Jinyoung joins Cha Tae-hyun and Krystal for small screen return in 'Police University'

Actors Jung Jin-young, from left, Jung Soo-jung and Cha Tae-hyun pose for pictures during the online media conference for the KBS series, “Police University,” Monday. Courtesy of KBS

By Lee Gyu-lee

Jung Jin-young, also known as Jinyoung, of K-pop boy group B1A4, had been taking lead roles across films and TV series, including the hit dramas, “Love In the Moonlight,” and the Netflix original, “My First, First Love,” before pausing his career to complete his mandatory military service.

Having been discharged from the military in April, Jung is making his small-screen return with KBS's new TV series, “Police University,” costarring with Cha Tae-hyun and Jung Soo-jung, who is better known as Krystal, of K-pop group f(x).

“Considering the fact that this series is the first project (after my military service) and it's been so long since I've done any acting, playing this role was overwhelming,” Jinyoung said during an online press conference for the series, Monday.

“Especially costarring with Cha, who has much more experience and is someone I've always admired, made me more nervous… but once we started filming, he created such a comfortable environment, and that helped me a lot on the set.”

The comedy crime series, which kicked off Monday with a 5.2-percent rating, revolves around a former hacker, Kang Seon-ho (Jinyoung), and a rowdy detective, Yoo Dong-man (Cha), teaming up to solve crimes.

Seon-ho, who was living with a friend of his parents after their death, finds purpose in his life for the first time, when he decides to go to the National Police University with his crush Oh Kang-hui (Jung Soo-jung). There, he meets detective-turned-professor Dong-man, who stepped down after Seon-ho unintentionally ruined an investigation he was involved in.

The poster for the series / Courtesy of Logos Film

Director Yoo Gwan-mo, who directed the suspense series, “Woman of 9.9 Billion,” noted that this is a series that can be enjoyed by all ages.

“Most detective shows are part of a very specific genre (for adults), while stories about school life are usually for younger viewers. But our series is different. It has both, which the whole family can enjoy together,” he said. “The base genre is a comedy, but it has drama and a complex mix of themes.”

Jinyoung added that the series features the coming-of-age story of his character.

“I thought it was crucial to show Seon-ho growing as a person. He begins as a man, with a dark past and no dream, and then he starts to make his future, after meeting the professor and Kang-hui. So I wanted to make those changes clear,” he said, adding that it was difficult to study his character.

Cha has taken up the role of a detective again, following his previous TV series., “Team Bulldog: Off-duty Investigation,” last year. He noted that this role is more complex, as Dong-man also has to teach students as a professor, aside from working as a detective.

“It is my first time playing a professor, so I was excited but also worried at the same time,” he said. “For lecturing scenes, I had to put on another style of acting than what I've always done in previous acting. My lines were very difficult, so I tried my best to stick with the script and to spit them out naturally.”

Jung Soo-jung plays a former Judo athlete who enrolls in Police University to achieve her dream of becoming a police officer.

The actress said that she lives vicariously through playing the determined, justice-seeking character.

“Kang-hui is very honest and speaks out against injustice, so many viewers will feel a sense of satisfaction, just as I do while playing the character,” she said. “I feel like I'm drawn to characters or jobs that I've never played before. I always want to do something new… and I chose this series because the character came to me as very appealing when I read the script.”

“Police University” airs Mondays and Tuesdays at 9:30 p.m.