In the latest episode of tvN’s Fresh off the Sea 2, Lee Jae Wook showered Kim Hye Yoon with praise as she opened up about the pressure she faced following her breakout role in SKY Castle.
The episode featured a star-studded cast, including Yum Jung Ah, Park Jun Myun, Lim Ji Yeon, Lee Jae Wook, and Kim Hye Yoon, who all came together to enjoy a lavish feast featuring octopus dishes.
The spread, sourced from Boryeong, included octopus shabu-shabu, fried octopus, cucumber kimchi, and stir-fried dried squid. When Lim Ji Yeon suggested making a toast, Kim Hye Yoon eagerly stood up to share her thoughts. Lim Ji Yeon playfully urged her to sing, but Lee Jae Wook quickly intervened, joking, “No way.”
Lee Jae Wook then asked Kim Hye Yoon for her opinion on the meal. Kim Hye Yoon praised the dishes, even complimenting Lim Ji Yeon’s cooking skills. Lim Ji Yeon humbly brushed off the praise, while Lee Jae Wook jokingly teased, calling it professional jealousy, which sent everyone into fits of laughter.
After enjoying the shabu-shabu, the group got creative with the leftover broth, turning it into porridge. For dessert, Lim Ji Yeon presented her homemade tanghulu, a popular Chinese candied fruit treat. Although it looked impressive, the tanghulu proved challenging to remove from the plate. Lee Jae Wook quipped, “Did you laminate it?” and humorously warned that one person might want to skip it, sparking more laughter. Yum Jung Ah explained, “It’s too hard; it could break your teeth.”
Lim Ji Yeon fell silent after trying her creation, which made her co-stars laugh even harder. Park Jun Myun, who is known for her love of fruit, bravely tried it but ended up spitting it out. Yum Jung Ah, surprised, said, “I didn’t know Park Jun Myun couldn’t handle it!” Park Jun Myun described the tanghulu as like taffy and joked that she feared it might pull her teeth out. Lim Ji Yeon, feeling a little embarrassed, apologized and admitted she might have been a bit too ambitious with her dessert. Park Jun Myun reassured her, suggesting they wash it off and try again, but when Lim Ji Yeon offered to make a new batch, Yum Jung Ah playfully advised, “Save that experiment for home.”
As the evening wound down, Lee Jae Wook gave Kim Hye Yoon a vest and captured her wearing it on an old-school camcorder. He asked how she felt after traveling so far from Seoul. Kim Hye Yoon attempted to mimic a Seoul accent before giving up, which had everyone laughing. The two then posed for a fun photo session, donning sunglasses.
Noticing Lee Jae Wook’s excitement, Yum Jung Ah teased, “Jae Wook’s thrilled because his friend is here.” When Lee Jae Wook agreed, Kim Hye Yoon jokingly warned, “Don’t like me too much,” to which Yum Jung Ah added, “Yeah, you might get hurt.”
Later, Kim Hye Yoon revealed a set of color-coded gifts she had brought with her, explaining, “I didn’t want to come empty-handed.” Lee Jae Wook remarked on Kim Hye Yoon’s vibrant personality, saying, “Hye Yoon is incredibly bright! She channels all this energy into her work, but it’s been taking a toll on her.”
Kim Hye Yoon then reflected on the challenges of fame, saying, “It’s in the past now, but I think it all started with SKY Castle. Before, people would look at me and wonder, ‘Who’s that?’ But now they recognize me by my character. I can see it in their eyes, they think I look different from what they saw on screen. Being in the spotlight has made it harder to interact with people, and I have to be careful with everything I say.”
Lee Jae Wook praised Kim Hye Yoon’s professionalism, saying, “She’s an exceptional senior. I’ve worked with a lot of great colleagues, but I’ve never met an actor as selfless on set as she is.”
