“Gangnam B-Side” follows Kang Dong Woo (Jo Woo Jin), a former police officer who once investigated corruption, but is now isolated and alone.
After moving to a quiet town, he is suddenly pulled back to Seoul (South Korea) when his daughter's friend and club ace Kim Jae Hee (BIBI) disappears.
Teaming up with Yoon Gil Ho (Ji Chang Wook), a pimp who lives without knowing tomorrow, always appearing with long hair, fur coats and eye-catching accessories, Dong Woo delves into the dangerous underworld of crime and corruption, aiming to expose a conspiracy involving powerful figures.
According to the Korea Times, after 8 episodes, “Gangnam B-Side” has convinced audiences with its fast-paced plot, unexpected details, and explosive acting from the cast. Thanks to that, the film has continuously set new records by topping Disney+’s global rankings.
After ranking ninth on November 9, the show climbed the rankings each week to reach the top spot in the Disney+ TV show category globally, according to FlixPatrol (a website that tracks content viewing rankings on OTT - online platforms worldwide).
Furthermore, “Gangnam B-Side” also took the top spot in Korea, Taiwan (China), Singapore..., ranking in the top 10 in 7 countries and territories, including Greece, Malta, Türkiye...
Talking about the global popularity of the work, Ji Chang Wook was quite surprised. However, he said that the reason why the audience was attracted to the story is because it reflects real-world issues.
It is known that the film is inspired by real events surrounding Seungri (former Big Bang member) and the Burning Sun scandal as the basis for building the plot and main villain.
In this project, Ji Chang Wook gradually breaks his romantic handsome image to play a rough pimp who stabs and kills every day. Describing his character, Ji Chang Wook calls Gil Ho a crazy guy chasing bad guys. He admits that he was attracted to the character's flaws.
“Personally, I found it interesting that the character I played had flaws and that the police officer Kang Dong Woo looked at Gil Ho with a somewhat prejudiced eye. Gil Ho was affected by the lack of a relationship with his parents and I tried my best to emphasize this through my acting.”
According to Ji Chang Wook, after "Horror Crime" and "Avengers", the reason he continues to participate in a dark film like "Gangnam Style" is because he wants to try his hand at a new project with sympathetic characters.
The Korean actor added that at the age of 37, he hopes to play many diverse roles, surpassing the image of a young male god to be more recognized for his acting.
“I tried to shake off my previous image as an idol or hallyu star in dramas and assert myself as a serious actor.
It was a big challenge, but I put a lot of thought and effort behind the scenes. It was gratifying to see my range grow, even if it was a long process. I believe that one day, people will recognize me more for my acting ability.”
