SEVENTEEN's Seungkwan has been appointed as the honorary ambassador for his hometown, Jeju.

On the afternoon of November 19, Seungkwan attended the appointment ceremony at the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province Communication and Cooperation Center in Jeju City.

This marks the start of his role as an ambassador. The ceremony held extra significance as it recognized Seungkwan’s contributions to promoting Jeju globally, especially since he is a local from the island.

At the event, Seungkwan shared, “Since my childhood, I’ve always felt proud to be from Jeju. So when I had the chance to speak at the ‘UNESCO Youth Forum’ last year, I really wanted to introduce Jeju, a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site, to the world. Being appointed as Jeju’s ambassador today feels so meaningful, and I am truly thankful.”

He continued, “I’ve always wanted to give good energy and hope to the people of Jeju. I’ll keep working hard to spread the word about both Jeju and SEVENTEEN to the world, so please keep an eye on me.”

Jeju Governor Oh Young Hoon expressed his joy, saying, “I’m glad to see a world-renowned artist from Jeju take on the role of our hometown’s ambassador. We hope that Seungkwan will act as a cultural diplomat, sharing Jeju’s clean nature, cultural heritage, and the island’s value as a symbol of world peace with the world.”

Following the appointment, Seungkwan also participated in the Jeju Love Donation campaign, contributing to the protection of the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin.

He said, “I’ve been thinking for a long time about how I can help Jeju, and I’m happy that I can express my love for my hometown through this opportunity.”

In September, PLEDIS Entertainment and the Jeju Provincial Government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to promote K-pop content related to Jeju.

Both parties have agreed to collaborate to boost the island’s cultural and tourism industries and create K-pop content in Jeju, aiming to enhance the brand value of both Jeju and PLEDIS.

Source: [1]

Lee Jun Young recently opened up about the emotional toll of playing a villain—and how one powerful scene made him break down in tears behind the scenes.

On the May 1st episode of KBS 2TV’s variety show Problem Child in House, Lee Jun Young appeared alongside co-star Jung Eun Ji to promote their new KBS drama Pump Up the Healthy Love.

During the show, Lee Jun Young was asked about the most unforgettable villain he’s played. He chose his role as Han Su Gang in the film Brave Citizen.

He explained, “It was really tough to film. I had to act like I was leading school violence, and there was even a scene where I bullied a grandmother.”

The hosts were surprised, pointing out how kind and gentle he seems in real life. Lee Jun Young shared how he transforms for such roles.

“I try to act as bad as I can, but sometimes the director says, ‘You still look too nice.’ Then I focus even harder and adjust right away.”

He also revealed that filming one particular scene hit him hard emotionally. “My real grandmother was sick at the time,” he said.

“In one scene, there’s a grandma selling gimbap, and I ad-libbed by stubbing a cigarette out on the gimbap. I was really into character, but after filming, I just broke down. So many thoughts came to me and I started crying.”

Fans praised his dedication to acting but also felt moved by how deeply the role affected him. Lee Jun Young’s honesty gave a raw look at how even fictional roles can hit close to home.

Source: [1]