and behavior so I could express them naturally. In particular, I watched a lot of video clips from his previous projects.”
Lee Jun Young also shared the key viewing point of “Reborn Rookie,” saying, “The show brings waves of varied emotions, from heavy storytelling to tense moments of urgency that make your hands sweat. I think the biggest appeal will be the unexpected situations Kang Yong Ho, in Hwang Jun Hyun’s body, encounters after joining Choi Sung Group. I hope viewers will enjoy it as if they are surfing along when these exciting waves we created come.”
“Reborn Rookie” premieres on May 30 at 10:40 p.m. KST and will be available to watch on Viki.
In the meantime, watch Lee Jun Young in “Pump Up the Healthy Love” below:
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