B1A4’s Jin Young Dishes On His Upcoming Drama “Summer Vacation,” Chemistry With Cho Yi Hyun, And More

Jin Young has shared his thoughts on his upcoming drama “Summer Vacation”!

“Summer Vacation” is a teen romance drama starring Cho Yi Hyun as Kim Ha Yeon, an ordinary high school student who has a mysterious experience during her summer vacation before returning to reality. B1A4’s Jin Young stars as Jo Yu Gyeom, a boy the same age as her.

Jo Yu Gyeom is the son of the landowner of Upo Village and the eldest grandson of the head family. Blessed with striking looks and exceptional swimming talent, he leads a mundane daily life under old-fashioned rules.

Explaining why he chose to star in the drama, Jin Young shared, “When I first read the script, it felt like I was looking back on memories of midsummer.” He continued, “It wasn’t simply bright and beautiful. The process of characters with their own worries and wounds meeting one another and changing felt similar to my own experiences, so it really resonated with me.”

Describing his character Jo Yu Gyeom, Jin Young explained, “He lives a life that seems special to others, but he himself feels bored and stifled. I found it fascinating how this character begins to look forward to tomorrow for the first time after meeting Kim Ha Yeon, and I wanted to portray that transformation well.”

Jin Young also made efforts to portray his character’s inner world in detail. He explained, “In the beginning, I tried to keep my expressions and gestures minimal and act as naturally as possible. I wanted to convey Jo Yu Gyeom’s listlessness through small details, such as his gaze, the speed at which he responds, and his attitude of showing little interest in anything.”

He added, “I hope viewers naturally notice the subtle changes in his eyes and reactions as he gradually changes after meeting Kim Ha Yeon.”

He also revealed an interesting behind-the-scenes story about playing a “swimming prodigy” despite not being a skilled swimmer in real life. Jin Young confessed, “Actually, I’m not very good at swimming,” adding, “I made an effort to become more comfortable in the water. For Jo Yu Gyeom, swimming wasn’t just a sport but a special escape from his stifling reality, so I wanted him to look at least a little freer underwater.” He also remarked, “I spent so much time in the water filming this project that I feel like I’ve done all the swimming I’ll ever need to do in my life.”

Regarding his chemistry with his co-star Cho Yi Hyun, he said, “To Jo Yu Gyeom, Kim Ha Yeon is the person who made him curious about tomorrow for the first time.” He added, “Cho Yi Hyun portrayed Kim Ha Yeon’s bright and honest charm so well that I could comfortably follow the feelings of attraction that developed in me as Jo Yu Gyeom.” He expressed his gratitude for her portrayal of the character.

On the complicated love triangle involving Sung Sae Ryung (Hong Ye Ji), Jin Young explained, “Although Jo Yu Gyeom and Sung Sae Ryung have spent a long time together, their relationship is complicated by intertwined feelings of guilt, fear, and responsibility. I tried to carefully balance the contrasting sides of Jo Yu Gyeom: the familiar yet tense and burdened version of him that appears in front of Sung Sae Ryung, and the livelier side that emerges without him even realizing it when he’s with Kim Ha Yeon.”

Looking back on his experience filming the drama, Jin Young remarked, “Even though a lot of time has passed, the atmosphere, scenery, and overall feeling on the filming set remain so vivid in my memory. Just as this summer will remain a one-of-a-kind summer for Jo Yu Gyeom, I think it will become a cherished memory for me that I’ll want to revisit from time to time.”

He continued, “I hope viewers will watch as these young people, each carrying their own worries and wounds, meet in the height of summer and undergo change. I hope ‘Summer Vacation’ will remain a drama that comes back to viewers’ minds from time to time, even as the years go by.”

“Summer Vacation” will premiere on October 26.

In the meantime, watch Jin Young in the 10th-anniversary special “Love in the Moonlight: Redrawn” on Viki below: