Lee Je-hoon speaks of his convictions about the industry recession

Actor Lee Je-hoon expressed his convictions about the recession in the industry.

On the 20th, Lee Je-hoon met with Ten Asia at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul and told various stories about MBC's Friday-Saturday drama 'Case Leader 1958'.

'Investigation Chief 1958' is a prequel to 'Investigation Chief', which wrote the history of Korean investigative dramas, and is set in 1958, when detective Park Young-han (played by Lee Je-hoon) was appointed to Seoul. It tells the story of Detective Park Young-han, who specializes in apprehending petty thieves in a barbaric era, as he teams up with three unique colleagues to break the absurdities of corrupt power with common sense and become a detective for the people.

In the play, Lee Je-hoon played the younger version of Park Young-han, played by Choi Bul-am in 'Chief of Investigation'. Park Young-han is an impregnable 'hillbilly detective' equipped with a smart plan, and is a person who is more humane than anyone else, but has the firmness and insight of an iron horn that is unwavering from any external pressure.

Lee Je-hoon also spoke about his thoughts on the industry recession as an actor and agency representative. He said, "Dramas seem to be the same as movies. When I look at the year before, last year, and this year, I feel that the number of films produced has decreased significantly. To pinpoint the cause of the problem, we need to look at the industry as a whole, but as an actor, simply speaking, I want to focus on good stories. “I think it may be the absence of content, but as a person who participates in the story, I have the will and sense of duty to create a good story, but I also reflect on whether it is becoming more and more standardized.”

He continued, "After going through the pandemic, access to watching movies has become easier. However, when it comes to watching movies, it was in the theater that I felt moved. Concentration, lingering emotion, and emotion are the greatest joy and happiness I have ever felt in my life. That opportunity was “It’s a pity that there are fewer and fewer people,” he said. “I started YouTube as a way to record small personal things, but as I watched the places I go to continue to disappear, I started with the will to leave a personal record. “I can’t guarantee the enjoyment of watching it,” he added.

He also talked about what he considers most important when choosing a project for his actor. Lee Je-hoon said, "My selective direction is about whether the actor truly wants it and whether he is being forced to make a choice when doing this. From the company's perspective, there is no choice but to think about the profit that goes to the actor, but while running a company, that is the primary concern. “I didn’t want financial things to be the reason for my choice,” he said.

Taeyuna, Ten Asia Reporter youyou@tenasia.co.kr