Actor Jang Keun-suk is joining a director survival reality show, signaling a bold new challenge.
Recently, production company EpicStorm and his agency VAST Entertainment announced, "Jang Keun-suk will appear on ENA's variety program Director's Arena." The producers added, "As an actor with extensive experience, he will play a major role in discovering and supporting the next generation of directors."
Director's Arena is a director survival reality series created to discover rookie directors. Contestants selected through an open call compete with short-form dramas they produce themselves.
The key twist: each showdown is decided with a project capped at just two minutes. Directors who pass each round receive production funding, and the finalists' works will be expanded into a full drama and released via Lezhin Entertainment's short-drama platform, Lezhin Snack.
Alongside Jang Keun-suk, the lineup includes actor Cha Tae-hyun, filmmaker Lee Byoung-heon of the movie Extreme Job, and comedian Jang Do-yeon.
The teaser already spoofed a famous line from Extreme Job with the phrase "We've never seen a variety show like this," hinting at a format unlike anything before and ramping up anticipation.
Meanwhile, Jang Keun-suk will stay busy with Director's Arena, set to premiere on May 15, as well as tvN's variety show Gugidong Friends, which premieres on the 10th of next month.