[Focus] Korea's Yang Jo-wi... As for me, I was completely broken by Jeong Seong-il

Netflix's 'The Glory' Ranks 3rd Globally in Popularity
'Nicehan GaeXX' Completed with Unique Charm
Between Curiosity and Instinct... Praised for Delicate Acting

There is a man named Do-yeong who was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, living every moment of his life as the 'gap' (甲, the dominant party). The world is easy. Born with a silver spoon, people bow their heads and are all allies. Life is as clear as a Go board. There is no hardship. It is simply divided into black and white. Having played as 'black' (黑) throughout his life in the game of life, he has lived a favorable life. From some point, a woman catches his eye. A woman who does not bow to him, unlike those who try hard to look good. A woman who is only interested in the Go stones in his hand, whom he cannot understand at all. He is curious about this woman shrouded in mist.

'The Glory' stills [Photo by Netflix]

Actor Jung Sung-il’s narrative as Ha Do-yeong in the Netflix original series "The Glory," released on the 30th of last month. Moon Dong-eun (played by Song Hye-kyo), whose soul is shattered like dust by brutal violence and who has lost her smile, meets Ha Do-yeong on the hellish path she has chosen herself. Will the flower of despair bloom?

Ha Do-yeong is the husband of Park Yeon-jin (played by Lim Ji-yeon), who bullies Moon Dong-eun at school, and the CEO of the country’s top construction company. A powerful man with both wealth and honor. Do-yeong meets Moon Dong-eun at a Go salon he visits out of love for the game. From that day, Dong-eun keeps coming to mind. A woman who walks her own path upright after a match, who offers a triangle kimbap as if doing a favor, keeps making him curious.

Dong-eun is right in front of him. Finally, she walks into the space he imagined. In the rematch with Dong-eun, Do-yeong becomes 'white' (白) in front of her.

Go reveals desire in silence, enchanting and being enchanted, stripping each other bare.
What if the opponent does not respond?
Then it is just Go.

Dong-eun, who seeps into Do-yeong’s daily life through Go, soon confronts him with the Pandora’s box that Yeon-jin had closed. Do-yeong realizes that Dong-eun deliberately approached him. The perpetrator was his wife Yeon-jin. Dong-eun strategically approached Do-yeong, Yeon-jin’s husband, on her life-risking path of revenge. Yeon-jin boldly admits the truth in front of Do-yeong.

"A Silk Wingbeat That Stirred a Typhoon" Praised as Korea’s Tony Leung

'The Glory' stills [Photo by Netflix]

"The Glory" recorded 25.41 million viewing hours within three days of release, ranking third in the global top 10 (non-English) category. It gained popularity by appearing in the top 10 lists of 19 countries including Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, Kuwait, Singapore, Morocco, and Hong Kong.

Although the romance between Song Hye-kyo and Lee Do-hyun attracted attention, many responses showed they were deeply captivated by Jung Sung-il. Viewers were thrilled by the emotions layered with curiosity and instinct, and the gaze enchanted by a woman he met by chance. Do-yeong, who had been solid, subtly wavered and collapsed. Like a scene from the movie "In the Mood for Love" (2000). Through this, he received the tremendous praise of being called "Korea’s Tony Leung." He left a lasting impression with his sexy and gentle charm, earning reactions of "falling for him."

Kim Eun-sook, the writer of "The Glory," said, "Jung Sung-il portrayed Do-yeong, a character whose life falls the most dramatically, very well. He was cold when he needed to be cold, and nice when he smiled. Especially, his voice was so good. No matter what he said, it sounded like a famous line. I am especially grateful." Director Ahn Gil-ho likened Do-yeong to "a silk wingbeat that stirs a typhoon," expressing satisfaction.

Solid Skills Built on Stage Shine Bright

Actor Jung Sung-il [Photo by Netflix]

Jung Sung-il is an actor who has solidly built his skills over a long time in Daehangno. He debuted in his early 20s but resumed acting after military service. Starting with the play "Kang Full’s Fool" (2007), he appeared in "Liar 1" "I Miss You" (2010), "A Dramatic One Night" (2011), "Shear Madness" (2015), "6 O’clock Off" (2018), "Unchain" (2019), "Nanseol" and "Mio Fratello" (2020) on stage.

The sweat he shed on stage for a long time was recognized by many audiences. The "Hyun Seung-il" pair, formed with actors Kim Dae-hyun and Choi Ho-seung in the musical "Mio Fratello," gained popularity, earning him the nickname "Idol of Daehangno."

He expanded his activities to the small screen. Jung Sung-il left a strong impression in dramas such as "Stranger 2," "Birthcare Center" (2020), "Bad and Crazy" (2021), and "Our Blues" (2022), consistently receiving love calls from directors.

"The Glory" will be recorded as an important work in Jung Sung-il’s filmography. It was a decisive role that revealed his true value, after years of effort playing various roles in many works. He excellently digested the bewitching script written by Kim Eun-sook. The character, who holds wealth and power and appears to have a peaceful family as a kind father and husband, yet has a cynical personality that even feels sharp. Do-yeong, described in the drama as a "nice son of a b****," was completed with his unique charm, earning praise.

Part 2 of "The Glory" will be released in March. Dong-eun’s "bloody revenge" has been foreshadowed. Attention is focused on whether Do-yeong, played by Jung Sung-il, will be the only one to read the drama from the viewer’s perspective.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.