Jung Kyung-ho Trades Scrubs for Suits: Acclaimed Film Director Lim Soon-rye Makes TV Debut with Ghost-Seeing Labor Attorney

There's something beautifully poetic about Jung Kyung-ho's latest career move. After spending years perfecting the art of playing doctors, teachers, and detectives, Korea's most trusted "professional occupation specialist" is now taking on his most unusual role yet: a labor attorney who sees ghosts. And he's doing it under the guidance of none other than Lim Soon-rye, one of Korea's most celebrated filmmakers making her television debut.

The May 30th online press conference for MBC's new Friday-Saturday drama "Labor Attorney Noh Moo-jin" felt like watching two masters of their craft embark on uncharted territory together.

Lim Soon-rye isn't just any director making the leap to television. She's the visionary behind critically acclaimed films like "Little Forest," "The Point Men," and "Forever the Moment" - a filmmaker who's spent nearly three decades crafting stories that blend human drama with social consciousness. For her to choose television as her next frontier is the kind of industry news that makes headlines.

"The script and subject matter were just too good," Lim explained during the press conference, with characteristic honesty. "Movies aren't getting investment these days - though that's a joke," she added with a laugh. "I wanted to challenge myself with something new."

What drew her in was the unique concept: a fantasy legal drama about a labor attorney who helps the ghosts of industrial accident victims find peace by solving the workplace injustices that led to their deaths. It's exactly the kind of socially conscious storytelling with a supernatural twist that seems tailor-made for Lim's sensibilities.

"This is the first drama to properly introduce the profession of labor attorney," she noted. "We're telling the story of someone with the noble mission of solving cases where workers died in industrial accidents but couldn't find justice - helping vengeful spirits who can't rest in peace."

Jung Kyung-ho has built his reputation as Korea's go-to actor for professional roles, seamlessly transitioning from the beloved cardiac surgeon Kim Jun-wan in "Hospital Playlist" to the sensitive math instructor in "Crash Course in Romance." His ability to make specialized professions feel accessible and human has become his trademark.

"I didn't know much about labor attorneys before this drama," Jung admitted. "But through this project, I learned about how they solve legal labor issues from the workers' perspective. We tried to tell these serious stories in a light and entertaining way."

This marks Jung's first title role - a milestone that might surprise fans given his extensive career. When asked about the pressure, his response was refreshingly down-to-earth: "I don't feel burdened by the title role. This work really shines when the three of us have good chemistry together, so I deliberately gave the other two a hard time - making them do lots of script readings and forcing them to eat and drink with me."

The heart of the drama lies in the dynamic between the three-person team dubbed "Mujins": Jung's ghost-seeing attorney Noh Moo-jin, Seol In-ah's feisty martial arts expert Na Hee-joo (who happens to be Moo-jin's sister-in-law), and Cha Hak-yeon's quirky video creator Ko Kyeon-woo.

Seol In-ah's character brings the action, literally - she's a jiu-jitsu black belt who serves as the team's "assault captain." Meanwhile, Cha Hak-yeon plays a former journalist turned content creator with 950,000 YouTube subscribers who's still too shy to show his face on camera.

The chemistry between the three was evident even during the press conference. When asked to rate their on-screen synergy, Cha Hak-yeon didn't hesitate: "I want to give our chemistry a perfect score. When the three of us were together, our chemistry was so good normally too. There were so many moments when our movements became identical that I really felt we knew each other well."

Seol In-ah agreed: "It was too perfect. Jung Kyung-ho was at the center of it all. It couldn't help but be a perfect score."
What makes this drama particularly timely is its focus on labor issues - a subject that resonates deeply in modern Korea. The show tackles real workplace safety concerns, starting with a vocational high school student who dies in an industrial accident due to inadequate safety training and adult negligence.

"Industrial accidents are very real daily occurrences," Lim explained. "On the other hand, seeing ghosts is impossible, isn't it? My job was to make that believable, to ensure it didn't seem absurd. I focused on creating balance between reality and fantasy, between heavy and light, between comedy and seriousness."

The drama's approach of using supernatural elements to highlight very real social issues follows a proud tradition in Korean storytelling, where fantasy often serves as a vehicle for social commentary.

The production boasts an impressive lineup of guest stars including Jin Sun-kyu, Moon So-ri, Kim Dae-myung, and Kyeong Su-jin - a testament to both Lim's reputation and the script's quality.

"The supporting cast has no weak links in their acting," Lim emphasized. "Many film actors I've worked with participated because of our relationship and because they loved the project. Moon So-ri, Choi Moo-sung, and other heavyweight actors joined us. I think viewers will really enjoy seeing these actors."

One of the most intriguing aspects of the show is how it plans to balance its comedic supernatural elements with serious labor rights issues. Jung's character is described as engaging in "petty and shabby action" - a far cry from the polished professionals he usually plays.

"I don't try to be funny on purpose," Jung explained. "The script was so entertaining that I mostly thought about how to express it exactly as written. My shabby side comes out naturally just by being in front of the camera."

The comparison Lim drew between Seol In-ah and Jo Jung-suk was particularly telling. "Seol In-ah has a lot of talents. She's beautiful, smart, sings well, and is good at sports. That's like Jo Jung-suk," Jung observed. "I feel like Jo Jung-suk could have been the leader of an idol group. I got that same feeling from Seol In-ah - she's talented and has a lot to offer."

The collaboration between writer Kim Bo-tong (known for the hard-hitting military drama "D.P.") and director Lim Soon-rye represents a new kind of creative partnership in Korean television. When A-list film directors transition to television, it often signals a shift in how the medium is perceived within the industry.

Lim's enthusiasm for the television format was evident: "I thought it would be much harder than films, and many people scared me by saying dramas would be really difficult. But it wasn't much different from films. The staff was so wonderful that I filmed without realizing it was hard work."

The show airs from May 30 to June 28, taking over MBC's Friday-Saturday slot - a coveted time slot that often showcases the network's most ambitious projects. This scheduling indicates MBC's confidence in the production's quality and commercial potential.

For international viewers, Friday-Saturday dramas in Korea often represent networks' attempts to create appointment television that can compete with weekend movie viewings and social activities.

As Korean entertainment continues to evolve, "Labor Attorney Noh Moo-jin" represents an interesting experiment in genre-blending and cross-medium collaboration. It's not often you see a respected arthouse filmmaker tackle workplace supernatural comedy, or watch an actor known for sensitive professional roles attempt slapstick action.

"We have social themes, but we also help vengeful spirits move on peacefully, so there's emotion about life too," Lim concluded. "I think it's a good drama that combines emotion, entertainment, and message."

Whether this unusual combination of ghost comedy and labor rights advocacy will resonate with audiences remains to be seen. But with Jung Kyung-ho's proven track record of making professional roles compelling and Lim Soon-rye's gift for finding humanity in unexpected places, "Labor Attorney Noh Moo-jin" might just be the perfect marriage of entertainment and social consciousness that Korean television needs.

The drama premieres May 30th at 9:50 PM on MBC - because apparently, even ghosts have to respect prime time scheduling.