Director Kim Jae-hong of "Flex X Cop 2" shared behind-the-scenes stories about actor Yoo Seung-ho's special appearance and his honest thoughts on the success of his previous work.

The production presentation for SBS's new Friday-Saturday drama "Flex X Cop 2" (written by Kim Ba-da, directed by Kim Jae-hong) was held on the morning of the 4th at the SBS building in Mok-dong, Yangcheon-gu, Seoul. Actors Ahn Bo-hyun, Jung Eun-chae, Kang Sang-jun, and Kim Shin-bi, along with director Kim Jae-hong, attended the event to share their honest thoughts and extraordinary confidence in taking on Season 2.

"Flex X Cop 2" is an exhilarating, refreshing, and satisfying high-end cooperative investigation drama featuring Jin Yi-soo (played by Ahn Bo-hyun), an immature chaebol-turned-detective who turns the tables with his wealth whenever investigations hit a wall, and Joo Hye-ra (played by Jung Eun-chae), the newly appointed head of the Violent Crimes Unit 1.

Regarding the behind-the-scenes casting process for the star-studded cameo lineup—which includes Yoo Seung-ho, Kim Eui-sung, Lee Hak-joo, Heo Sung-tae, Jung Chae-yeon, Jeon Hye-bin, and Kim Hye-eun—Director Kim Jae-hong joked, "Just as Jin Yi-soo mobilizes all his money and connections to solve cases in the drama, our production team and actor Ahn Bo-hyun mobilized all of our connections." He brought laughter to the room by adding, "We pleaded with them and sometimes even resorted to subtle 'threats' to bring each and every precious person on board."

Yoo Seung-ho's special appearance has drawn particularly high expectations. Yoo plays "Yoo Sung-won," a third-generation chaebol with wealth comparable to Jin Yi-soo, as well as a world-class sculptural artist and a mysterious figure who has long been under suspicion by the new team leader, Joo Hye-ra.

Director Kim explained the casting process, saying, "We previously met as an assistant director and a lead actor in the drama 'My Strange Hero'. I asked him directly because I felt this role had to be played by actor Yoo Seung-ho." He added, "Originally, he is a character who drives the core narrative in the mid-to-late part, so we intended to keep him under wraps. However, while filming with actor Yoo Seung-ho, his 'visuals' were simply impossible to hide. In the end, we decided not to hide him with a 'special appearance with an unusually heavy presence' and instead show his face right from the beginning."

He also candidly confessed his pressure regarding the explosive box office success of his immediate predecessor, "Mr. Kim", and the competing network's rival show, "The Womanizer's Killer". Director Kim said, "My absolute immediate predecessor, 'Mr. Kim', recorded absurdly high viewership ratings, so I am carrying 100% of the pressure," while adding, "However, the culture of drawing viewers in front of their TVs is itself a welcome thing."

Regarding "Flex X Cop 2", Director Kim expressed his ambitions, stating, "We tried to complete every single episode to a 'high-end' level. We structured the cases in a sophisticated way that only Jin Yi-soo could encounter and solve." He continued, "Even among hero shows, Jin Yi-soo has a clear distinction: he is not a 'munchkin' [an overwhelmingly OP character], but a 'donchkin' [a wealth-powered powerhouse]. I hope it remains an unrivaled series overflowing with a more sophisticated and kitchy charm than other investigative dramas."

Season 1 of "Flex X Cop", which aired in 2024, recorded a peak viewership rating of 11%, establishing itself as one of SBS's representative seasonal refreshing hit contents. It received immense love for its differentiated worldview where an immature third-generation chaebol turns detective, utilizing his massive financial power and cutting-edge equipment as an investigation "cheat key."

Emphasizing that "our consistent goal is to make Season 2 better than Season 1," Director Kim showed strong confidence, saying, "We have almost finished all the post-production work now, and personally, I think we have achieved that goal."

SBS's "Flex X Cop 2", completed with Season 1 members Ahn Bo-hyun, Kang Sang-jun, and Kim Shin-bi alongside new member Jung Eun-chae, will premiere this coming Friday, the 7th, at 9:50 PM.

(Photo: Baek Seung-chul, 'Flex X Cop 2' stills)

Reported by Kang Sun-ae

(SBS Entertainment News Reporter Kang Sun-ae)