On Dec. 11, Ji sat down for an interview at a cafe in Seoul’s Samcheong-dong to talk about headlining the Disney+ series “The Manipulated”, sharing how it felt to work back-to-back with veteran actresses he’s long admired.
“It’s such an honor,” he said. “They’re seniors I grew up watching ― my idols, really. Getting to work with them is something I’ll always look back on as a precious, grateful time in my acting career.”
Ji appeared opposite Jeon Do-yeon in last year’s film “Revolver,” wrapped Netflix’s 2026-bound series “Scandal” (working title) with Son Ye-jin, and is set to shoot JTBC’s “Human X Gumiho” (working title) with Jun Ji-hyun. It will mark his second project with Jun following the film “Colony.”
Of working with Son on “Scandal,” Ji said, “We had fun, but we worked fiercely.”
Speaking about Jun, he added, “We filmed ‘Colony’ together last year, and I was struck by how bright and energizing she is on set ― she makes everyone around her happy. ‘Human X Gumiho’ is a different genre than ‘Colony,’ so I’m excited. I think we’ll be laughing a lot, and her positive energy will shine through the project.”
“The Manipulated” follows Tae-jung (Ji), an everyday guy whose life is upended when he’s wrongfully entangled in a brutal crime and sent to prison ― only to discover the ordeal was meticulously orchestrated by Yohan (D.O.). What follows is a revenge-fueled action thriller.
Tae-jung is a hustling delivery worker saving up with a simple dream of opening a garden cafe. With a loving girlfriend, loyal friends and a cherished younger sibling, his days brim with hope ― until a false murder charge shatters everything overnight.
Ji maps Tae-jung’s journey from sunny optimism to raw fury and despair with tightly wound intensity, building a layered character you can’t look away from. His bone-crunching set pieces deliver some of the show’s most cathartic highs, making “The Manipulated” a ride driven as much by emotion as action.
All 12 episodes of “The Manipulated” are now streaming on Disney+.
[Photo: Disney+]
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Sun-ae)