NCT's Jisung on 'Crash 2' and His Bandmates' Teasing

"The members teased me so much," Jisung said. "They joked, 'Who do you think you are, acting with seniors like them?'"

The NCT member shared his bandmates' reaction to his acting role on Nov. 10. He spoke at a press event for "Crash 2", a new drama from the South Korean channel ENA. The event was held at the Stanford Hotel in Seoul's Mapo district.

Actors Lee Min-ki, Kwak Sun-young, Heo Sung-tae, Lee Ho-cheol, Moon Hee and Jisung attended, along with director Park Joon-woo.

Jisung said the teasing ended up helping him.

"That kind of reaction was actually a comfort," he said. "It felt like our own way of cheering each other on, so I liked it." The comment drew laughs from the room.

The show follows "Crash," which aired in 2024. In the new story, the Traffic Crime Investigation team (T.C.I) grows into a regional investigation unit under the National Office of Investigation. The squad now takes on traffic crimes across the country.

Jisung debuted with NCT in 2016. He is the group's youngest member, known in K-POP as the maknae. In the drama, he also plays the youngest member of the team. He said the two roles did not feel the same.

"We're both the youngest, but the feeling was different," he said. "I've spent more than half my life with the NCT members. We're so close, like friends, that the older members even call me 'maknae on top.'"

The set gave him a different kind of lesson. "On set, I got to stay next to the senior actors and learn by watching them," he said. "Both teams have their own warmth. But on this set, I learned a lot from seeing what cool adults look like."

"Crash 2" premieres on ENA on Nov. 16 at 10 p.m. KST. It will also be available on KT Genie TV and Disney+.

A shirtless scene featuring Jisung in the show's teaser has already sparked buzz. He shared the story behind it.

"I once jokingly promised fans that I'd show them my abs around age 25, and I turned 25 this year," he said. "I got to keep that promise in 'Crash 2.'"

"It was a little embarrassing while we were filming," he added. "But I think the scene really shows the personality of my character, Ji Dae-se. That made it feel even more fun and special to me."