Park Min Young has shared fresh insight into her upcoming SBS drama “Nine to Six”, describing her character as someone who brought a brighter side out of her. In a written interview released on November 9, 2026, the actress spoke about playing workaholic deputy manager Kang Yi Ji, her playful dynamic with Yook Sungjae, and the calming presence of Go Soo on set. The drama is set to premiere on November 25 at 9 PM KST on SBS and will stream on Prime Video in over 240 countries and territories.
Park Min Young Describes Kang Yi Ji as a ‘Character I’m Grateful For’
Park Min Young plays Kang Yi Ji, a deputy manager in the legal team at Chronic Motors. The character is described as “100 percent logic,” sharp at her job, and a workaholic who has spent her life proving herself through work.
The actress said the role was not written as an intense or bold figure, but that the character’s journey ended up changing her as a performer.
“Kang Yi Ji isn’t an especially bold or intense character, but she was someone who could bring out a brighter side of me, Park Min Young, who has become a little more reserved over the years. I found it interesting to see how Ji Yi changes as she gets involved with the other characters. Playing her actually made me feel a little brighter, so she became a character I’m grateful for.”
The drama follows Kang Yi Ji as she meets Han Sun Woo, a warm and thoughtful younger man played by Yook Sungjae. Their meeting pushes her to rethink her standards for work, love, and happiness. The story is based on the 2021 Chinese drama “The Rational Life” and is described as an on-and-off work-life balance romance.
The character also has a quirky stress-relief habit: eating fiery jjamppong, a spicy Korean seafood noodle soup. Park Min Young cannot eat spicy food in real life, so she had to act her way through those scenes.
“During filming sessions where I had to eat fiery jjamppong, I acted by imagining that I was eating my favorite food.”
Yook Sungjae Brings Ad-Libs, Go Soo Brings Calm to the Set
The chemistry between the three leads became a central talking point in the interview. Park Min Young described Yook Sungjae as a naturally playful scene partner who took the lead on improvisation.
“Sung-jae is such a fun, free-spirited friend who also acts very well. Both of us tend to be quite playful, so actor Yook Sungjae took charge of ad-libs while I handled the reactions, and together we created fun scenes.”
She also explained how Go Soo fit into the group dynamic, often stepping in when the younger co-stars got carried away.
“The balance among the three of us—senior Go Soo, actor Yook Sungjae, and myself—was great. When Sung-jae and I were fooling around, senior Go Soo would appear at just the right moment and calm the two of us down with his signature warmth.”
Yook Sungjae plays Han Sun Woo, an intern in the legal team who is more interested in designing jewelry than climbing the corporate ladder. His character relies on instinct rather than logic and becomes protective of Kang Yi Ji when she faces trouble.
Go Soo plays Park Hyun Tae, an elite executive director at Chronic Motors who returns from the company’s European headquarters after building a high-level career at a young age. His character believes romance complicates life, but Kang Yi Ji’s professionalism begins to challenge that view.
The drama marks Go Soo’s return to the romance genre after 15 years, a detail that has drawn attention from Korean entertainment outlets.
How Park Min Young Prepared to Play a Workaholic Deputy Manager
Park Min Young has played office romance roles before, but she said she had never actually worked in an office. To prepare for the part, she turned to documentaries and real office workers.
“Since I haven’t actually experienced working in an office, I watched documentaries about office workers and sought advice from people around me who work in offices.”
Her physical transformation also became part of the character. She cut her hair into a blunt bob to match the image of a sharp legal deputy manager. The drama’s teaser poster showed her in a chic suit with a confident expression, along with the tagline: “Perfect in work skills, a mystery in dating skills.”
The production team said Park Min Young “perfectly portrayed a realistic” deputy manager and brought the character to life with precise speech and strong acting.
Related Stories
‘Nine to Six’ Premieres November 25 on SBS and Prime Video
“Nine to Six” is written by Choi Ji Oh and directed by Lee Hyung Min and Oh Song Hee. The series has 12 episodes and will air every Wednesday and Thursday at 9 PM KST on SBS starting November 25, 2026.
For global viewers, the drama will be available on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories. The release covers major regions including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, India, and Southeast Asian markets such as the Philippines, Thailand, and Indonesia.
The supporting cast includes Joo Hyun Young as Shin Ji Won, Kang Yi Ji’s best friend and dating counselor, along with Kim Mi Kyung, Jung Hae Kyun, Jo Bok Rae, Cha Chung Hwa, and Bae Yoo Ram. The script reading reportedly showed the cast handling everything from realistic mother-daughter banter to office villain roles.
Park Min Young closed the interview by framing the drama as a story about ordinary people rather than extraordinary heroes.
“‘Nine to Six’ is not a story about extraordinary people, but rather a story about ordinary us living out our intense daily routines.”
Stay with VvipTimes for more K-drama interviews and release updates as the November 25 premiere approaches.
Leave a Reply