Park Seo-joon Reveals: “Post ‘Youn’s Kitchen’, Ad Opportunities Increased + Variety Shows Generate the Most Advertisements”

In the October 13 episode of the YouTube series “Fairy Jaehyung,”actor Park Seo-joon opened up about his experiences behind the scenes of various variety shows.

Park Seo-joon, who has garnered significant attention for his role in PD Na Young-seok’s popular show “Jinny’s Kitchen,” shared, “It all began with ‘Youn’s Kitchen 2′.”

He elaborated, saying, “I was a huge fan of ‘Youn’s Kitchen’. After finishing the season, I continued with my usual acting, and then an offer came in. It was intriguing because it was outside my comfort zone. Though I loved the show, I felt a bit intimidated since it was uncharted territory for me. I was used to being just a viewer, but now I had to reveal my true self instead of portraying a character. It felt like I was exposing my authentic side. I’ve avoided talk shows in the past since I felt the pressure to entertain or provide something captivating for the audience, which I didn’t think I excelled at. However, ‘Youn’s Kitchen’ had such a soothing, laid-back atmosphere that I found it comforting to watch. It’s interesting that, even though it isn’t packed with drama, you can’t help but keep watching. The most enticing aspect was the experience of running a restaurant abroad. I often wondered if I would have such an opportunity. And naturally, I felt fortunate to be invited to collaborate with PD Na Young-seok, a chance that no one would wish to decline.”

Reflecting on his participation in “Youn’s Kitchen 2,” Park Seo-joon described it as quite a challenge. He admitted, “I experienced more stress than I did during my final year of high school. This wasn’t the inaugural season—this was the second. With established stars like Youn Yuh-jung, Lee Seo-jin, and Jung Yu-mi already on board, I came in as the youngest. The pressure to perform well was overwhelming, especially since I had to show my authentic self. I constantly questioned, ‘What’s my position here?’”

With humor, he added, “This was an entirely new venture for me. I had to endure a long-haul flight, and during my layover, I was pleasantly bumped to first class. However, my stress was so intense that once on the plane, I fell asleep in an upright position as if I were in economy class. I only woke up upon landing, illustrating the extent of the pressure I felt.”

When asked which facets of himself he was reluctant to share, Park Seo-joon candidly replied, “I felt self-conscious about my peculiar speech patterns. I was quite critical of this in the past. I worked diligently on my pronunciation and studied speaking techniques. Previously, my sentences would often end with phrases like ‘that’s how it was’ or ‘so what’, akin to a child, and I spoke at a slow pace. Now, thankfully, it’s at least a bit quicker.”

Discussing the influence of his variety show appearances, Park Seo-joon remarked, “It didn’t feel like your traditional variety show. I entered with the mindset that I had to put on a show, but I naturally transitioned into my role as a restaurant employee. I wasn’t acting; I was simply the youngest staff member bearing the heaviest workload. I was the first to wake and the last to sleep. I truly immersed myself in that role. Cooking was enjoyable and contrasted with the process of filming movies, which made it all the more fun.”

He also pointed out how these variety show experiences led to an increase in commercial offers, stating, “After participating in these shows, I felt a greater connection with the public, resulting in numerous advertising proposals. However, that also came with some disappointment. I had dedicated considerable effort to acting, yet it appeared that variety shows were bringing in the big ads,” eliciting laughter from his audience.

Reflecting on this paradox, Park Seo-joon said, “I believe it’s because when a person exudes charm, it enhances their primary profession as well. I joke about it today, but it truly left me puzzled at the time. I was putting so much effort into acting but suddenly receiving ad offers every few days. It made me question the logic behind it. I even held serious discussions with my close ones about this, and they suggested that my commitment to acting is what allows people to view me in a favorable light. I hadn’t considered it from that angle. I sincerely hope that’s the case.”

Source: Nate

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