The Korea Herald

지나쌤

Jo Jung-suk says his wife Gummy gave him most confidence for 'A-List to Playlist'

By Lee Yoon-seo

Published : Aug. 27, 2024 - 19:23

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"A-List to Playlist," starring Jo Jung-suk (Netflix)

Korea's beloved actor Jo Jung-suk said his wife and popular singer Park Ji-yeon, more famously known by her stage name Gummy, has been his greatest source of confidence in pursuing his dream of becoming a singer, via Netflix original "A-List to Playlist."

"A-List to Playlist" will follow actor Jo Jung-suk's quest to fulfill his dream of debuting as a singer-songwriter. The eight-part series documents Jo's 100-day journey to create an album, with support from popular singer-songwriters, including Lee Ji-eun (IU), Park Hyo-shin and his wife Gummy.

The show is co-directed by star producer Yang Jung-woo, known for hits such as "New Journey to the West" and "Youth Over Flowers," alongside producer Lee Jung-won.

"I first met Jo nine years ago while working on 'Youth Over Flowers.' When the cameras were off, I happened to see him relaxing, and even then, he was playing the guitar and enjoying music. I thought that if I ever had the chance to capture the true essence of Jo (on-screen), it would be great to do so, especially with content that involves music," said Yang, during a press conference held in Mapo-gu, Seoul, Tuesday.

Producer Lee explained that their primary focus was on allowing the show to develop naturally.

"With the content being a reality program, we aimed to capture the story as it unfolded at Jo's pace. We did not want to introduce any artificial elements. Although we did incorporate some entertaining segments, the majority of the show follows a sequential format," Lee said.

Jo admitted he had had reservations about producing a show focused solely on his journey. However, he said his wife had given him the confidence to move forward.

“Gummy reassured me personally that it was okay to trust myself and continue. That was the greatest encouragement I received," said Jo.

Jo said in his album, he intended to feature songs of diverse genres.

"I primarily used the guitar, aiming to craft songs that highlighted its qualities. I worked diligently without confining myself to a specific genre. I believed that restricting the genre would impose limits, so I experimented with various styles and ended up discovering some great songs," said Jo.

The first episode of "A-list to Playlist" will stream on Netflix on Friday at 4 p.m.