Key takeaways
- Yook Sungjae chose Nine to Six to explore a realistic, relatable workplace story and play his first intern role.
- He prepared for Han Seon Woo by observing emotionally attuned friends to better understand the character's feeling-focused personality type.
- His on-screen chemistry with Park Min Young strengthened throughout filming, allowing them to anticipate each other's performances during scenes.
- The drama aims to show how workplace struggles are faced together, offering comfort to viewers navigating their own professional challenges.
Yook Sungjae is stepping into new territory with the romance drama “Nine to Six,” where he plays Han Seon Woo opposite Park Min Young’s Kang Yi Ji. In a recent interview with Soompi, the actor reflected on his character, his preparation methods, and his experience working with his on-screen partner.
The Drama’s Central Premise
“Nine to Six” follows Kang Yi Ji, a workaholic deputy general manager on the legal team played by Park Min Young, whose professional ambitions have left little room for her personal life. Her trajectory shifts when she encounters Han Seon Woo, a warmhearted intern whose genuine care and bright energy gradually help her discover what it means to love. Through their connection, both characters experience growth in their careers and their emotional lives.
Han Seon Woo: Character Profile
From Jewelry Design to the Legal Team
Han Seon Woo represents an unconventional path through the corporate world. Although he completed law school, he initially pursued his true passion as a jewelry designer rather than following the traditional legal career. An unexpected turn of events brings him into the legal department of an automobile company as an intern, a position where his naturally warm personality and bright energy allow him to build strong relationships with those around him.
The Emotional Core
The character’s defining trait is his caring nature. As Yook Sungjae explained to Soompi, Han Seon Woo possesses an F personality type, one focused on feeling rather than thinking, making him deeply affectionate and emotionally attuned. This contrasts with the actor’s own personality type, creating a meaningful gap between performer and character that required deliberate exploration during preparation.
Yook Sungjae’s Motivation For the Project
The actor sought a departure from his previous work, choosing “Nine to Six” specifically because it offered grounded storytelling he could connect with on a personal level. “I wanted to take on a project that felt realistic and relatable, unlike the genres I’ve worked on so far,” Yook Sungjae shared with Soompi. This marks his first experience playing an intern, a role that allowed him to explore different dynamics in a workplace setting. He credited Park Min Young’s presence on set as instrumental to his comfort level, noting that she “was a wonderful senior colleague.”
Preparation Through Real-World Observation
Rather than relying solely on script analysis, Yook Sungjae approached the character through direct observation of people around him. Before filming commenced, he spent time with friends who embody the emotional and warmhearted traits of Han Seon Woo. By listening to how they spoke and discovering the reasoning behind their perspectives, he built an understanding of the F personality type that felt authentic rather than performed. “By understanding my friends with an F personality type a little better, I was also able to immerse myself more deeply in the character of Sun Woo,” he explained to Soompi.
Despite the differences in their personality types, Yook Sungjae estimated that he and Han Seon Woo share about 50 percent of their traits, suggesting enough common ground to access the character while maintaining the challenge of portraying someone fundamentally different from himself.
Chemistry With Park Min Young
From Conflict to Connection
Within the narrative, Kang Yi Ji and Han Seon Woo initially clash, with their professional dynamic characterized by tension. As the episodes progress, their relationship transforms, and the friction between them gradually dissolves into genuine connection. This arc reflected the real experience on set, where Yook Sungjae and Park Min Young’s comfort with each other deepened through repeated takes and scenes.
Building Ease Through Collaboration
Yook Sungjae told Soompi that their chemistry strengthened noticeably as filming continued. During rehearsals, they reached a level of understanding where simply reading lines together allowed both actors to anticipate each other’s performance choices, creating a natural ease that translated directly to their scenes. “Even when we simply read our lines together during rehearsals, we could already picture each other’s performances, which made acting together very comfortable,” he shared.
The Drama’s Broader Message
Beyond the romance between the two leads, “Nine to Six” addresses the shared human experience of navigating workplace challenges. Yook Sungjae expressed hope that the drama would resonate with viewers by showing how people face “realistic struggles and concerns of office life together rather than facing them alone.” In his vision, the story offers more than entertainment; it provides a form of comfort to audiences who recognize themselves in the professional and personal dilemmas the characters confront.
Source: Soompi
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Yook Sungjae choose to star in Nine to Six?
He wanted to work on a project that felt realistic and relatable, unlike previous genres he had worked in. It was also his first time playing an intern role, and he praised Park Min Young as a wonderful senior colleague.
How did Yook Sungjae prepare to play Han Seon Woo?
Before filming, he met with friends who are emotionally warmhearted and observed how they speak and think. By better understanding people with an F personality type, he was able to immerse himself more deeply in the character.
What is the relationship between Han Seon Woo and Kang Yi Ji in Nine to Six?
They start off on bad terms, with Han Seon Woo as an intern and Kang Yi Ji as a deputy general manager. Their chemistry gradually improves as the episodes progress, and they grow together in both their careers and personal lives.
