iQiyi Original Korean drama series starring Gianna Jun and Ju Ji-hoon, and created by director Lee Eung-bok (Descendants of The Sun, Guardian: The Lonely and Great God) and writer Kim Eun-hee (Signal, Kingdom), presents its latest cast stills today (October 8th).
Gianna Jun and Ju Ji-hoon gear up as national park rangers. Sung Dong-il, Oh Jung-se and Cho Han-cheul are also seen in their roles as members of the Haidong Branch search and rescue team on Jirisan. Jirisan is set to premiere October 23rd globally and exclusively on iQiyi.
Gianna Jun and Ju Ji-hoon are seen on a mission together in matching red mountaineering jackets. Even as they are taking on a park ranger role for the first time, Jun and Ju display some excellent mountaineering skills in the latest production stills. Athletic and determined, Jun embodies her role as leader of the search and rescue team. Ju’s energy and enthusiasm as a rookie ranger shines through and is seen in an exciting still abseiling off the rocks!
The production team shared that the female lead character Seo Yi-gang was envisioned as a “healthy and beautiful female warrior”. The first – and only – actress they wanted for the role was Gianna Jun. Ju Ji-hoon’s smile was what won the production team over. “He is able to express innocence, playfulness, cruelty, strength and much more with just his smile. He matches our vision of Kang Hyun-jo who is warm, can exert an air of dominance, and is able to express despair.” Discussing Jun and Ju’s on screen chemistry, the production team shared, “In previously released trailers, we can see that Gianna Jun is in good form as the senior park ranger. Although the shooting process has been extremely physically demanding, Jun has kept the on-set atmosphere and chemistry going strong.”
In addition, Sung Dong-il, Oh Jung-se and Cho Han-cheul are in the spotlight for the first time in the latest stills. The production team reveals that the trio work very well together and scenes among them will keep viewers glued to the action. They look forward to showcasing their collaboration as members of the Haidong Branch park rangers with fans.
Writer Kim Eun-hee revealed Jirisan not only revolves around mystery and suspense, but will also be a drama that heals and warms the heart. It marks a departure from the style of previous series written by Kim. “I feel that I’ve only talked about murders, but I do feel a need for the show to heal the soul. That is why we have chosen to follow the story of park rangers among the mountain, trees and nature of Jirisan,” explained Kim. “In our mundane reality, I hope the series’ spotlight of the beautiful peak can help viewers cleanse their negative emotions.”
Jirisan follows the team of national park rangers who are responsible for search and rescue on Jirisan. Experienced ranger (played by Gianna Jun) and rookie ranger (played by Ju Ji-hoon) are set to unravel the secrets of the peak. The iQiyi Original K-series will exclusively simulcast with Korea on October 23rd on iQiyi International app or iQ.com worldwide.
