How Lee Ho-won Transformed from 'Weakest' to 'Hero' on Ice

On the ice, the 'weakest' has overcome his fears to become a 'hero.' This is the story of Lee Ho-won, who took the stage in the experimental musical 'Solo Leveling on ICE,' a fusion of musical theater and ice show. From skating to wire action, Lee Ho-won has achieved a series of 'firsts.' Despite a hiatus in his acting career, he is gradually filling his present and future with what he can do, growing along the way.

Recently, Lee Ho-won shared his experiences after completing the 'Solo Leveling on ICE' performance at the Ten Asia building in Jungnim-dong, Seoul. The musical, which combines ice performance, follows the journey of the protagonist Sung Jin-woo, who awakens at the brink of death and gains the ability to grow stronger alone. Lee Ho-won played the role of Sung Jin-woo.

Lee Ho-won's decision to join this project was aligned with his annual goals. Last year, one of his goals was to 'explore various sports,' and the fact that this project required skating sparked his adventurous spirit. Lee Ho-won said, "I was intrigued by the idea of a skating ice show. Since I didn't know how to skate, that aspect played a significant role." However, he admitted, "I was worried because the concept of a musical on an ice rink was unfamiliar."

Known for his exceptional dancing skills, Lee Ho-won is confident in his physical abilities. However, performing live on ice was a different challenge for a skating novice. Lee Ho-won explained, "I'm good at bodyweight exercises, but I'm not good at riding things. Whether it's skating or boarding, and even driving, I'm not great at it," revealing the reasons for his concerns. Yet, through this project, he "broke that mindset," and "even the actor-athletes were amazed at how quickly I learned." He added, "I tried skiing and boarding once and thought I had no talent, but now I'm considering giving it another shot."

In addition to skating, Lee Ho-won also tried wire action for the first time in this project. He humorously shared, "I had nightmares for two weeks before rehearsals due to extreme tension." He even searched "what are the odds of falling while on a wire" on ChatGPT, joking that "it's lower than winning the lottery." Despite the challenges, he overcame them. Once on stage, Lee Ho-won recalled, "I sang while on the wire, and surprisingly, I wasn't scared at all when I focused on acting."

In December last year, the film 'Birth' (2022), in which Lee Ho-won appeared, was restructured into a three-part drama titled 'Young Kim Dae-gun' and aired on tvN. The film follows the life of Korea's first priest, Father Kim Dae-gun, but it doesn't focus on propagating specific religious doctrines. It portrays the values, choices, and responsibilities of individuals living in the turbulent late Joseon era. Notably, it was the last film of the late actor Ahn Sung-ki, aside from his special appearance in 'Noryang: The Sea of Death.'

Lee Ho-won expressed deep respect and remembrance for Ahn Sung-ki, with whom he shared the screen. He described working with Ahn Sung-ki as "an honor in itself." He admired Ahn's character, saying, "I want to become an adult like him." Although he didn't meet Ahn often, he felt Ahn's warmth and recalled how he listened to various stories from juniors, not just about acting, with a fatherly smile.

Lee Ho-won gained recognition as an actor through the 2012 tvN drama 'Reply 1997.' His authentic Busan dialect and natural acting brought vitality and realism to the series, which was a major hit. It was considered a stable starting point for his acting career. However, his acting activities were sparse compared to public expectations, and 14 years have passed. Although he has steadily built his filmography as an actor, he hasn't made an impact on the audience like 'Reply 1997.'

Lee Ho-won shared, "I often get asked why I didn't continue acting immediately after 'Reply.' Even in company meetings or when meeting industry people, I always get that question." In reality, it took him about three years after the drama ended to return to acting. Regarding this, Lee Ho-won confessed, "At that time, I was more passionate about being a singer. Just because acting went well didn't mean I wanted to pursue acting immediately." He added, "Even now, I hear 'you should have done it then,' but I don't regret it at all."

In managing his career, Lee Ho-won focused on 'what I can do' rather than box office success. He emphasized, "It's more important to contribute to the work by doing well rather than just doing more projects." He also expressed his desire to be an actor who doesn't harm the work and contributes to its completeness, regardless of whether it's a lead or supporting role.

Lee Ho-won showed a deep love and interest in films. He said, "I try to watch one movie a day. It's what I love most and want to do the most." He also shared, "My mother influenced me to watch a lot of movies from a young age. I'm one of three brothers, and my mom told me she went to the movies while pregnant with me, carrying my older brother. That's how much she loves movies. I once told her I'd open a movie theater for her when I made a lot of money," he laughed. He hinted at two upcoming films he's involved in.

Many fans are waiting for Lee Ho-won as a singer or dancer, known as Hoya. Regarding album plans, he said, "Currently, it's on hold. I'm waiting for the right timing to promote the album to more people." When asked if he misses his idol days, he replied, "I don't not miss it, but I don't miss it too much either. It's like missing childhood memories of playing soccer with friends in the neighborhood. It's a similar feeling."

Lee Ho-won considers himself still a rookie as an actor. Regarding his future goals, he said, "I want to work on projects where I can show acting that I'm not ashamed of." When asked if he has any other goals for this year besides acting, he replied, "Mastering English is unrealistic, but I want to improve my skills." His current English proficiency allows him to converse with native speakers without much difficulty. Lee Ho-won humorously shared, "I actually have four English teachers. They don't know about each other, but they might find out if they see this."

As he reaches his mid-30s, does he have any dreams of starting a family? Lee Ho-won candidly shared, "I've been living alone for 11 years, so I'm used to this lifestyle. But I do want to get married and raise children someday. I didn't think much about it before, but as I get older, that desire is growing. It's fascinating."

Kim Ji-won, Ten Asia Reporter bella@tenasia.co.kr