'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAGAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMG/8QAFQEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAgP/2gAMAwEAAhADEAAAAMlUNP/EACEQAAEEAQMFAAAAAAAAAAAAAAECAwQFEwAHEiJDRFJy/9oACAEBAAE/ANhJqIUaynsOPR32irHiQkgnGT1A/Orzc61F1YDn5DnbT7a//8QAGBEAAgMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIAAxH/2gAIAQIBAT8AtRdBn//EABgRAAIDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAgMS/9oACAEDAQE/AK5PLP/Z'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Jung Joon-won, who stars alongside Go Youn-jung in Resident Playbook, addressed the controversy surrounding his appearance and the age gap with other characters in a recent interview. On May 20, 2025, Jung Joon-won shared his experience as part of the Hospital Playlist spin-off drama during an interview with Sports Chosun.
Jung Joon-won portrays Ku Do-won in Resident Playbook, serving as the chief of residents and Oh Yi-young's (Go Youn-jung) love interest. He faced hate comments and backlash from Korean netizens, who believe he did not meet the standards of a good-looking main character. Additionally, netizens questioned his pairing with Go Youn-jung.
He also gained appreciation from numerous viewers, who came to his defense online. During the interview, he was asked about the criticism he faced, and he responded to this accordingly.
Trending
“I had expected it before it even started, and I was sure that it would come up. I didn't feel bad when I heard it, and I knew that people would think this way.”
Jung Joon-won stated that despite the expected reaction, he continued to work hard.
“Nevertheless, I have to do it with the expectation and confidence that this public opinion can definitely change. If not, what will I do? I think I waited because I thought the character would have power. If there are people who like it, there are also people who don't.”
Jung Joon-won opens up about his age gap with other co-stars, including Go Youn-jung, in Resident Playbook
The tvN drama Resident Playbook, featuring Jung Joon-won and Go Youn-jung, completed airing all twelve episodes on May 18, 2025. The drama depicts the story of young residents facing challenges as rookies aspiring to become skilled medical professionals in the future.
Jung Joon-won plays the dependable 4th-year resident Ku Do-won, while Go Youn-jung portrays Oh Yi-young, a 1st-year resident in the same department at Jongno Yulje Medical Center.
Notably, the connection between Ku Do-won and Oh Yi-young goes deep as he is the younger brother of her brother-in-law, Ku Seung-won. Additionally, the two lived in a shared space with their married siblings. Before long, a spark of romance ignited between them, adding a new dimension to their relationship.
Jung Joon-won was born in 1988, while his co-stars Go Youn-jung, Kang You-seok, Shin Si-a, and Han Ye-ji belong to the late 1990s age group. The age gap between Go Youn-jung (1996) and him is nearly 8 years, which has drawn criticism from Korean netizens.
In a recent interview on May 20, he addressed the issue by sharing how he tried to fill the gap between him and his co-actors.
“Basically, when filming this drama, my biggest goal was to quickly become close with these friends. It could be uncomfortable for a senior like me to be older. I didn't want to be seen as that kind of person, so I thought it would be better if the kids thought of me as an easygoing person.”
He added that the Law School actress also helped bridge the distance between the Resident Playbook cast members.
“We just stayed friends without any awkwardness. I thought it would be really annoying if I couldn't talk to them because I was worried about what they would think, so we quickly became close. Youn-jung also came up with a lot of ideas and discussed things with them, so there were no problems,” he added.
Resident Playbook viewership ratings
In the final week of airing, Resident Playbook averaged 6.6 percent viewership ratings nationwide, with episode 11 airing on May 17, 2025. This made it the most-watched TV show on Saturday across the channel.
The drama achieved its highest rating with the final episode released on May 18, 2025, gaining an average of 8.5 percent viewership ratings nationwide. Moreover, Resident Playbook was the most-watched TV series on Sunday, based on its finale ratings.
Resident Playbook is available for streaming on Netflix for international viewers and on TVING in South Korea.
