iQiyi Original K-series, Jirisan follows the team of national park rangers who are responsible for search and rescue on Jirisan. Experienced ranger (played by Gianna Jun) and rookie ranger (played by Ju Ji-hoon) are set to unravel the secrets of the peak. The series will exclusively simulcast with Korea on October 23rd on iQiyi International app or iQ.com worldwide.
Jirisan‘s global press conference that took place last October 13 featured writer Kim Eun-hee, director of photography Choi Sang-mook, together with stars Gianna Jun, Ju Ji-hoon, Oh Jung-se and Cho Han-Cheul.
Opening with a highlight video of Jirisan, the sneak preview showcased Jirisan peak (also known as Mount Jiri) in its glory through the four seasons. Jun, Ju and their fellow actors star as national park rangers who face typhoons, fires, floods and untold dangers without fear in their search and rescue missions. In between mysteries and suspense, the show also offers heartwarming stories that viewers can relate to.
During the press conference, lead actors Gianna Jun and Ju Ji-hoon talked about their characters and experience in the making of Jirisan.
“Actually, I didn’t accept the role because I wished to play a strong woman, females today are stronger in character. I never thought I would play a park ranger, to me this is a brand new experience. I didn’t feel exceptionally tired or cold, I was very happy throughout the filming process. As I prepared well in mountaineering gear, there were not many difficulties,” Jun admitted.
As for the chemistry between her and co-star Ju Ji-hoon, Jun simply described it as “a very good partnership.” “We were at ease,” she further quipped.
Ju, on the other hand, was more than thrilled to play the rookie ranger, which is a stark contrast to the more experienced character played by Jun. He shared that he enjoyed climbing from a young age and expressed enthusiasm to climb Jirisan in the future. Ju shared that it took a lot of energy to shoot this series, it was tough, especially when ascending the peak and his legs had to hold still. The shoot was about 3 – 4 times more demanding than shooting on even ground, he quipped, “That’s why I run to keep fit.”
As for working with Jun, Ju has this to say, “I’ve been a fan of Gianna Jun ‘since young’. Her charm has left me speechless and has always been a role model for me. In our collaboration, she was always trying to feed me, so I am very thankful to her.”
Both actors were likewise all praises to their fellow castmates and crew members but were thrilled to have worked with writer Kim Eun-hee in particular. Smiling, Jun said, “Few actors have worked with writer Kim consecutively. I am very thankful for that. The charm in her scripts are that details that seem unimportant at the start, turn out to be crucial at the end.”
Ju added, “I’ve worked with writer Kim for five years. She’s like a relative, someone who I will greet during a festival, and we meet often. Her scripts are extremely detailed.”