[OSEN=Choi Lee-jung] World-class dancer J-Black, 24-year veteran Chinese cuisine master Chef Jung Ji-sun, and Broadway-conquering musical actress Ivy are set to appear on ‘You Quiz on the Block’ to share turbulent life behind-the-scenes stories and unfiltered wit.
Airing today (the 4th) at 8:50 PM KST, the 367th episode of tvN’s ‘You Quiz on the Block’ features J-Black, who choreographed A2O LITE’s ‘NEON’ intro, Chef Jung Ji-sun, known for her role in ‘Undercover Chef’, and Ivy, the first Korean actress to break into New York’s Broadway with the musical ‘Chicago’.
J-Black, whose recent pair choreography for A2O LITE’s ‘NEON’ intro took social media algorithms by storm, reveals the behind-the-scenes story of how the choreography was created. He shares candid details ranging from being asked for choreography much harder and flashier than the initial draft, to the directing process behind the ‘Ai-jjang kick’ personally guided by producer Lee Soo-man. J-Black dazzles the studio with the original version of the ‘NEON’ choreography and Shinhwa’s ‘The Solver’, while also playfully evaluating MC Yoo Jae-suk’s dancing skills to turn the set into a sea of laughter.
In particular, J-Black draws attention by opening up about his honest feelings during the golden age of the K-dance scene. He makes a shocking confession that his workload actually decreased following the massive hit of the ‘Street’ dance series that spotlighted background dancers. J-Black shares his profound mindset and deep inner strength as a dancer, saying, "When ‘Street Woman Fighter’ blew up, my work dropped. I thought, ‘I guess I’m done for,’ but I also thought things turning out this way made sense. I’ve never thought about quitting dance."
Following this, the tearful crucible of Korea’s representative Chinese cuisine master, Chef Jung Ji-sun, is revealed. Chef Jung confesses the discrimination and dismissal she faced as a female chef who was even blocked from learning culinary arts, and the reason she came to stick to her signature intense eyeliner due to past traumatic experiences. She touches hearts by sharing her tearful past, revealing, "I was terrified of losing my job," which led her to hide her pregnancy for four months while working and force herself to go to work even after a major accident where she required 30 stitches on her finger. In addition, she plans to honestly share behind-the-scenes stories from tvN’s hit ‘Undercover Chef’ and its spin-off broadcast.
Finally, the fierce journey of challenges faced by Ivy, the first Korean actress to land a starring role in Broadway’s ‘Chicago’, unfolds. Ivy, who has performed over 600 times as ‘Roxie’ in Korea, draws admiration by revealing the ‘Euljiro 50-Day Project’ where she spent about 10 million won of her own money to practice lines 6 to 7 hours a day with 9 native English tutors. She vividly recounts her tense entry into New York due to visa issues, the harrowing moments when she shed tears on every dawn walk due to the pressure of English lines, and the process leading up to receiving a standing ovation, even performing a Broadway version of ‘Chicago’ live on set.
