Lee Hae-woo plays a casino agent in Disney+'s 'Casino'
“An opportunity I encountered while taking a break from acting in ‘Casino’ and helping my father at his company.”
“Casino agent ‘Creepy’ I met for character research”
“As an actor, determine your direction and direction”
Lee Hae-woo, “3 months of tanning and exercise for bed scenes”
Lee Hae-woo, “3 months of tanning and exercise for bed scenes”
"It was my first time going to a casino while filming. I went there to get acquainted with the atmosphere of the casino, but I was a bit scared, so I just watched from the side. Haha. The people who came there looked everyday and familiar, like middle school students in a PC room. “But the amount of money exchanged was enormous.”

Lee Hae-woo, who resumed his acting career in earnest through Disney+'s 'Casino', looked bright and cheerful, unlike his cunning appearance in the drama. Lee Hae-woo expressed pride, saying, "I've worked on quite a few projects, but this is the first time I've received so many calls. Some people contacted me after 10 years. Other gym members also said they enjoyed 'Casino'." 'Casino' is the story of Cha Moo-sik (Choi Min-sik), a man who became a casino legend in the Philippines with no money or background, and begins to make a final bet that risks his life when he gets caught up in a murder case. Season 1 ended on January 25th, and Season 2 begins on February 15th.

Lee Hae-woo plays the role of casino agent Philip. Casino agents are responsible for attracting and entertaining casino guests. Lee Hae-woo met agents in the Philippines, listened to their stories, observed them at work, and studied their characters.

"When I first saw them, I got a creepy feeling. They had a unique force. While interviewing them, I focused on their eyes and tone of voice. I sat in a corner of the casino and observed their daily behavior and gestures. In the play, they refer to customers as 'bees.' There are people who act as bait to draw people into the casino. I actually saw an agent talking with a 'bee', and the agent's eyes changed. His eyes changed depending on the person he was dealing with. He looked like a predator. Like the animal kingdom. “I thought there was a hierarchical relationship.”
Lee Hae-woo, “3 months of tanning and exercise for bed scenes”
Lee Hae-woo, “3 months of tanning and exercise for bed scenes”
Lee Hae-woo was cast in ‘Casino’ through an audition. He said, "When I was taking a 3-4 year break from acting and helping my father with his company's work, my friend, the CEO of a production company, suggested I appear in 'Rose Mansion' and I quickly joined. Then, my older brother told me that senior Choi Min-sik was on the show and that he had a good character, so I auditioned. He said, “Look at one. If it works, it will be a hit.”

“I asked my brother to get me a script for the clip, and he said he would at least film a video and send it to me. Since I was a Korean in the Philippines, I tried adding some English lines, and I also put a hastily obtained pattern on my body and made it look like a tattoo. My father’s company. I filmed the video in the corner of the office. I thought it was an opportunity to start acting again, and it was a good opportunity for me to start acting again. I have fair skin, but since I am a Korean-Filipino, I thought I had to tan at all costs. I also wanted to show a side that was contrary to my existing image. 3 “I had a tan for six months, but it doesn’t burn easily, so I continued to tan even when I went to the Philippines and used makeup to express it during filming.”
Lee Hae-woo, “3 months of tanning and exercise for bed scenes”
Lee Hae-woo, “3 months of tanning and exercise for bed scenes”
Lee Hae-woo played a bed scene with Son Eun-seo in ‘Casino’. Lee Hae-woo said, "The director paid a lot of attention to me. I interacted a lot with senior Son Eun-seo before filming, so we became close and there wasn't much pressure," and added, "We filmed well while being considerate of each other." Prior to filming, Lee Hae-woo worked hard and exercised consistently to build a strong body.

"I received PT for 3 months, 2 times a day, 6 days a week in Korea. I prepared a lot, but because I went to the Philippines and filmed about a month later, I was a little slack and my health got a little unwell. Haha. The director and production crew told me I didn't ask for anything, but I guess I was desperate because I felt like I had to show something. I stopped doing PT the day after I was cast. It was the first time in my life that I saw my six-pack. I was so excited that someone else did it. Haha."
Lee Hae-woo, “3 months of tanning and exercise for bed scenes”
Lee Hae-woo, “3 months of tanning and exercise for bed scenes”
Lee Hae-woo got to work with Choi Min-sik and Lee Hye-young through 'Casino'. Lee Hae-woo expressed admiration, saying, "At first, I was nervous and worried that I might cause harm, but when I saw them in person, they looked like boys and girls. I filmed with ease. I felt emotional just by receiving the energy emitted by the seniors at the filming site."

"When I was passionate about acting after filming 'Rose Mansion', I wrote down my goal in my notebook as 'acting with senior Choi Min-sik'. But after a month or two, I was cast in 'Casino'. I remember seeing the senior in surprise. There is a big age difference between me and my senior, but he approached me like a brother next door, so we quickly became close friends. We were with the 'Casino' team in the Philippines for two or three months, and we had the same accommodation, so it felt like family. I think we became comfortable friends. Haha. “I will try to contact you often, and when I do, please feel free to accept it.”
Lee Hae-woo, “3 months of tanning and exercise for bed scenes”
Lee Hae-woo, “3 months of tanning and exercise for bed scenes”
Lee Hae-woo, who signed an exclusive contract with Saram Entertainment as of last year, is said to have gone on a filming schedule alone without an agency during the filming of 'Casino'. When asked why he took a break from acting for a while, Lee Hae-woo confessed, "Before that, I had been acting for about 10 years, but I felt like I was spinning around in the same place, and I felt guilty about saying, 'This isn't my path.' I was a little tired." He said, "At the time, I thought I did my best, but looking back, I feel like I didn't properly seize the opportunities that came my way. I couldn't decide on a direction or a goal as an actor and seemed to only be on the surface." What was the reason and reason why Lee Hae-woo started acting again?

"I had a hard time quitting acting. I had been an actor for 10 years with a dream, but quitting was harder than I thought. There are many people among my college classmates and seniors and juniors who have quit acting. There were about 30 people in the class, and 1-2 of them quit acting. Only Myeong survived as an actor. I have a routine that I have consistently followed while acting for 10 years, such as pronunciation, vocal practice, and reading the newspaper. Even though I quit acting, I couldn't let go of it. I think there was a part of me that wanted to become an actor again. So this time, when the opportunity came, I decided to do it right away without hesitation.”

Lee Hae-woo said that he realized the importance of collaboration through filming ‘Casino’. He said, "In the past, I always acted impatiently and like I was being chased, and had the mindset of trying to solve problems on my own. What I learned the most from this filming was that 'work is collaboration.' The staff helped me, and interacting with fellow actors and directors created more synergy." “I felt it. I was happy,” he said. He also confessed, "I feel like I have decided on a future direction as an actor. Acting is still difficult and difficult, but I think it's encouraging just to have decided on the direction I need to go. I've become stronger than before."

“In the past, I used to worry about how I looked to others, but now I decided to focus on how to act better. Senior Choi Min-sik also emphasized that ‘an actor only needs to act well.’ Thanks to his words, I was able to find direction. 'What should I do to act well?' If you start with that question, you will find some answers. I want to continue acting. My goal is to become a fresh actor, not an actor who only repeats what he has shown before. 'Is that the person?' “It feels good to receive feedback like this. I want to become an actor who can always provide something new.”

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