“I want it to happen gradually. I hope there comes a day when people say, ‘I didn't know Pyo Ji-hoon could do that kind of acting.’ My goal is to become an actor audiences can believe in.”
Since making his acting debut in 2017's Temperature of Love after first finding fame as a member of Block B, Pyo Ji-hoon has steadily expanded his screen presence through projects including Encounter, Hotel Del Luna, Good Partner and, most recently, Netflix's global hit Teach You a Lesson.
News Culture recently met the actor at a café in Seoul's Samcheong-dong district, where he discussed the success of the series, his growth as a performer and the challenges of building a long-term acting career.
Teach You a Lesson follows the Teacher Rights Protection Bureau, an organization dedicated to protecting victims and restoring order within schools. Since its release, the series has become a major international success, reaching No. 1 in 46 countries and landing in Netflix's Top 10 rankings across 91 territories.
In the drama, Pyo portrays Bong Geun-dae, an investigator whose sincerity, awkward charm and unwavering loyalty make him one of the series' most memorable characters. The role has widely been regarded as the most significant acting showcase of his career to date.
Despite the show's global popularity, Pyo admitted that the scale of its success still feels somewhat surreal.
“It hasn't fully sunk in yet, but it feels great,” he said. “We have a group chat with the director and cast members. We've been telling each other to enjoy every moment and not miss any of the reactions. People are constantly sharing screenshots of comments and audience responses.”
Among the many reactions, a few stood out in particular.
“I loved seeing comments like, ‘This is exactly the kind of drama I wanted to watch,’ or ‘It's such a stress reliever,’” he said. “And of course, I enjoyed seeing people say how cool Kim Mu-yeol was.”
He laughed before adding, “There were also comments saying I'd found the role of my life. Hearing that made me really happy.”
Unlike many entertainers of his generation, Pyo does not use social media and relies largely on friends and colleagues to keep him informed about audience reactions.
“People assume I'd be very active online, but I'm actually not great with electronic devices,” he said. “That's one reason I stay away from social media.”
The actor also shared stories about the people around him who became fans of the series.
“Shin Dong-yup really enjoyed the show,” he said. “And Zico watched the entire thing in two days despite constantly traveling overseas. Afterward, he joked that if we ever make Season 2, he wants a cameo role.”
Pyo laughed at the memory.
“I told him not to talk nonsense,” he said. “Although, to be honest, I think he'd make a pretty convincing villain.”
One of the more interesting aspects of Bong Geun-dae is that the character does not exist in the original webtoon.
For Pyo, that proved to be both a challenge and an opportunity.
“The original fanbase is huge,” he said. “In some ways, I felt less pressure because Bong Geun-dae wasn't part of the source material. The director and I believed we could create something unique together.”
Rather than focusing on making the character appear foolish, Pyo concentrated on his sincerity.
“I wanted him to feel like someone genuinely trying his best in the role he was given. The expressions and behaviors audiences saw came naturally from that approach.”
One storyline required Bong Geun-dae to go undercover as a high school student, a challenge that amused the 30-something actor.
“I actually tried to get laser hair removal because of my beard shadow,” he said with a laugh. “But it hurt so much that I only went once. Then I saw my first scene and immediately regretted not finishing the treatments.”
His concerns faded somewhat after meeting the younger cast members.
“When I first walked into the classroom set, I looked around and thought, ‘This might actually work,’” he joked. “The actors playing students had so much presence.”
He added that if a second season ever happens, he plans to prepare even more thoroughly.
Action scenes presented another learning experience.
“Before this project, I always paid attention to the person throwing the punches,” he said. “But I realized that taking a hit convincingly is just as important. If you don't do it properly, the entire scene feels awkward.”
The actor laughed while imagining what could happen if Bong Geun-dae returned in a future season.
“Maybe he'll finally learn martial arts so he can protect himself.”
The conversation also turned to the unresolved dynamic between Bong Geun-dae and Im Han-rim, played by Jin Ki-joo.
“I don't think Geun-dae has ever really been interested in dating,” Pyo said. “He probably has no experience with romance at all. What people enjoyed was seeing him and Han-rim gradually learn how to work together.”
Asked about the pair's memorable kiss scene, he offered a playful response.
“That was an emergency measure under extreme circumstances,” he said. “No matter how much Han-rim likes him, I don't think Geun-dae would ever notice.”
Throughout the interview, Pyo repeatedly spoke about the influence of his co-stars, particularly Kim Mu-yeol.
The actor admitted he was struck by Kim's presence from the moment they began working together.
“Watching him perform action scenes was incredibly impressive,” he said. “I remember thinking that I should take better care of myself if I want to look that good when I reach his age.”
More importantly, Pyo described the production as an invaluable learning experience.
“The chemistry between Kim Mu-yeol, Lee Sung-min and director Hong Jong-chan was amazing,” he said. “I spent a lot of time observing them and trying to learn. It was one of the most valuable sets I've ever worked on as an actor.”
Outside of acting, Pyo remains closely connected to Block B, the group that launched his entertainment career.
“Block B is family to me,” he said. “In many ways, it feels like home. Even though I'm focused on acting right now, it's always a place I can return to.”
He emphasized that the group has never officially disbanded.
“We're constantly discussing when the right time might be and what kind of music people would want to hear from us,” he said. “There have even been conversations about getting together next year. But everything depends on having the right songs.”
As his acting career approaches its tenth anniversary, Pyo was asked whether he feels pressure to pursue leading roles.
His answer was measured.
“It's difficult for me to say that I have ambitions to become a lead actor right now,” he said. “What matters more is doing justice to the roles I'm given. If I continue working steadily, perhaps those opportunities will come naturally.”
The actor also addressed another question that has followed him throughout his career: whether audiences still associate him too strongly with his cheerful variety-show persona.
“I think about it all the time,” he admitted. “Whenever I take on a new role, I worry that viewers might be pulled out of the story because of the image they already have of me.”
He has discussed those concerns extensively with his agency, but ultimately believes the solution is simple.
“If I continue improving as an actor and perform well enough, that image won't become a problem,” he said. “My responsibility is to keep developing so audiences never have a reason to doubt the character they're watching.”
For Pyo Ji-hoon, credibility remains more important than ambition. Rather than rushing toward leading roles or dramatic transformations, he is focused on building trust one performance at a time — a philosophy that has quietly guided his evolution from idol star to respected actor.
Reported by News Culture M.J._mj94070777@nc.press
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