After its successful premiere, “Jirisan,” the iQiyi Original Korean drama series starring Jun Ji-hyun (aka Gianna Jun) and Ju Ji-hoon, unveiled the character relationship map of its stars.
“Jirisan,” created by director Lee Eung-bok (“Descendants of the Sun” and “Goblin”) and writer Kim Eun-hee (“Signal,” “Kingdom”), is gearing up for more stories about the Jirisan National Park Haedong branch rangers in episodes 3 and 4 that will be streamed on Oct. 30 and 31 on iQiyi.
The Haedong branch is composed of star ranger Seo Yi-gang (Jun Ji-Jun), rookie ranger Kang Hyun-jo (Ju Ji-hoon), branch head Jo Dae-jin (Sung Dong-il), ranger Jung Gu-yeong (Oh Jung-se), administrative executive Lee Yang-sun (Ju Min-gyung) and new ranger Lee Da-won (Go Min-si).
At Jirisan peak, Park Il-hae (Cho Han-cheul) is the team leader at the Bidam Shelter. Together the seven ensure the safety and security of all on Jirisan, and are responsible for search and rescue operations.
In “Jirisan,” Jun Ji-hyun and Ju Ji-hoon are partner rangers and have started to develop fondness for each other. Having joined at around the same time as park rangers, Jun Ji-hyun, Oh Jung-se and Cho Han-cheul bring a lively and jovial spirit to the team, yet they are completely serious and disregard their own safety when saving others.
As the team’s most inexperienced ranger, Go Min-si looks up to Jun Ji-hyun as a role model, in a senior-junior relationship that could develop the storyline.
At the Haedong branch station, Jun Ji-hyun and Ju Ji-hoon are not the only pair as Oh Jung-se and Ju Min-gyung’s characters have started to realize their feelings.
Ju Min-gyung may not be as physically strong as to join the rangers at the frontline of search and rescue, but she is the administrative backbone of the team. It remains to be seen if and how the feelings between Ju Min-gyung and Oh Jung-se could progress.
Respected Korean actress Kim Young-ok of “Squid Game” and “Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha” is in “Jirisan,” playing the role of Lee Moon-ok, grandmother to Jung Ji-hyun’s character.
She runs a restaurant in the Haedong village near Jirisan. About 20 years ago, Lee Moon-ok lost her son and daughter-in-law, and raised Seo Yi-gang single-handedly. The touching love of the grandmother-grandchild bond between the two is not to be missed.
The Haedong branch is part of the Jeonbuk office led by Kim Kye-hee (Joo Jin-mo). Dr. Yoon Su-jin (Kim Kuk-hee) is a researcher at the Species Restoration Center while Kim Sol (Lee Ga-sub) is a historical culture researcher.
Kim Eung-soon (Jun Suk-ho) and rookie officer Park (Han Dong-ho) are police officers at Haedong police station who will also work with the park rangers on their missions, as well as to unravel Jirisan’s mysteries.
“Jirisan” airs on Saturdays and Sundays at 8 p.m., exclusively and globally on the iQiyi International app or iQ.com, simulcast with Korea.