Lee Ki-taek reveals what led him to pursue a career in acting.
In a meeting room in Yeoksam-dong, Seoul, we met with Lee Ki-taek, the lead actor of JTBC's weekend drama 'Efficient Meeting of Singles'.
The drama 'Efficient Meeting of Singles', which concluded on the 5th, tells the story of Oh Yeong (played by Han Ji-min), a woman who decides to find love and meets Song Tae-seop (played by Park Sung-hoon) and Shin Ji-soo (played by Lee Ki-taek) on a blind date, exploring the true meaning of love. Lee Ki-taek portrayed Shin Ji-soo, a free-spirited younger man who is both a theater actor and a professional part-timer.
Lee Ki-taek debuted as a fashion model and began his acting career in 2020 with the web drama 'Dangerous Cohabitation of Two Women - In Seoul 2'. He gained attention with the BL (Boys' Love) series 'Bon Appetit' and later appeared in 'My Happy Ending' and 'Namib', becoming more recognized by the public.
Lee Ki-taek shared that he auditioned for 'Efficient Meeting of Singles' through a recommendation from the director of his previous work 'Namib'. He said, "I received a call a month later, and since there wasn't much time before filming, I had many character discussions with the director." Regarding his casting, he mentioned, "I'm not the type to ask many questions, so I was cautious about asking. From what I heard, they saw confidence in me."
Describing his character Shin Ji-soo, Lee Ki-taek said, "He is free-spirited and interacts with others without hesitation, but he harbors deep-seated pain and scars from his parents during childhood." He also mentioned, "The director suggested a long-haired style, so I kept my hair long. I took a lot of inspiration from 1990s fashion for the wardrobe."
Lee Ki-taek, who claims to be the opposite of Shin Ji-soo, said, "I have a hard time initiating conversations with others. I approach only when the other person opens up, whereas Ji-soo is bold yet charming." He added, "The similarity is that both Ji-soo and I aspired to be actors and have tried various part-time jobs. It resonated with my own experiences in my 20s."
Lee Ki-taek cited the film 'Masquerade' (2012) as the reason he started acting. He said, "I wanted to become an actor after watching 'Masquerade' in high school, but my father suggested I start acting after completing my military service, so I enlisted first." He continued, "While serving, I noticed model-turned-actors on TV. Since I didn't attend an arts high school or major in theater, I decided to pursue modeling first. I used my savings from the military and construction site jobs to enroll in a modeling academy."
"While working as a model, I realized that the paths of modeling and acting are entirely different. I used the money I earned from modeling to attend acting classes and worked part-time at cafes and promotional events. For about two years, I juggled part-time jobs and acting classes, fully committing to becoming an actor."
When asked about any anxiety regarding an uncertain future, Lee Ki-taek said, "I still feel it, but it was more intense back then." He added, "I approached it with the mindset that participating in even one project a year would be enough. That mindset became my driving force. I believed that if I focused on what I love and nurtured it, I would eventually become a chosen actor."
Tae Yuna, Ten Asia Reporter youyou@tenasia.co.kr