Actor Lee Jun-hyuk (41) has reached the 'top star' status through 'My Perfect Secretary'. We met with Lee Jun-hyuk, who brought 'Eun-ho fever' to the home theater by realizing a reality fantasy romance.
The SBS Friday-Saturday drama 'My Perfect Secretary' (written by Ji Eun, directed by Ham Joon-ho and Kim Jae-hong), which ended on the 14th, depicts the close-care romance between CEO Kang Ji-yoon (played by Han Ji-min), who excels at her job in a headhunting company, and her perfect secretary Yoo Eun-ho (played by Lee Jun-hyuk).
Starting with a viewership rating of 5.2% (Nielsen Korea, nationwide) for its first episode on the 3rd of last month, 'My Perfect Secretary' saw its romance chemistry deepen as the story progressed, leading to a peak rating that more than doubled. In particular, viewers reacted by saying, "Lee Jun-hyuk's visuals are plausible," and he was recognized as the top contributor to the rise in ratings.
When asked for his thoughts, Lee Jun-hyuk said, "When working on a project, you can't help but worry, 'Will this do well?' But I'm grateful that many people watched it," adding, "When a character comes to life, I'm part of it, but I believe it's a collaborative effort with the team sharing the same goals. Our team did really well, and I feel like I received the praise on behalf of the staff, so I expressed my gratitude to them."
He also shared his feelings about filming a romantic comedy after a long time.
Lee Jun-hyuk said, "I think this work had scenes that I really wanted to see lately. Works reflect everything in the world," and added, "Of course, it's a fantasy for women, but I thought it was good to show men that 'this can also be touching.' I felt a lot of empathy for the moments that can happen even if you're not a huge conglomerate."
Lee Jun-hyuk, who has been called a representative 'old-looking actor' for playing older characters in dramas like 'I Am Legend', 'The Club of the Ex-Wives', and 'Suspicious Three Brothers', played the character Yoo Eun-ho, who is seven years younger than his actual age.
When asked if he felt he portrayed '91-born Yoo Eun-ho' well, Lee Jun-hyuk laughed and said, "Isn't that something we just roll with?" He continued, "I played many roles in my 20s that were in their 40s. Since I played characters older than my age back then, I hope you can cut me some slack for playing a younger role now."
He added, "Since Yoo Eun-ho is a younger character, I lost a lot of weight to not look older. When I played older roles before, I had to change my voice while acting, which was difficult, but now I feel like I can use my original voice. It definitely feels more comfortable than before."
In the drama, Lee Jun-hyuk's character warmly embraces Han Ji-min, who clings to perfection to avoid getting hurt, making female viewers' hearts flutter. He disarms Han Ji-min's heart with 'home-cooked meals' that warm her life and shows sincerity through a genuine love method that expresses everything honestly.
When asked about the scene that excited him the most while filming, Lee Jun-hyuk said, "In episode 4, there's a scene where Han Ji-min gently touches my face. I was sleeping and when I opened my eyes, it was amazing to see a star I had watched since childhood acting right in front of me. That scene was also dreamlike. Actually, since I was supposed to be sleeping, I couldn't do much, but Han Ji-min brought it to life realistically, so I think it turned out well," he smiled.
Han Ji-min is currently in a public relationship with Jannabi's Choi Jeong-hoon. When asked if it was burdensome to film a romantic comedy with a co-star in a public relationship, Lee Jun-hyuk replied, "I didn't know (about the relationship) while filming. It was revealed around the end of the shoot."
“It might be something I can't relate to well, but when I watch a work, I don't lose myself in it just because the actors are in a relationship or have divorced. While filming this work, I felt the atmosphere of 'these days.' There’s a saying about 'the whole nation being cautious of Choi Jeong-hoon,' but it's not malicious; I just take it as part of a new cultural trend. (laughs)”
He also shared his thoughts on Han Ji-min as an acting partner. Lee Jun-hyuk said, "I mentioned earlier that dramas are a team effort, but Han Ji-min is an incredible professional. She's an actress who has built a lot in this field, so I felt very reassured. I'm very grateful to have been able to act with such a reliable colleague."
Lee Jun-hyuk, who has risen to prominence through 'My Perfect Secretary', stated, "I think an actor is one of the most expensive props on set. Sometimes an actor can go their own way, but a director can also completely confine and shape them, which is the will of a prop."
He continued, "When I was younger, I approached acting with the mindset of 'I hope I won't be recognized for each role,' but now I think of acting as not something done alone. I will continue to act with the mindset of teamwork in the future," raising expectations for his future activities.
[Lee Da-gyeom, Star Today Reporter]
