'True Education' Jang Yo-hoon: "Playing 14 at 33 Was a Worry, and Fellow Actors Helped"

Actor Jang Yo-hoon, who made a strong impression as juvenile offender Min Ji-woong in the Netflix series 'True Education,' spoke about the pressure he felt when he was cast and the support he found on set while filming the role.

On the 16th, Netflix Korea's official YouTube channel uploaded a video titled "A Gathering of 'True Education' Graduates(?): Villains Read Comments, Q&A, and Behind the Scenes." In the video, Jang looked back on the casting process and explained what it was like to portray Min Ji-woong, a character whose age and explosive energy were far removed from his own.

The video brought together several actors from the series: Ok Jin-wook, who played Cho In-beom; Yoo Tae-joo, who played Park Sung-hwan; Park Seo-yoon, who played Han Ye-ri; Park Ji-hyun, who played Woo-jin's mother; and Jang Yo-hoon, who played Min Ji-woong. Speaking about what has changed since the release of 'True Education,' Jang said he has been receiving messages even from elementary school friends he had not been in touch with, adding that he is feeling the series' enormous popularity firsthand.

Jang also addressed the concerns he had while playing Min Ji-woong, a juvenile offender. He said he is often asked what was most difficult about acting as a 14-year-old character. Born in 1993, Jang is 33 in actual age, and he recalled that after being cast he worried about whether his face would fit the part and whether he could properly express the surging energy specific to that age group.

He credited the other actors who performed alongside him for helping him through those concerns. Jang said he gained a great deal of strength once the four-member group of juvenile offenders came together. Although their performances depicted rough and dangerous teenagers, he explained that the close teamwork among the actors on the filming set became a major source of support.

Jang also responded with bright energy when asked about his striking visual transformation for the role. He said he really shaved his hair, adding that because filming took place in summer, it felt genuinely cool and refreshing.

He then left a sincere message for Min Ji-woong, the character he portrayed. Jang said, "You have been scolded a lot, so come to your senses. Live kindly from now on. Mom, if I do something wrong, scold me, and let's try living together."

'True Education' is based on the popular webtoon of the same name and has gained global popularity for its realistic portrayal of social issues such as school violence and teachers' authority. The series has drawn even more attention after Hollywood star John Cena mentioned Kim Mu-yeol, the lead actor in the work.