Actor Jung Joon Won has opened up about the criticism he received while starring in MBC’s A Bona fide Killer, including comments about his appearance and his reserved behavior on a variety show.
In a recent interview following the drama’s finale, Jung Joon Won reflected on the sudden increase in public attention he experienced after taking on a leading role.
He said, *“I went through so many experiences and so many things happened. Because I came into the spotlight relatively late, I had to learn a lot in a short period of time, and it became overwhelming.”*
One of the biggest discussions began after Jung Joon Won appeared with Gong Hyo Jin on MBC’s *Hangout with Yoo* to promote the drama. Some viewers criticized him for appearing too passive when asked to participate in an improvised situation.
Jung Joon Won explained that he had little experience with that type of variety show and became extremely nervous after meeting Yoo Jae Suk, whom he had admired for years.
He said, *“I wanted to do well, but I think I just froze. My mind went blank and I couldn’t do anything.”*
The actor added that he understood why some viewers may have felt uncomfortable and said he apologized at the filming location. He also shared that Yoo Jae Suk, Gong Hyo Jin, and the production staff reassured him at the time.
Jung Joon Won admitted that the experience affected him physically as well, recalling that he felt so nervous after filming that he became nauseous. He said he would like to do better if given another opportunity and hopes to gain more experience with entertainment programs.
The actor also addressed comments about his appearance. Some viewers had questioned the casting because his character was presented as attractive, leading to personal criticism of Jung Joon Won’s looks.
Responding to those comments, he said, *“Everyone has different tastes and different standards.”*
He continued, *“Of course, it doesn’t feel good when someone says I’m ugly, but that wasn’t my priority. Acting was my priority. It’s not that I don’t care about my appearance.”*
Jung Joon Won said he had looked at viewer reactions online and noticed that responses were more negative early in the drama’s run but became more positive as the story continued.
He explained that instead of focusing on negative comments, he tried to convince viewers through his performance.
*“Since these things happened because of something I did, I thought the only thing I could do was prove myself through the work,”* he said.
A Bona fide Killer eventually finished with its highest nationwide household rating of 10.7% for its final episode, according to Nielsen Korea.
Jung Joon Won also expressed gratitude toward Gong Hyo Jin, saying he relied on her greatly while filming and appreciated how she treated him as an equal acting partner despite her longer career.
Looking ahead, the actor said the experience taught him to focus on sincerity and improvement rather than individual negative reactions.
He shared, *“Even if there are 99 good things said about me, sometimes the one bad comment is all I see. I think I’m able to keep going because of the people who say good things about me.”*
Jung Joon Won added that he does not have one specific genre or role he wants to pursue next, but hopes to continue challenging himself with different characters and earning viewers’ trust through his acting.
