Director Yoon Sung Hyun: ‘Jisoo was the only choice for her role in Newtopia’

Director Yoon Sung Hyun defends BLACKPINK’s Jisoo amid acting criticism.

Director Yoon Sung Hyun addressed discussions surrounding BLACKPINK’s Jisoo and her acting skills at the press screening of ‘Newtopia’ on February 3rd KST at Megabox COEX in Seoul.

Yoon expressed his admiration for Jisoo’s performance, stating, “I feel lucky to have worked with her. You might not fully see it in episodes 1 and 2, but by episode 8, you’ll feel like ‘Yeongju could only be played by Jisoo.’” He continued, “The character has an underlying sense of humor, and Jisoo herself is incredibly humorous. That’s why I wanted to work with her. I consider it a huge relief. She helped me in many ways, both as a person and as an actress.”

Regarding concerns about her acting, Yoon clarified, “There was nothing difficult about working with Jisoo. Since she hadn’t acted since ‘Snowdrop’ (2021-2022), I initially wondered, ‘Will she be okay?’ Unlike actors who work continuously, she had taken a break. But she dedicated four days a week to script readings and worked tirelessly. By the time we started filming, she was fully prepared.”

He also praised her work ethic, saying, “She handled intense action scenes with a smile, even though they were physically demanding for a female lead. I’m truly grateful for that.”

‘Newtopia’ follows the story of soldier Lee Jae Yoon (Park Jung Min) and his long-distance girlfriend Kang Yeong Ju(Jisoo), who fight to reunite in a zombie-infested Seoul. Based on the novel ‘Influenza’, the series marks Yoon’s first OTT project. The screenplay was co-written by Han Jin Won (‘Parasite’) and Ji Ho Jin (‘A Shop for Killers’).

The eight-episode series premieres on February 7th KST.