Director Kim Jae-hong of "Flex X Cop Season 2" shared his ambitious goals and behind-the-scenes stories ahead of the new season's premiere.

Premiering on August 7, SBS's new Friday-Saturday drama "Flex X Cop Season 2" (written by Kim Ba-da, directed by Kim Jae-hong) is a delightful, refreshing, and satisfying co-op investigation drama. It follows Jin Yi-soo (played by Ahn Bo-hyun), an immature chaebol who uses his wealth to turn cases around when investigations stall, and the new team leader Joo Hye-ra (played by Jung Eun-chae), as they throw money at solving crimes. Following in the footsteps of "Taxi Driver," "The Fiery Priest," and "The Judge from Hell" as part of the SBS refreshing universe, the series is drawing high anticipation as the upbeat kickoff for SBS's reliable seasonal drama lineup in 2026.

Director Kim Jae-hong, who returns to direct Season 2 following Season 1, stated, "We had only one goal: a Season 2 that is better than Season 1. The main principle for Season 2 was not to try things we haven't done before, but to do what we did well even better. While maintaining the kitschiness and wit, I pondered how Jin Yi-soo, who has grown into a true detective, would utilize his wealth in investigations."

He continued, "We prepared cases that happen only because it is Jin Yi-soo, and cases that can only be solved because it is Jin Yi-soo. The episodes are of such high difficulty that we often thought, 'How on earth are we going to film this?' To solve these difficult cases, Jin Yi-soo's flex had to scale up even further. To put it simply, while Jin Yi-soo only rode helicopters in Season 1, this time he even takes private jets overseas to catch criminals. We put a lot of effort into making these scenes blend naturally into the drama, as they could otherwise look like unrealistic cartoons," hinting at an expanded scale.

He expressed deep trust in the title role actor Ahn Bo-hyun. Director Kim praised him, saying, "He has ridiculous physical stats and visuals, but on top of that, he is smart, funny, and has a great personality. With actor Ahn Bo-hyun, anything is possible—whether it is a comedic scene, a serious scene, or an action scene." He added, "Ahn Bo-hyun's ego and ideas go into every single moment of Jin Yi-soo. Thanks to all the preparation and communication we did while building the character of Jin Yi-soo in Season 1, it was very comfortable to make Season 2. Now, 'Ahn Bo-hyun is Jin Yi-soo,' so when I tell him during rehearsals, 'Please just handle it however you like,' he really handles it. As a director, I am so grateful."

Regarding the newly joined Jung Eun-chae, he expressed satisfaction, saying, "She was the irreplaceable number-one pick for both me and the writer. Joo Hye-ra needs to have the charisma and senior aura to overpower Jin Yi-soo, while also being sophisticated and witty. This role is such a perfect fit that it couldn't have been pulled off without actor Jung Eun-chae." He also raised his thumb in praise, stating, "She has an aura and vibe that a person cannot acquire simply through effort. She acts well and puts in so much effort that she doesn't spare her body in action scenes. Her actual personality is even cute. She is simply the best."

Director Kim guaranteed the chemistry between Ahn Bo-hyun and Jung Eun-chae, pointing out, "First of all, their visual chemistry is insane. When you look at their two-shot, you start to wonder if the two of them are even the same species as you. Their facial harmony and physical chemistry are that good. Also, the personality dynamics between Jin Yi-soo and Joo Hye-ra, which is a new relationship in Season 2, are very entertaining. Jin Yi-soo is not the type to get pushed around by anyone, but he gets pushed around by Joo Hye-ra. The process of them starting off as an antagonistic senior and junior and gradually turning into colleagues who trust and rely on each other is thrilling. You can look forward to it."

In particular, the glamorous special appearance lineup is raising expectations for this season. Yoo Seung-ho appears as 'Yoo Sung-won,' a close younger friend of Jin Yi-soo and a mysterious third-generation chaebol sculptor, playing a pivotal role in the drama.

Director Kim confessed, "He is our hidden card who anchors a part of Season 2. Originally, we planned to hide him, cherish him, and reveal him later, but actor Yoo Seung-ho simply doesn't have a face that can be hidden. Whenever Yoo Sung-won appears, there are many serious and grave scenes according to the script, but the staff members are wearing very warm smiles. So we decided not to hide this precious card." He added, "I hope you will also look forward to actor Yoo Seung-ho's acting transformation and character interpretation skills. It will be fun to follow the gaze and find out why Yoo Sung-won, a third-generation chaebol sculptor artist with wealth comparable to Jin Yi-soo, has been under Joo Hye-ra's long-standing suspicion."

In addition, a dazzling array of actors such as Kim Eui-sung, Lee Hak-joo, Park So-yi, Heo Sung-tae, Jung Chae-yeon, Joo Hyun-young, and Jeon Hye-bin are stepping up to show their support. Director Kim explained, "We composed the casting mainly of actors who have a connection with me or actor Kim Bo-hyun. Just like Jin Yi-soo, who utilizes money and connections in his investigations, we mobilized all our available personal networks this time. Among the special appearance actors, some are villains and some are not, and it will be fun to figure out who among those many actors is the criminal."

Director Kim added, "To drop a slight spoiler, senior Kim Eui-sung appears in the first episode of Season 2 following Season 1, and he comes out in a massive role. Among ourselves, we decided that if we make Season 3, he will appear in episode 1 then as well. Senior Kim Eui-sung marks the beginning of every 'Flex X Cop' series." He also shared, "Aside from the actors revealed in the special credits, there are tiny little cameos prepared. It will be fun to watch out for when, at what timing, and in what appearance they show up."

Finally, Director Kim requested, "I sincerely thank the viewers whose love allowed 'Flex X Cop' to return with Season 2, and we worked hard to make a truly entertaining drama that can repay those expectations. I am confident that this is a 'Season 2 better than Season 1' that both those who watched Season 1 and those who didn't can thoroughly enjoy. Once you watch just episode 1, you will find it consistently entertaining from then on. It's a drama you can watch to comfortably blow away the heat on a sweltering summer night, so please show lots of anticipation and tune in."

"Flex X Cop Season 2" will premiere on Friday, August 7 at 9:50 PM KST, following the conclusion of "Agent Kim Reactivated".

(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Sun-ae)