"Romance in the House" Actor Ji Jin Hee Expresses His Desire to Keep Acting in Melodramas

Actor Ji Jin Hee of Romance in the House recently gave an interview about his recent drama, during which he expressed his desire for melodramas, his chemistry with his co-stars, and more. 

Romance in the House is a melodrama where the father, who was cut off by his family 11 years ago due to his multiple business venture failures, returns as the owner of their building. He tries to win back his family, who still harbor resentment towards him.  

Ji Jin Hee transformed from a reckless "good-for-nothing" husband, who squandered his family's entire fortune, into the landlord of the villa where his family lives. He strives to unite with them after 11 years.  

Talking about this twist, Ji Jin Hee said, "People find it very curious about how he became a landlord. They might find it absurd." "It was like money fell from the sky. You might think it doesn't make sense, but I believe it does." He continued, "I thought maybe Moo Jin lived a good life, and that’s why he was blessed [with this fortune]."

When asked what he would do if he came to possess 3 billion won, Ji Jin Hee answered without hesitation, "I'd buy a building. Moo Jin bought one, too," evoking laughter. He further stated, "I hope it's a small building. Since it's money that came to me directly, I'd like no one to know about it."

Ji Jin Hee admitted that he checks viewer reactions every day. He said, "I think the positive comments are from my fans or family," and added, "I tend to look at the negative reactions more than the positive ones. One memorable comment was 'I don't want to watch it.' I wonder whether they dislike the drama or dislike me," he said with a laugh.
He continued, "I try to focus on negative comments. I believe there are areas where I need to improve. Of course, there are more positive reactions. Many people said that they enjoyed seeing me do comedic acting after always playing serious characters."

Ji Jin Hee also commented on his return to melodrama, saying, "Melodrama is my favorite genre. Romance in the House has a mix of melodrama and comedy, which I really like." He added, "Given my personality, I don't fit well with provocative or violent content. I find it hard to watch."

He continued, "I'm still very fortunate [to be working]. When this drama was planned, I'm sure the production team must have given a lot of thought. I'm grateful that I was included among their choices." He added, "To achieve this, I had to be well-prepared in advance. When I was younger, I could prepare [for a role] in two or three months, but as I grew older, it became more difficult. Now, I have to be prepared well in advance."

The veteran actor also strongly expressed his desire and confidence in working in melodramas. In fact, he revealed that he had abstained from alcohol for nearly six years to continue doing melodramas.

He said, "I quit drinking six years ago. I stopped going to drinking parties. I still attended company dinners, but I drank 3 liters of water instead."

He continued, "In the past, I used to lose up to 10 kg before starting a new project. I would exercise for 5 to 6 hours. I used to run for 3 hours and do 1,000 sit-ups as part of my workout. Now, I can't do that; my body doesn't cooperate." "I realized that if I wanted to take on more roles for a longer time, I needed to quit drinking. Since I stopped drinking, I have worked on projects like One Warm Word and Misty. By quitting alcohol, I was able to continue doing the things I wanted to do." 

The actor also shared an incident from the past: "I tore my shoulder ligaments while working on One Warm Word. The damage was severe, but I couldn't receive proper treatment because I had to film for three months. Later, when I went to the hospital, they told me that the torn muscles were all tangled up." 

He continued, "The shoulder is the only muscle that can rotate 360 degrees, and it takes about a year and a half to two years to recover. There was a procedure that involved using a big needle, but the doctor said he wouldn't do it because it was too painful. Still, I insisted, and they had to put a gag in my mouth. Without any anesthesia, he just started poking around with the needle. Blood was heavily dripping out, but I was able to move my arm around a bit. I had to go through that every week."

He then added, "After the treatment, my golf game improved. ... At that point in time, I decided to stop the treatment. My golf skills improved. I've matured as much as I've suffered."

Ji Jin Hee also praised his co-stars. Talking about Yoon San Ha, he said, "This was my first time meeting Yoon San Ha, and I found him very charming."

"San Ha plays the second child in our drama, a rather immature character, and he portrayed it so charmingly. He did such a great job that I thought he was really like that in real life."

He further commented, "I thought he was immature, but he turned out to be quite deep. He also has the eyes suited for melodrama. So, I told him, 'San Ha, do melodramas. You need to do melodramas. Not many people have eyes like yours.' I don't say empty words."

Regarding Son Na Eun, the actor said, "Na Eun prepared a lot and frequently met and talked with the director and Kim Jee Soo." "She seemed quiet but is strong-willed, and her determination to act is impressive." 

Ji Jin Hee also praised Choi Min Ho: "Min Ho is really amazing and I respect him. I heard he exercises for five hours a day. He takes care of his body every day and has a positive mindset." "When I see him from a distance walking toward me, it seems like the surroundings light up. I realize, 'Ah, this is why people like him.' I often think, 'He's bound to succeed.'" 

Sources (1)(2)(3)(4)