2PM's Juno stars in 'Teppun Trading Company,' a drama set during the 1997 Korean financial crisis, focusing on resilience and growth.

Juno of 2PM, against the backdrop of the Korean currency crisis, aims for another hit following the popularity of Girls' Generation's YoonA. On the afternoon of the 1st, at The Link Hotel in the Shindorim area of Guro, Seoul, a production presentation for tvN's new weekend drama 'Teppun Trading Company' was held, attended by Juno, Kim Minha, and director Lee Najung. The story depicts the struggles and growth of Kang Teppun (Juno), a rookie trader who becomes the president of a trading company with no employees, money, or goods during the 1997 Asian financial crisis. Through the passionate survival stories of people who managed to protect their place and survive during a time when the world seemed to be ending due to the economic crisis in Korea, the drama aims to convey warm comfort and courage to those living through difficult moments today. Juno plays the protagonist Kang Teppun, who transforms from carefree youth days spent in Apgujeong to a trading company man. Kim Minha plays the ace accountant Oh Mison, who survives the harsh times. Unlike the action-oriented Kang Teppun, she analyzes situations with reason and logic, aiming to become a professional trader. When asked how she prepared to live as a character from that era, Juno revealed, 'There are characters that seem one-dimensional at first glance. I tried wearing a leather suit set-up and partially bleaching my hair to change my appearance. I even mentioned wanting to dye it all if I had time.' He continued, 'Since filming required moving back and forth between scenes, I couldn't do that much. I paid a lot of attention to hairstyles and costumes. Moreover, the sets and props were so faithfully recreated that it felt like being in 1997.' Kim Minha said, 'Of course, I referenced external aspects like appearance, speech, costumes, and hairstyles. The script contains many phrases from that time, and through that, I naturally learned about the culture and atmosphere of that era. I focused on character development while imagining, 'If I were there, what would I have said?' The power of the art and space was also significant, allowing me to naturally immerse myself in that time.' Juno left JYP Entertainment, where he had been for about 17 years, in April and announced the establishment of his personal agency, O3 Collective, in August. Regarding this, he said, 'With the establishment of my personal agency and the overlapping filming of 'Teppun Trading Company,' I could focus more on the character Kang Teppun, and I found many relatable aspects. Watching the first episode of 'Teppun Trading Company,' I felt a strange sense of unity with the personal events that happened to me this year. The character has become increasingly dear to me.' The chemistry among the lead actors was also excellent. Kim Minha said, 'We had great synergy, and it was really fun. During every shoot, Juno accepted everything. Even when unexpected things happened, we embraced it all and created even more interesting scenes. It naturally made me feel relaxed, and he was a reliable presence, helping me think through any worries. There were many unexpected scenes that exceeded expectations. I was truly grateful and learned a lot while acting.' Juno expressed satisfaction, saying, 'Since our characters are opposites, there was definitely chemistry born from that. Just standing next to each other conveyed subtle breaths without needing to say lines, which was very interesting. Adding ad-libs on top of that made it even more enjoyable. I think this is another charm point of our drama. We were able to perform in sync without needing to adjust too much.' Attention is also focused on whether 'Teppun Trading Company' can carry on the success of the previous tvN weekend drama 'The Chef of the Tyrant.' 'The Chef of the Tyrant' recorded a final episode rating of 17.1% (Nielsen Korea nationwide) and reached a peak rating of 20% (capital area). YoonA, who starred in 'The Chef of the Tyrant,' has a connection with Juno, having co-starred in the JTBC weekend drama 'King the Land' in 2023. When asked if he had contacted YoonA about 'The Chef of the Tyrant,' Juno replied, 'We exchanged messages among the co-stars of 'King the Land,' congratulating each other and saying, 'It was really good.' He added, 'Since the previous work was such a huge hit, I believe expectations for our follow-up work are naturally high. I am approaching it with the feeling of inheriting that good energy and focusing on completing our work with high quality. Our top priority is to concentrate on filming.' Juno's works have consistently recorded hits, but when asked about his desire for this project's success, he said, 'As a human, I always have desires. I think the successes so far have come from good works and timing aligning. This time, I am blessed with wonderful people, good timing, and a great story, so I want to challenge myself with ambition.' He also mentioned, 'While filming, I believe it must be fun. If that fun translates off-screen, I think it will surely reach the viewers' hearts.' Kim Minha also smiled and said, 'Our ambition is 100%.' She added, 'The power of the story is so great that we put our hearts into it 200%. I hope that sincerity reaches the audience.' The new tvN weekend drama 'Teppun Trading Company,' starring Juno and Kim Minha, will start airing in Korea on the 11th at 9:10 PM, and will also be available on Netflix in Japan on the same day.