New channel jTCB’s drama “Padam Padam” represents Jung Woo-sung’s return to the domestic small screen after his embroilment in a scandal involving Seo Taiji’s ex-wife and “ATHENA: Goddess of War” co-star E Jiah.

Less than a year has passed since paparazzi shot pictures of the couple together in Europe, followed by the explosive news that E Jiah and king of K-pop Seo Taiji were in the midst of a sticky divorce suit. Jung was lashed by rumors, and the couple later broke up.

No beginner to the world of gossip, the 38-year old actor said he does not feel his decision to star in the series, one of the first to air on the new general programming channel and his first since the scandal, presents a risk to his career. 

“I really wanted to work on this project and work with the scriptwriter,” Jung said at the drama’s press conference Wednesday.

“I received and read four episodes of the script and it really hit me, directly,” he said of his decision to sign onto the melodramatic romance as written by prominent “Worlds Within” scriptwriter Noh Hee-kyung.

According to Jung, when he initially jumped on board “Padam Padam” he did not focus on what channel it would be airing. Now that the drama will soon air on jTBC, one of the four newcomers to launch Thursday, is he worried about entering new broadcasting territory?

“These days, if we have fun filming it, work hard at it and speak the truth, then viewers do and are willing to tune into a diverse array of channels, and then that work gets noticed. If ‘Padam Padam’ gets noticed and that becomes a boon to jTBC then that is just the icing on top,” he said of the current drama market.

By Jean Oh (oh_jean@heraldcorp.com)