Kang Ki Young has revealed that he once seriously considered leaving Extraordinary Attorney Woo because he struggled with the role early in filming.
On the September 19 episode of YouTube show Pinggyego, Kang Ki Young appeared alongside Koo Kyo Hwan and Shin Seung Ho and looked back on the pressure he felt while playing senior attorney Jung Myung Seok.
The actor admitted, “When I was working on a project like ‘Extraordinary Attorney Woo,’ I thought about dropping out. I felt like I just couldn’t do it.”
He explained that portraying a professional, dependable, and warm senior lawyer felt especially difficult.
“I couldn’t figure out how to act like this professional, warm, and impressive senior,” he said.
When Koo Kyo Hwan asked how he ultimately managed to complete the role, Kang Ki Young said the courtroom scenes were particularly challenging because of the complicated dialogue.
“At first, all the courtroom scenes were filmed close together. The lines were difficult, and I usually rely on little reactions and sounds when I act, but I couldn’t really do that because I had to use professional legal terms,” he explained.
He added, “It felt like I was wrapped in chains.”
Despite those early doubts, Kang Ki Young stayed with the drama and eventually received positive attention for his performance as Jung Myung Seok, Woo Young Woo’s senior at a major law firm.
Extraordinary Attorney Woo went on to become a major hit, reaching a peak nationwide rating of 17.5%.
Looking back, Kang Ki Young’s comments showed that even one of his most recognized roles came with significant pressure behind the scenes before the drama became a breakout success.
