Lee David Joins 'Squid Game' Series Without Audition: A Unique Casting Journey

"I was cast while playing foot volleyball in the military."

Actor Lee David has joined the 'Squid Game' series in an unusual way, without even auditioning.

Recently, at a café in Samcheong-dong, Seoul, Lee David, who plays the role of Min-soo in Netflix's 'Squid Game 3', was interviewed. Contrary to his character's appearance, Lee showed up with his forehead exposed and sporting a beard.

After completing his military service, Lee David joined 'Squid Game'. He plays Min-soo, a character bullied by Thanos (played by Choi Seung-hyun) and Nam-kyu (played by Noh Jae-won) in seasons 2 and 3. Min-soo, participant number 125, is a timid and fearful character who joins the game after being scammed in a housing fraud.

Lee David previously worked with director Hwang Dong-hyuk on the film 'The Fortress'. He shared, "When 'Squid Game' casting was in full swing, I was in the military. It seemed like everyone around me was auditioning for it."

He continued, "I was just playing foot volleyball in the military, thinking it was out of reach, so I decided to just kick the ball around." He added, "Then my manager told me about a meeting for 'Squid Game'. I waited over a month, and during that time, I was discharged. One day, I thankfully received the casting call." Fellow actor Jo Yu-ri reportedly auditioned four times for 'Squid Game'.

The audition process for 'Squid Game' was intense, and the filming set was equally competitive with hundreds of actors. Lee David recalled, "I approached filming with the mindset that I couldn't fall behind. I was very nervous during the first shoot. Jae-won and I walked about an hour to our accommodation, discussing our performances." He rated his performance as "8.8 out of 10," jokingly adding, "Initially, I thought it was in the 7s, but since my social media followers exceeded a million, I bumped it up. Not many actors would rate themselves a perfect 10. If there are, I'd like to ask how they're so satisfied with themselves."

Lee David had many scenes with Choi Seung-hyun, who played Thanos and received criticism in season 2. Lee commented, "Everyone was nervous at first, including him. When we met, his lips were trembling."

He added, "Every actor interprets the script differently. Thanos's role was particularly unique. Although it differed from my vision, his portrayal was humorous. I couldn't have done it that way. While opinions were divided, many liked it. It was a character only he could play." He also mentioned, "The director later said that while Korea prefers natural acting, overseas audiences enjoy cartoon-like characters. There might be cultural differences."

Lee David showed humility, saying, "I started acting at nine. When I had been acting for 2-3 years, I wasn't as good as the 'Squid Game' actors. They're all so talented. I realized they're my competition now." Throughout the interview, he smiled broadly at the compliments on his acting, saying, "I'll go home and look for praise on social media," with a satisfied grin.