Cover Park Jihoon’s screen choices have settled into a pattern worth tracking, from controlled, high-stakes roles to projects that push further into genre. Here are some TV shows with Park Ji-hoon (Photo: Darae Lee/Netflix © 2025)
Park Jihoon’s screen choices have settled into a pattern worth tracking, from controlled, high-stakes roles to projects that push further into genre. Here are some TV shows with Park Ji-hoon (Photo: Darae Lee/Netflix © 2025)
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From ‘Weak Hero’ to what’s next, TV shows with Park Ji-hoon show a clear shift in his career
Park Jihoon’s acting trajectory sharpened into focus with Weak Hero, the school violence drama that repositioned him from idol-turned-actor into a lead associated with controlled intensity and strategic performances. As Yeon Si-eun, he anchored a series that relied less on spectacle and more on psychological calculation, quickly becoming the reference point for discussions around TV shows with Park Ji-hoon. That breakout recalibrated expectations for his subsequent work. Since then, his project choices have leaned into dual identities, institutional settings, and contained genre frameworks. With The Legend of Kitchen Soldier set for 2026 and We Are the Zombies in pre-production, the next phase of TV shows with Park Ji-hoon points toward broader genre territory while retaining the internal tension that defined his rise.
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‘The Legend of Kitchen Soldier’ (2026)
Above A military kitchen becomes an unlikely proving ground as Park Jihoon navigates rank, routine, and a system that rewards precision
A military comedy adapted from a webtoon, The Legend of Kitchen Soldier centres on Park Ji-hoon as Kang Seong-jae, a new recruit assigned to an unexpected corner of military life: the army kitchen. In contrast to the more familiar battlefield or training-ground narratives, the series shifts focus to the mess hall, where discipline is enforced not through combat drills but through timing, hygiene standards, and the relentless pressure of feeding an entire base on schedule.
Seong-jae’s early days are defined by basic kitchen duties such as food prep, cleaning rotations and ration handling, all under a strict hierarchy that mirrors military command structure. Senior cooks function like squad leaders, while supply officers and non-commissioned personnel shape the flow of daily operations. Even minor errors, from miscounted portions to delayed service times, are treated as operational failures, reinforcing the regimented logic of the environment.
What distinguishes The Legend of Kitchen Soldier is its gamified narrative structure. Tasks are presented like missions, with “quests” tracking progress across prep stages, cooking assignments and efficiency challenges. This framework introduces a procedural rhythm, where each episode builds through escalating objectives and performance metrics rather than traditional mission arcs. Rewards and penalties are integrated into this system, heightening both comedic tension and stakes.
Within this structure, humour emerges from military bureaucracy and the absurd precision required in large-scale food service. The contrast between Seong-jae’s inexperience and the kitchen’s industrial discipline becomes the engine for both character development and situational comedy.
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‘Weak Hero’ (2022-2025)
Above A top student fights back with strategy, not strength, in the role that redefined Park Jihoon’s screen presence
Weak Hero Class 1 and its continuation, Weak Hero Class 2, represent Park Jihoon’s most defined screen identity to date. He plays Yeon Si-eun, a top student whose analytical thinking becomes his primary defence in a violent school environment. The series is structured around escalating conflict, where physical confrontation is secondary to strategy. Si-eun’s approach to violence is calculated, often reactive, and shaped by shifting alliances. As the story progresses into its second instalment, the narrative expands beyond a single school, introducing organised groups and longer-term consequences tied to earlier events. Among all TV shows with Park Ji-hoon, this is the clearest example of sustained character continuity, with the role evolving across seasons rather than resetting.
‘Love Song for Illusion’ (2024)
Above Two identities, one crown prince, and a court where memory and desire complicate power and romance
In Love Song for Illusion, Park Jihoon plays a dual role as crown prince Sajo Hyun and his alternate personality, Ak-hee. Set in a fictional historical court, the story is driven by his dissociative identity, which places two opposing personas in direct conflict within the same body. Sajo Hyun operates within the constraints of royal duty, while Ak-hee acts on impulse and desire, often disrupting court expectations.
This internal divide shapes both the political intrigue and the central romance, as those around him are forced to navigate shifting behaviour and uncertain intent. Memory, perception, and control recur as key themes throughout. Among TV shows with Park Ji-hoon, this leans into fantasy elements, but keeps its focus on internal conflict rather than large-scale worldbuilding.
‘At a Distance, Spring Is Green’ (2021)
Above Campus life looks easy on the surface, but Park Jihoon’s Yeo Jun reveals what sits underneath
In At a Distance, Spring Is Green, Park Ji-hoon plays Yeo Jun, a university student who appears confident and easygoing but is dealing with deeper personal strain. Set on a college campus, the series follows his relationships with classmates as they navigate academic pressure, financial disparity, and shifting friendships. Yeo Jun’s role sits at the centre of these dynamics, presenting a version of himself that is socially adept while concealing unresolved tensions tied to family and identity. That contrast shapes how he moves through each interaction, often deflecting rather than confronting what sits beneath the surface. Compared with later TV shows with Park Ji-hoon, this is smaller in scale but more direct in how it examines emotional restraint and self-presentation.
‘Flower Crew: Joseon Marriage Agency’ (2019)
Above Matchmakers navigate class and marriage in Joseon, with Park Jihoon part of a tightly run ensemble
Flower Crew: Joseon Marriage Agency marked Park Jihoon’s transition into mainstream television, placing him within an ensemble rather than at the centre of the narrative. Set during the Joseon period, the series follows a group of matchmakers hired to transform a blacksmith into a noble groom, navigating rigid class structures and the politics of arranged marriage. Park Jihoon plays Go Young-soo, one of the Flower Crew members, whose role sits within the team dynamic as they manage clients, identities, and social expectations. As one of the earliest TV shows with Park Ji-hoon in a substantial role, it stays close to familiar historical drama conventions while introducing him to a wider audience.
‘We Are the Zombies’ (Pre-production)
We Are the Zombies is one of the upcoming TV shows with Park Ji-hoon, and it moves his slate into survival horror. Based on a webtoon, the series is set inside a large shopping complex that is sealed off following a zombie outbreak, trapping survivors and the infected in the same contained space. The story unfolds within this closed environment, where resources are limited and movement is restricted, shaping how different groups interact and survive over time. Park Ji-hoon plays the main character, Kim In-jong, a survivor who has managed to stay alive inside the building for an extended period. His role places him at the centre of the unfolding incidents within the complex, as tensions build among those trapped inside.
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Chonx Tibajia is a senior editor at Tatler Asia’s T-Labs team, where she writes widely on lifestyle subjects including beauty, style, entertainment and travel. She has a long career in journalism, including roles as a columnist at The Philippine Star, and is the founder of the creative platform Pineappleversed. Beyond Tatler, her bylines appear in regional lifestyle and business publications, showcasing a broad portfolio that spans beauty trends, travel guides and culture pieces.
