“Apartment 404” PD Jung Cheol-min recently opened up about his approach to casting, particularly highlighting BLACKPINK’s Jennie. PD Jung shared his insights into his casting philosophy:

“There’s really no special secret to it. My approach was similar to what I did with ‘Village Survival, the Eight’. I believe in giving the freedom to join only if someone is genuinely interested in the project. If they aren’t, there’s no pressure to participate. When I come across a good project, I extend offers, but I completely understand if there are constraints preventing their involvement. Luckily, Jennie had a positive experience with ‘Village Survival, the Eight’. We maintained a genuine and transparent editing process, which helped in building trust.”

“At the time Jennie was busy with her world tour, and I was initially reluctant to approach her because of her hectic schedule. However, I was invited to BLACKPINK’s final concert in Seoul, where I had the opportunity to speak with Jennie. Since her tour was concluding, I casually mentioned the casting to her, and to my delight, she expressed keen interest. I sent her the plan, and she reached out that very night, excited about the concept. Her agreement to join the show came quite swiftly.”

PD Jung also commented on Jennie’s qualities as an entertainer, saying: “Jennie displays a refreshing honesty with her emotions, which is a great asset for an entertainer. She’s both incredibly charming and endearing. Instead of asking her to force anything, I encourage her to simply enjoy the show and be herself. That’s when she truly shines and reveals her natural strengths.”

The new entertainment program “Apartment 404” is expected to once again showcase the charm of PD Jung’s entertainment style by combining cast members whom he had worked together with and new faces.