Actor Lee Seo-hwan (52) has reached a turning point in his acting career. After appearing in Season 1 of 'Squid Game', he has left a strong impression on global viewers and emerged as the biggest beneficiary of this season.
On the 6th, Lee Seo-hwan conducted an interview with Maeil Business Star Today at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, regarding the Netflix original series 'Squid Game 2'.
Released on December 26 last year, 'Squid Game 2' (written and directed by Hwang Dong-hyuk) depicts the fierce confrontation between Gi-hun (played by Lee Jung-jae), who returns to participate in the game seeking revenge, and the Front Man (played by Lee Byung-hun), as well as the real story that begins anew.
In Season 1, which was released in 2021, Lee Seo-hwan played the role of Jung-bae, Gi-hun's close friend and horse racing mate. He returned for Season 2, where Jung-bae participates in the game after divorcing his wife and showcases a strong friendship with Gi-hun, evoking tears from viewers.
Recalling the time he joined 'Squid Game' Season 1, Lee Seo-hwan said, "I was mostly doing minor roles at the time, and I remember asking myself, 'Is this really the title?' when I first saw it. I left the script on the table, and my wife saw the title and said, 'So now they are doing things like this.' I thought, 'Who knows? It might do well,' but I never expected it to be this successful."
After the decision to produce Season 2, he received a call asking him to return, saying, "I felt a lot of pressure since my role had increased. I've done many works, but I've only led the story once or twice, and those weren't significant roles. My first goal was to maintain the essence of Season 1, but as soon as I met Gi-hun, I felt a sense of trust and was able to perform comfortably."
So what did director Hwang Dong-hyuk ask of Lee Seo-hwan?
In response to this question, Lee Seo-hwan said, "He didn't say much, but he did mention one thing: 'You need to be cute.' He said that if Jung-bae is cute, the viewers will be immersed, and that immersion will create an impact when he dies later. I thought, 'I never heard that kind of thing at 20,' but the director said he wanted to make the most of my cuteness," he laughed.
In the drama, Jung-bae teams up with Gi-hun to fight against those running the game, ultimately passing away. What was the reason for Jung-bae to maintain his loyalty to Gi-hun in a situation where he could lose his life?
"I think there was a sense of guilt for not being able to lend 3 million won, which might have led to Gi-hun's mother's death. Also, when they were about to go into a shootout, Jung-bae said, 'Let's go with Young-il (played by Lee Byung-hun),' and Gi-hun replied, 'But you're still my friend.' At that moment, the feelings of guilt and everything else combined, and I thought, 'Okay, I'll have your back.'
He also shared his thoughts on working alongside Lee Jung-jae and Lee Byung-hun.
Lee Seo-hwan said, "Lee Jung-jae's acting is amazing. When we played the game 'Mugunghwa Kkot-i Pieot Seumnida', he shouted 'Ice!' in a really loud voice. We filmed that for four days, and his voice was perfectly fine, not even hoarse. It would be exhausting, but he didn't show any signs of fatigue. I thought, 'How does he act as if he's tired when he doesn't look tired at all?'
He continued about Lee Byung-hun, saying, "This is why they call him world-class. He jokes around a lot and improvises a lot. But during the scene where he kills another participant, he changes his eyes. Even though I'm an actor too, it felt like a different level. His face turned red, and in an instant, he changed his eyes; it was an amazing moment," he marveled again. (Continued in Interview ②)
[Lee Da-gyeom, Star Today Reporter]
