On the February 25 episode of the tvN variety show 'You Quiz on the Block' (Episode 332), Park Ji Hoon appeared as a guest following the “Danjong syndrome” sparked by the film 'The King's Warden.' During the broadcast, Park Ji Hoon spoke about the intense effort he put into preparing for his role.
Park Ji Hoon shared that his mother has already watched the film multiple times, while his father often attends stage greeting events.
He also revealed that he initially made director Jang Hang Jun wait before accepting the casting offer. “I had to portray very deep emotions, and I wasn’t sure if I could pull it off. I struggled with the decision,” he recalled.
To fully embody his character, Park Ji Hoon said he lost 15 kgs (33lbs) in just two months by eating only one apple a day. He explained, “My primary goal was to show the pain on my face through weight loss. I became extremely sensitive. Ironically, apples are the fruit I dislike the most. I deliberately chose something I hate, thinking that if I put something unpleasant in my mouth, it might further suppress my appetite.”
He added that because he had to depict the process of exile following the Gyeyujeongnan coup, he did not want to lose weight through exercise. He said, “I wanted to look gaunt, almost skeletal - like someone who had completely lost their appetite. That’s why I survived on just one apple a day.”
After successfully shedding 15 kgs over two months, Park Ji Hoon visibly recoiled when the production staff offered him an apple on set, firmly saying, “I won’t eat it.” He reiterated, “Apples are actually my least favorite fruit. I chose something I dislike on purpose, hoping it would make me lose my appetite even more. I often felt dizzy and lightheaded.”
He also shared that while filming 'The King's Warden,' he once ate dasulgi soup (freshwater snail soup) and felt the nutrients spreading through his entire body. He said candidly, “Because I lost weight in such a short period, my body rejected almost everything I ate. I would throw up. I had barely been eating, and then I had to film a scene where I was eating. When the salt hit my system, it felt like when strong alcohol goes down, and you can feel it spreading. As soon as I had the soup, I could literally feel it entering my body. That’s when I thought, ‘I had forgotten what this taste feels like’.”
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