“The Ultimate Duo” Episode-Rich Stars: Yoon Kyung-ho’s Unstoppable On-Set Talk That Hits the Mark

“The Ten Million Viewer Actor” has set a new record. The star is none other than Yoon Kyung-ho. It turns out that Yoon Kyung-ho recently appeared with Joo Ji-hoon and Kim Nam-gil on the YouTube variety show hosted by Yoo Jae-seok, “Pinggye-go” (channel: Tteung Tteung). In the 100th-episode special where these three famous “talkers” gathered, Yoon Kyung-ho captivated both the on-site crowd and viewers with an overwhelming amount of talk, drawing nonstop laughter.

As a result, the video posted on March 13 has surpassed 10 million views in just 12 days, continuing to rise in popularity at a record-breaking pace. What’s more, even though Yoon Kyung-ho appeared around the same time on “Nabul Nabul” hosted by Na Young-seok (channel: Channel Fifteen Oya), there weren’t any episodes that felt even remotely similar—showing just how “episode-rich” his presence is. And his sharp tongue was just as strong at the press conference for 〈The Ultimate Duo〉 held on March 25. From his moments during filming to his latest updates, everything highlighted what makes Yoon Kyung-ho’s talk so memorable on set.

“I was glad to see a look that’s different from now”

Playing Jo Dong-oh, whom he described as an “innocently accused suspect,” Yoon Kyung-ho was different from his very first line. “I was happy to see a look (Look) that’s different from who I am now,” he said. 〈The Ultimate Duo〉 is a film that wrapped filming seven years ago, so it seemed he was even surprised by how different it looked from today. Later, when a reporter said, “It feels like all the actors kept the same look from seven years ago really well,” Yoon Kyung-ho replied, “That’s very kind. I’m always trying to keep things up, but I think I was slimmer back then than I am now.” Then he added, “Back then, my ready-to-wear clothes probably fit perfectly. But still—I want that jawline again,” and the room burst into laughter.

“So what’s the opposite of the tagger? You tell me what it is?”

The character Jo Dong-oh that Yoon Kyung-ho plays in 〈The Ultimate Duo〉 is quite different from existing roles. Especially when you consider the filming timeline—it becomes even more pronounced. When asked how he approached such a character, Yoon Kyung-ho said, “Director, I prepared by having a lot of conversations with Mr. Bae Seong-woo.” Then he continued, “If I’m expressing someone who’s cheerful, I might take the lead in some way, or try to brighten the mood and pull everyone along. But for a character like this, the situation is different—so I just stay still, and (the others) avoid me and run away.” As he was explaining, he flipped the question midstream: “So… what’s the opposite of the tagger? What’s the opposite of the tagger?” In an instant, the atmosphere on set loosened. And when his sudden comparison and explanation left his co-stars unable to come up with an answer, Yoon Kyung-ho offered, “Should I call it a counter-tagger? It’s when the tagger and the counter-tagger switch.” Then he added, “Sorry—since my explanation was short, I don’t know if you understood everything,” showing a side that felt just like a “natural funnybone” who lands the punchlines.

“To be honest, I shouldn’t say something like ‘talk so catchy—i…’ like that, right? I was going to put it in the headline, but…”

Even when asked about the appeal of 〈The Ultimate Duo〉, Yoon Kyung-ho did his best to explain—only to end up creating a “natural funny moment.” He said, “It feels retro, but it’s not exactly that. It’s like you’re balancing on a line from that kind of era—welcoming, then familiar, then fresh, then back again. It feels like it keeps going back and forth.” He added, “I think it will become a welcoming-and-fresh investigation thriller you don’t get to see very often these days.” Then he went on, “And there are all kinds of different devices hidden inside—it’s ‘something that pops with charm’”—before stopping himself. “But if I say it like that, I probably shouldn’t, right?” He tried to explain without mentioning any specific brand—“It’s like… candies that pop with charm, like… some kind of candy…”—and then apologized, “I’m sorry. I wish I could fit it into a headline somehow,” filling the room with laughter.

“Actually, I went to receive the award without telling the director”

At even his final greeting, Yoon Kyung-ho shared an episode he hadn’t been able to mention earlier, showing what it means to be a truly “episode-rich” actor. While filming 〈The Ultimate Duo〉, he won the Golden Chupchun Awards for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in 〈Perfect Stranger〉. The Golden Chupchun Awards are presented by the Korea Film Locations Cinematographers Association. For Yoon Kyung-ho, it was his first win ever. However, the day of the ceremony, filming for 〈The Ultimate Duo〉 was scheduled, so he couldn’t attend. He decided he would need to send a representative—but luckily, filming wrapped earlier than planned that day. It turned out that Ki Se-hoon, the cinematographer for 〈The Ultimate Duo〉, arranged everything so Yoon Kyung-ho could attend the ceremony, because an issue came up during filming, and they wrapped the site early. Ki Se-hoon came over to Yoon Kyung-ho and whispered instructions for Yoon Kyung-ho to quickly head to the ceremony. Thanks to that, Yoon Kyung-ho was able to receive his award at the ceremony for the first time, and he even used his own money to treat the film crew with a coffee truck at the filming location.