It’s no secret that Gianna Jun is big on keeping fit, having revealed in interviews that she wakes up every day between 6 to 7 am to work out, with her regimen comprising pilates three times a week, and an hour-long cardio session before each class.

When asked about their experience of climbing the mountain during filming, she shared, “Trekking is my favourite. It’s my first time climbing Mount Jiri, and I think you realise how modest you need to be in front of nature. I was fine, and nothing was physically challenging. It felt very natural to be in my gear and suit, and it was a pleasure to shoot on Jirisan.”

Her co-star Ju Ji-hoon added, “She’s physically lighter but I think she can run the fastest and even beat the guys while filming.”

Meanwhile, he recounted that he had a little more trouble and that it took a lot of energy to shoot the series, especially when ascending the peak. “After long hours, I became exhausted as I had to maintain my balance all the time,” he revealed. “That’s why I run to keep fit.” However, he also shared that he enjoyed climbing from a young age and expressed enthusiasm for climbing Mount Jiri in the future.

Meanwhile, Cho Han-cheul, who plays their teammate, talked about the joys and challenges of filming in nature, and added that he climbed the mountain in an attempt to quit smoking when he was 20 years old. He even made it to the peak twice since. Laughing about his own age, Cho said that the production took a toll on him physically.

When asked about the casting of the characters, Kim Eun-hee let on a little about Ju Ji-hoon’s personality, sharing, “Ji-hoon is a very kind person. He has this innocent charm, which also came as a surprise. His role is someone who’s optimistic and bright, but also has different layers, so I thought the character brought out a new side of him.”

Meanwhile, on Gianna, the playwright revealed that the actress blended very well with the vibe of Jirisan, and that she, like her character Yi-gang, “is like the mountain itself.”

Sharing about the on-screen chemistry with Gianna, Ju Ji-hoon confessed to ‘being a fan of Gianna Jun since young, and it was surreal to first meet her.” He added, “Her charm has left me speechless and has always been a role model for me. In our collaboration, she was always trying to feed me, so I am very thankful to her.”

Gianna Jun agreed. “It was great working with Ji-hoon and I think the team spirit was great.”

The moments of hilarity and bickering among the cast in the series are also not to be missed, with Oh Jung-se usually the one bringing on the giggles. Guilty of some ‘NG’ scenes, Gianna shared, “He just looks funny. There are many scenes that we had to shoot together and they were all serious ones, but he just made us laugh.”

Oh Jung-se added, “There was once she was supposed to hit my head, but she burst into laughter before she could do it.”

Unlike her elegant roles in previous romance comedies, Gianna showcases a new side of strength and skill in Jirisan. Speaking of her role, she said, “Playing a strong woman wasn’t the motivation. I loved Kim Eun-hee’s script, which was why I decided to work with her. That being said, I do think that’s the trend, and there are a lot of dynamic female characters these days.”

“I never thought I would play the role of a mountain ranger, and I don’t know any rangers myself. It was very new to me, and the audience will also be able to take a peek at their lives and duties through the show.”

Jirisan premieres on Oct 23, 2021 on the iQiyi International app or iQ.com worldwide.