Yoo Jung-hoo stars in his first lead role in 'My Girlfriend Became a Pretty Boy' after four years in the industry, sharing his journey.

Actor Yoo Jung-hoo, in his fourth year since debut, played his first leading role. Although he took his first step later than others, he quietly walked his own path and grew into a promising actor. Recently, an interview with Yoo Jung-hoo, who appeared in the KBS 2TV drama 'My Girlfriend Became a Pretty Boy,' was held at a cafe in Euljiro, Jung-gu, Seoul. On this day, Yoo Jung-hoo shared his thoughts on finishing the project and his goals as an actor with My Daily. 'My Girlfriend Became a Pretty Boy' is a romance filled with mishaps between Kim Ji-hoon (Arin from OH MY GIRL), who becomes a pretty boy overnight, and Park Yoon-jae (Yoon San-ha from ASTRO), who can't give up on her. Yoo Jung-hoo played Kim Ji-hoon (Kim Ji-woon), who has become a man in this work. When asked about his feelings on taking the lead role in a TV drama for the first time, Yoo Jung-hoo replied, 'The pressure and sense of responsibility were very great.' He continued, 'At first, I worried, “Can I really do this?” when I saw the setting where a woman turns into a man. However, I thought that if I could do this role, I would grow. I decided to try my best and jumped in.' He candidly shared that once he jumped in, the director, staff, and fellow actors always supported him. Thanks to their encouragement, he was able to reduce his sense of responsibility and pressure. Kim Ji-hoon is a character who has turned from a woman into a man overnight. Yoo Jung-hoo admitted that it was initially difficult to concentrate, but he was able to focus thanks to the atmosphere on set. He said, 'The character itself is difficult, so I had many conversations with the director. I thought I needed to grasp Ji-woon’s way of speaking and expressions accurately to portray him.' He added, 'When I saw areas where I was lacking, I received advice from the director. Even when it was difficult to understand, I asked Arin, who played Ji-woon, for help.' Yoo Jung-hoo co-starred closely with Yoon San-ha, who played Yoon-jae. He said, 'San-ha is actually the youngest and also the youngest in ASTRO. So he treats the older members very well. He was very friendly to me as well.' He also mentioned, 'Usually, it might feel difficult with younger kids, but he treated me like a friend, and we quickly became close. We share similar interests and like sports, so we contact each other every day.' He expressed gratitude, saying, 'After filming, we even went to Bali together. We get along so well that we don’t even argue when we travel.' How will Yoo Jung-hoo remember 'My Girlfriend Became a Pretty Boy'? He said, 'If I am entrusted with a big role later, I think I will remember this time. I want to use it as a reference for what was lacking and what was good.' He expressed, 'I was happy to meet such wonderful people. I still feel grateful, thinking about how I can stand at the center of such a big drama and be supported and loved.' Yoo Jung-hoo pursued acting at the age of 24 after taking a leave of absence from the mechanical engineering department at Sungshin University. After debuting in the web drama 'Bad Girl Friend' in 2022, he gained experience by appearing in 'New Romance Playlist,' 'Bitch X Rich,' 'Goddess Durian - Love Across Time,' and 'The Suspicious Girlfriend.' Yoo Jung-hoo explained, 'When I was a student, I vaguely wanted to become an actor. However, I couldn’t be sure, so I studied and went to university like others. But in the military, I thought I wanted to be an actor, and after being discharged, I attended acting school. Through a visiting audition held at that school, I ended up signing a contract with Artist Company.' He also shared, 'When I vaguely mentioned wanting to be an actor to my parents during middle and high school, they opposed it. But when I talked to them about signing with the company, they told me to give it a try. Now they support me a lot.' His next project is the palace fantasy romantic comedy drama 'Men of the Harem.' Yoo Jung-hoo stated, 'I don’t want to become an actor who gains popularity too suddenly. I don’t want to be a one-hit wonder.' He expressed his determination, saying, 'I want to rise slowly while proving myself.'