TV
Lee Je-hoon “The way I look now won’t last forever”
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.
'Investigation Team Leader 1958' recorded a nationwide viewership rating of 10.1% for its first episode, setting a record for the highest viewership rating for the first episode of an MBC Friday-Saturday drama in history. Afterwards, it recorded the highest viewership rating of 10.8%, and reached its conclusion with 10.6% in the final episode.
Regarding this, Lee Je-hoon said, "I didn't expect it. I watched every episode of the broadcast as a viewer at home, and my family was telling stories about the past. I think people who lived at that time may have felt nostalgic while watching this story, and they were thinking about old stories. “I think it received a lot of attention from the beginning because it allowed people of all ages and genders, as well as the middle-aged, to see how they would live in the future without having too much difficulty,” he said.
Do you feel any pressure or responsibility about filming hero films one after another such as ‘Model Taxi’ and ‘Investigation Team Leader 1958’? Lee Je-hoon said, “I think I have to be cautious when it comes to behaving like a beggar.” He added, “In the past, I didn’t hesitate even when the phlegm boiled and I had to spit it out, but now I’m more conscious of whether someone will see me. Of course, it’s something I shouldn’t do. “I also reflected on why I worry about something that is so obvious,” he said.
Lee Je-hoon also expressed his desire for the romance genre. He said, "I'm hoping for it more than anyone else. I don't know why they don't give it to me," and added, "I don't think my current appearance will last forever. I want to leave my youthful appearance in a romance or romantic comedy. I hope you find it."
When asked if there were any suggestions, Lee Je-hoon quipped, "I'm so grateful that the series are connected, so there's no room for me to join until next year. I think that's why they don't give me suggestions for the work. I hope they do, because they can overturn it."
Taeyuna, Ten Asia Reporter youyou@tenasia.co.kr
