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

KOREA: As reported by Allkpop, Director Yoon Sung Hyun recently defended BLACKPINK’s Jisoo against acting criticism during a press screening for Newtopia on Feb 3 at Megabox COEX in Seoul.

Sharing his thoughts on Jisoo’s performance, Yoon expressed gratitude for working with her.

Ideal choice

He remarked, “You might not see it in episodes 1 and 2, but by episode 8, it’ll feel like only Jisoo could play Yeongju.” He highlighted that her natural humour aligned perfectly with the character, making her an ideal choice.

He also noted that Jisoo supported him in many ways, both professionally and personally. Addressing concerns about her acting, Yoon explained there were no difficulties working with her.

Fully prepared

Since Snowdrop (2021-2022) was her last project, he initially wondered if she would need time to adjust. However, she committed to script readings four times a week and put in significant effort. By the time filming began, she was fully prepared.

Yoon also praised her dedication, particularly in physically demanding action scenes. “She handled tough sequences with a smile despite the challenges of being a female lead in such a role. I truly appreciate that,” he said.

Zombie-ravaged Seoul

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

The eight-episode series is set to premiere on Feb 7 KST.

Jisoo, born Kim Ji Soo on Jan 3, 1995, is a South Korean singer and actress. She is best known for being a member of the popular girl group BLACKPINK, which was formed by YG Entertainment in 2016.