Rising Star Lee Won-jung Reflects on His Journey and Upcoming Drama 'A Hundred Memories'

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"Shin Ye-eun was a senior at Anyang Arts High School. I first saw her at the school's annual spring festival, and she was dazzlingly beautiful (laughs)."

Actor Lee Won-jung shared this anecdote during an interview at a café in Gangnam on the 8th. A graduate of Anyang Arts High School and a student at Gachon University's Department of Theater and Film, Lee debuted in 2019 with 'Class of Lies'. Since then, he has built a diverse filmography with roles in 'Real:Time:Love', 'Extraordinary Attorney Woo', 'Somehow Family', 'Hierarchy', and 'Is It a Coincidence?'. Currently recognized as a rising actor, he recently made a special appearance in 'Mary Kills People' and is set to transform in 'A Hundred Memories'.

In 'A Hundred Memories', Lee shares the screen with Shin Ye-eun and revealed some personal behind-the-scenes stories. Born in February 2001, Lee recalled his first encounter with Shin during his sophomore year at Anyang Arts High School, although they did not attend at the same time. He reminisced, "I knew Ye-eun was attending Sungkyunkwan University and even went to see her perform in plays twice."

Premiering on JTBC at 10:40 PM on the 13th, 'A Hundred Memories' is a retro youth melodrama set in the 1980s. It tells the story of the radiant friendship between bus conductor Yeong-rae (played by Kim Da-mi) and Jong-hee (played by Shin Ye-eun), and their fateful first love with Jae-pil (played by Heo Nam-jun). Lee plays Ma Sang-cheol, a simple, carefree, and loyal friend of Jae-pil, known for his unique charm and wit.

Regarding 'A Hundred Memories', Lee said, "This is the first project I was offered since my debut. Usually, roles come through meetings or auditions, but this time the director approached me first. I believe I was the first to be cast after the three main leads. There was no reason to refuse," he laughed.

He also confessed, "I've been a huge fan of Kim Da-mi and Shin Ye-eun since before my debut," and shared memories with Shin. Lee joked, "In high school, Ye-eun was famous as the '9:1 goddess'." When asked if he shared this with Shin, he replied, "Yes, she told me to spread the word," maintaining a light-hearted atmosphere.

Lee expressed his gratitude, saying, "It's an incredible honor to be part of a project I was offered for the first time, especially with senior actors I've admired for years." He emphasized, "The script was so engaging that I read it effortlessly."

"When you watch an exciting Netflix series, you binge-watch it, right? The script was the same. Good writing flows smoothly. While watching a video involves various elements like sound and lighting, a script relies solely on text, so if it's not interesting, it quickly becomes tedious. But 'A Hundred Memories' was a page-turner."

Born in 2001, the Year of the Snake, this year holds special significance for Lee. When asked about the most special thing he did this year, he unhesitatingly chose filming 'A Hundred Memories'. Lee shared, "We filmed from January to the end of August, and preparation began last November. It's a project filled with love. It was both joyful and challenging," adding, "I poured my youth into it."

"I know that respected senior actor Cho Seung-woo filmed 'Marathon' when he was 26 or 27. I can't surpass that, but I want to come close. At 25, I left 'A Hundred Memories' behind, and my goal is to create a proud work each year."

Lee reflected, "Being able to capture the brightest moments each year in a project is truly a blessing as an actor. Sometimes life gets so busy that even taking a single photo feels like a chore. It's meaningful and gratifying to naturally record my life through acting," appreciating the value of his profession.

Lee So-jung, TenAsia Reporter forusojung@tenasia.co.kr