Jang Keun-suk Delivers Sharp Critiques on ENA's 'Director's Arena'

Actor Jang Keun-suk is sharpening his edge as a judge on ENA's "Director's Arena."

Serving as part of the show's "Five Stars" judging panel, Jang offered detailed critiques during the fifth episode, which aired on Friday. He weighed in on the strengths and weak spots of each entry as the competition entered its second round.

The latest broadcast continued the "Webtoon Co-Direction" mission, in which teams adapt 14 webtoons into the first episodes of new short dramas.

The first entry, "Medical Reincarnation" by directors Park So-rang and Ko Hyun-guk, drew praise for its use of music. "I realized just how big a role music plays," Jang said. "It could have been background music that just passes by, but it really shifted the color of each shot. The track choice was excellent."

He also pointed out a flaw. "If I had to name one, the fake punches were a little obvious. I wish the direction had pushed for something more real," he said. "Overall, it felt like a really well-made bowl of seaweed soup that's missing the sesame oil."

Jang also joked about director Lee Beom-gyu, who appeared as a cameo in the drama. "The casting was off," he said. "Anyone could tell he's never thrown a punch before." When the entry later climbed to the top of the rankings thanks to a long average watch time, despite racking up 22 stops, Jang quickly walked the comment back with a smile. "Depending on the region, some places don't add sesame oil," he said.

For the next entry, "Father's Home Cooking" by directors Jang Yu-jin and Eun Jong-hoon, his focus shifted to small details. "The baby the mother was holding at the start was fake, right?" he asked. "Small details like that can pull you out of the story's honesty. That part was a shame."

His response was warmest for "Doridosim" by directors Lee Yu-jin and Han Su-ji, an entry widely seen as a top contender. "The trendiness and the pacing were so good. There was no room to get bored, and the hidden cast member played a much bigger role than I expected," he said. "That's probably why so many people kept watching without pressing stop." He summed up his reaction in four syllables, using a Korean expression that roughly translates to "a treat for the eyes."

"Director's Arena" airs Fridays at 11 p.m. KST on ENA.