Not Uhm Ki Joon, this actor was first considered for the role of Penthouse’s main villain Ju Dan Tae

Uhm Ki Joon turns out to be not the first choice to play the iconic Ju Dan Tae of Penthouse.

Penthouse – SBS’s 3-season series, depicting the battle for money and power among Korean wealthiest families, became a massive hit and took the popularity of the cast to a whole different level. For some actors, joining the cast of Penthouse is even considered a life-changing decision. Uhm Ki Joon – who takes on the role of the main villain Ju Dan Tae – is one of them. Thanks to the success of Penthouse, Uhm Ki Joon boosted his reputation remarkably after nearly 20 years of working in the industry without a solid position.

Flawlessly portraying Ju Dan Tae, but Uhm Ki Joon was actually not originally selected for this part. Initially, the production crew offered the role to Shin Sung Rok – an actor who is famous for playing villains. If Shin Sung Rok did not pass on the offer, the viewers would have seen an extremely haunting Ju Dan Tae.

At that time, Shin Sung Rok was said to have tried to join Penthouse but failed because of the overlapping schedule, as he was playing the lead role in the MBC drama Kairos. Of course, Kairos is also an excellent drama, but when it comes to the achievement, it can’t match what Penthouse has achieved. Looking back at the success of Penthouse and especially actor Uhm Ki Joon, Shin Sung Rok must have felt extremely regretful.

Of course, it still has to be affirmed that Uhm Ki Joon is perfect for the role of Ju Dan Tae, and whether it is him or Shin Sung Rok, the Penthouse team is still successful in choosing actors.