Kim Dong Jun Talks About "Chief Of Staff," Advice From Im Siwan, And More

The first season of Kim Dong Jun’s latest drama, “Chief of Staff,” recently came to a conclusion.

Following the ending, the idol-turned-actor participated in an interview to talk about various topics concerning his career.

First off, Kim Dong Jun talked about his anticipation for the viewership ratings of the second season of “Chief of Staff.” He said, “As season one ended in a dramatic fashion, I think you will look forward to [season two] more. If you’ve seen season one, you will have a better understanding [of the story], so please anticipate it. If I describe it as a sporting event, the first half is over and now it’s the halftime. This is the process of trying to get to the second half.”

When asked if he had any similarities to his character Han Do Kyung, he answered, “I thought a lot of times when I started as a trainee. It was the first step in society away from the fence of school, home and family. I think that’s when I started to be a trainee in my life. I could relate to why he was so nervous and hard-working. When I first came in as a trainee, I also didn’t want to miss out on the stories of each and every one of my the staff, senior artists, and junior artists. I was always tense. Therefore, I became very empathetic to those who are in the early years of society. The reason why interns make mistakes is because they don’t know anything. If they knew everything, the word ‘internship’ or ‘social beginner’ wouldn’t apply to them.”

Kim Dong Jun was asked how he prepared for his role, and he said, “I learned while visiting two offices of the National Assembly. I saw how things went. The aide explained that if you think about it simply, this is your company. I heard that interns go around many congressional offices to get a stamp on a royalty or joint venture. I tried to express myself that way after hearing the explanation that it’s a step-by-step process.”

Concerning the possible relationship with Lee Elijah‘s character, he said, “I don’t know anything clearly, but I’m looking forward to it. At first, I couldn’t have that much romance because of work, but as I learn a lot from my boss, I feel like I can develop feelings while looking up to them. I’m looking forward to it.”

Kim Dong Jun also talked about his respect for Lee Jung Jae, saying, “Basically, he has good manners and takes good care of the crew. Everyone on the set likes Lee Jung Jae. He is the object of admiration and an actor who can mingle with many people. And when I was acting, I saw the whole thing. He thought about directing and acting with the director and took the direction to move on together. I want to be such an actor in the future. He didn’t let go of the script even though he was busy.”

When asked about what he learned from this drama, he shared, “I realized I didn’t know much about politics. The director repeatedly asked questions, so I published a report and studied. I also went to the National Assembly by subway to get a feel for the morning commute. I saw a lot of people’s faces on my way. I was already working hard, but I thought I should work harder in the future. I also realized that it would take a lot of effort for a bill to be proposed. That’s why I watch the news often these days.”

Furthermore, Kim Dong Jun talked about how he changed as a person. He said, “I thought I should know a lot about the world. I dealt with labor law in the drama, but I didn’t know much about it. It came to my mind that more people should be protected by the law. I was hit by reality. I think we need to know a lot so we can look at the whole situation wisely.”

Kim Dong Jun was asked whether acting or singing is easier, and he replied, “There is nothing easy in the world. But I think everything has its own merit. As a singer, I think I am a short distance runner and as an actor, I think I’m a long distance runner. The destination for marathoners and 100 meter runners is the finish line that runs toward the end. The heart is the same and the medal is the same. It’s not like I can switch one out for the other. It seems to be the difference in time. The stage will contain all of the best performances in three or four minutes, and dramas and movies will be much longer than that. The stage gets feedback right in front of it, and the drama gets feedback on a composite video when it is aired. It’s the same, but I think there is a slight difference.”

He mentioned ZE:A and said, “When I met [Im] Siwan after he discharged [from the military] and told him I was filming ‘Chief of Staff’, he congratulated me. He advised I should discuss a lot with the director while acting. The other members gave me feedback as well.”

When asked if he missed group activities, Kim Dong Jun candidly answered, “We feel like a family now. At a young age, we shared joy and sorrow with each other while living in the dorm. Time flies when we meet because we talk a lot. Earlier in the middle of the interview, I got text messages from them. If we make an effort from our respective positions, maybe we can meet again someday.”

Kim Dong Jun also discussed his future plans as a singer. He explained, “I recently participated in singer Ben’s song. I participated in the curiosity to know if people would recognize my voice. It was amazing because our fans recognized me right away. After I moved agencies, I think about albums a lot. I think it’s because I’m the only actor in the agency and everyone is a singer. It’s short, but I’ve recorded three times recently.”

He shared his standard of happiness, saying, “I find happiness in simple and trivial things. I haven’t had a break in years. I was so busy that I didn’t know what to do when I took a break. When asked about my hobby, I said it was just exercise, but exercising can be difficult, so I don’t like it. I think I liked to communicate with people. I walk a lot these days. I’m trying to feel the atmosphere. I think I can be happy only when I feel this change while looking for something I haven’t seen. And I like the bicycles that are run by the city of Seoul. I’m using them.

Lastly, Kim Dong Jun opened up about his plans for the second half of the year by sharing that he thinks he’ll finish this year with “Chief of Staff” and noted that he should prepare for the approaching spring.

Season Two will begin filming as early as the end of this month and is aimed to premiere in mid-November.

Sources (1) (2)