Uhm Ki Joon turns out to be not the first choice to play the iconic Ju Dan Tae of Penthouse.

Penthouse – SBS’s 3-season series, depicting the battle for money and power among Korean wealthiest families, became a massive hit and took the popularity of the cast to a whole different level. For some actors, joining the cast of Penthouse is even considered a life-changing decision.

Uhm Ki Joon – who takes on the role of the main villain Ju Dan Tae – is one of them. Thanks to the success of Penthouse, Uhm Ki Joon boosted his reputation remarkably after nearly 20 years of working in the industry without a solid position.

Flawlessly portraying Ju Dan Tae, but Uhm Ki Joon was actually not originally selected for this part. Initially, the production crew offered the role to Shin Sung Rok – an actor who is famous for playing villains. If Shin Sung Rok did not pass on the offer, the viewers would have seen an extremely haunting Ju Dan Tae.

At that time, Shin Sung Rok was said to have tried to join Penthouse but failed because of the overlapping schedule, as he was playing the lead role in the MBC drama Kairos. Of course, Kairos is also an excellent drama, but when it comes to the achievement, it can’t match what Penthouse has achieved.

Looking back at the success of Penthouse and especially actor Uhm Ki Joon, Shin Sung Rok must have felt extremely regretful.

Of course, it still has to be affirmed that Uhm Ki Joon is perfect for the role of Ju Dan Tae, and whether it is him or Shin Sung Rok, the Penthouse team is still successful in choosing actors.

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BTS member Jimin made history at the 2024 MAMA AWARDS, becoming the first solo artist ever to win the prestigious Visa Fan’s Choice of the Year award.

On November 22, Jimin was honored with the Fan’s Choice of the Year award at the 2024 MAMA AWARDS JAPAN, held at the Kyocera Dome in Osaka, Japan. This marks a huge milestone in his career, especially considering his ongoing military service.

Jimin made history as the first solo artist to win the Fan’s Choice of the Year award, a category that BTS had dominated for six years since its debut in 2018.

In addition to this achievement, Jimin also took home the Fan’s Choice Grand Prize, making him a two-time winner at this year’s awards.

Although Jimin couldn't attend the ceremony due to his military service, his name was met with loud cheers from fans when announced.

His incredible win continues to prove his global influence as a solo artist. Jimin had also won Best Male Artist at the 2023 MAMA AWARDS, marking back-to-back wins at the event.

The MAMA AWARDS praised Jimin for his groundbreaking achievements, saying, “As the first K-pop solo artist to reach 4 billion streams and set the longest-running #1 record for a Korean artist, Jimin has proven his influence as a world-class artist and global pop star.”

Jimin's win also made him the first solo artist to claim a grand prize at the MAMA AWARDS in 10 years, with his achievement sparking excitement worldwide.

On X (formerly Twitter), the hashtag “CONGRATULATIONS JIMIN” topped the trends, while “우리지민이상받았네” (Our Jimin Got the Award) reached the #1 spot in Korea.

Jimin’s ongoing success continues to shine even during his military service. He was also recently named Best K-pop at the 2024 MTV Europe Music Awards and continues to be recognized for his charitable efforts, including a recent donation of 100 million KRW to the National Defense Soldier and Veteran Love Fund.

Source: [1]