"My family checked the ratings before I did. They all really liked it."
The JTBC weekend drama 'Esquire: Lawyers Who Dream of Being Lawyers' (written by Park Mi-hyun, directed by Kim Jae-hong), which ended on the 7th, tells the story of rookie lawyer Kang Hyo-min (played by Jung Chae-yeon), who is just and bold but clumsy in social situations, growing into a complete lawyer through partner lawyer Yoon Seok-hoon (played by Lee Jin-wook), who exudes coldness but is the best in skill.
Lee Hak-joo played the role of Lee Jin-woo, an associate lawyer in the Yullim Litigation Team, who kindly takes care of his juniors while supporting his senior Yoon Seok-hoon, portraying a well-rounded talent.
Lee Hak-joo expressed his gratitude, saying, "I received so much love. My parents liked it too. I heard they received a lot of messages. I feel really good and thankful." He continued, "I also received messages from my high school teachers, old acquaintances, and college classmates," mentioning the attention he received.
He added, "My family checked the ratings before I did. They all really liked it. This time, we finished the drama without any wrongdoing. It's rare for a drama to end well without any wrongdoing, so they were even happier," he joked.
'Esquire' recorded a peak rating of 8.4% (Nielsen Korea, based on paid households). Lee Hak-joo said, "I secretly hope for good results every time I shoot a project, but the ratings usually don't meet expectations. I was surprised and grateful that it exceeded my expectations. I feel like I had a special experience. I had a grateful experience once again."
With the high ratings, many viewers are anticipating a season 2. Lee Hak-joo expressed his hopes, saying, "Internally, there are discussions about 'it would be great to have a season 2.' I also really hope so. The character is great, and the team was enjoyable."
He continued, "I'm curious about how the relationship with Heo Min-jung (played by Jeon Hye-bin) will unfold in season 2. They proposed, but it might be difficult to get to marriage, or we might see what happens after marriage, so there are various possibilities," expressing curiosity about his love line with Heo Min-jung.
He explained, "Jin-woo has his own charm, so I think he will try to build a good family. There might be mistakes, but I believe he will strive in a good direction," expressing his desire to show this side in season 2.
Park Mi-hyun, the writer of 'Esquire', is a real lawyer. Lee Hak-joo said, "(Perhaps because the writer is a lawyer) I found the cases in the script interesting." He continued, "The cases in the work are thought-provoking topics. While the conclusions are important, there are parts that raise questions. I thought it was good that this work tells a love story through that. It seems that by simply addressing various complex issues, it provides food for thought, and the perspective of the lawyers defending the cases is interesting and unfolds comfortably, which I think is the secret."
He added, "I also liked how the relationships between various characters were appropriately reflected. Each case includes elements of politics, love, and parent-child relationships in a balanced way."
What made Lee Hak-joo choose this project? It raises curiosity as it is quite different from the characters he has played so far.
"The most important thing is the character, but I prioritize having an interesting script. The character is a later issue; the story has to be fun for people to watch, and that makes acting enjoyable. I think the enjoyable and interesting flow of the story has been a significant indicator for me. Also, I wanted to explore more positive aspects by playing a bright role."
In previous works like 'The World of the Married', 'My Name', and 'Criminal Record', he mainly played characters who committed crimes or had evil roles. Lee Jin-woo is quite different from the strong characters he has portrayed, but he shares many similarities with the real Lee Hak-joo.
He said, "I think people who are comfortable with me see Jin-woo's side. When I'm excited and enjoying time with close people, I believe that if I incorporate that part of me, it won't come off as annoying. It could be my charm."
He added, "Jin-woo is a person who cares a lot for others. He works hard for his friends in the litigation team, and he brings joy to Yoon Seok-hoon and Heo Min-jung. I thought it would be good to focus on that."
The love line with Heo Min-jung is also one of the attractive aspects. Lee Hak-joo said, "Isn't it a complete windfall?" He added, "The story is interesting, and the character is bright. Since it's not something I've done much, I had some fears and worries. I was concerned about whether I could show what I practiced at home. It could come out strangely. But the director and the actors all said, 'Just be comfortable, and if you don't like it, we can do it again,' which helped a lot."
He also mentioned, "I received a lot of help from Jeon Hye-bin in the scenes with Heo Min-jung. She has much more experience in such scenes. She guided me, saying she would accept anything and to feel free. I was a junior who received care from my senior. I couldn't take care of my juniors, but thanks to my senior, I was able to shoot comfortably."
What was his wife's reaction to the love line? Lee Hak-joo said, "I like watching dramas with my wife. But watching scenes with Jeon Hye-bin feels a bit awkward," adding, "We watched the intense scenes separately, and my wife said she enjoyed it," he joked.
While playing the warm-hearted and bright Lee Jin-woo, his personality also changed. Lee Hak-joo said, "I think I'm influenced by the character. Acting as a bright character for about four months seems to have had a positive effect. I used to think about how to become darker, but now I feel like I've become a more positive person." He continued, "My wife seems to find me a bit noisy. What I think is cute might seem like too much talking to her," mentioning his wife's reaction and eliciting laughter.
He said filming was enjoyable, stating, "We shared a lot of fun stories, came up with ideas, laughed, and it was very enjoyable. At the same time, we shot very quickly." He added, "There can be pressure from that. We shot up to 20 scenes in a day. Lee Jin-wook and Jung Chae-yeon had a lot of lines, which could be burdensome. But everyone shot in a bright atmosphere. I'm grateful for the atmosphere they created."
He added, "The director also wanted this kind of atmosphere. It's amazing and grateful that we could genuinely create such a bright atmosphere."
Finally, Lee Hak-joo expressed, "I really want to become an actor who acts well. I often think it would be nice to have the ability. In the past, I was in despair over my lack of ability, but now I think, 'I may not have it, but I can fill it in.' I'm trying to become a better person by filling in my shortcomings."
[Kim So-yeon, Star Today Reporter]
