[Interview] 'Squid Game' Lee Jung-jae "Dalgona and Stepping Stone Scenes Were Not Easy"

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Isul] "I definitely became a squid." Actor Lee Jung-jae participates in the survival game wearing number 456 in 'Squid Game.' Gi-hun, who has never been able to play the role of a father or son due to lack of money, heads to the racetrack with his disheveled hair covered by a hat. He is a character who carefully cares for the marginalized elderly and cannot ignore the pleading voices of others. This is clearly different from the polished characters he has played before. Overseas viewers who saw him for the first time reacted by asking, "Is he a method actor like Song Kang-ho?" It is an acting transformation that has satisfied both the actor and the public.

Lee Jung-jae said in a non-face-to-face interview on the morning of the 29th for the Netflix series 'Squid Game,' "I wanted to play a role commonly seen in everyday life," adding, "I was glad to meet this work."

'Squid Game' is a Netflix series about people who participate in a mysterious survival game with a prize of 45.6 billion won, risking their lives to become the final winner. Directed and written by Hwang Dong-hyuk, who made 'Silenced' (2011) and 'The Fortress' (2017), the project has been in development since 2008.

Lee Jung-jae plays Seong Gi-hun, who, after being laid off from his company and hitting rock bottom in life, is drawn to a secret survival game offering a prize of 45.6 billion won.

Why did he appear? He said, "As I got older, I was only offered villainous or tough roles. Recently, I have mainly played tense characters, but when I thought about showing a slightly different side and acting, I met 'Squid Game.' I was glad to be offered the role of Gi-hun. I wanted to play a male role commonly seen in everyday life after a long time."

Unlike other characters who commit evil acts to survive in the life-or-death survival game, Gi-hun is a character with a warm heart. Lee Jung-jae said he understood Gi-hun's choices and actions, describing his humane side as "cute." "Everyday acting was the most difficult. I thought a lot about expressing emotions and intensity in extreme situations in each game. Especially in the dalgona licking scene during the pick game, I wondered, 'Do I have to lick this much?'"

He said, "The setting of adults playing childhood games as a survival game was terrifying. The script well reflected the hardships and sorrows of various participants, gradually building up from episode 1 without exaggeration. It stands out from other survival films because it explodes at the ending."

Lee Jung-jae, who said he felt the most fear while filming the glass stepping stone scene, said, "I was amazed by the scale of each game. Every time I went to the set, I was surprised by the scale, like 456 people running in front of a giant doll or the tug-of-war scene. The set was well realized, so I used to check it before filming. The glass stepping stone scene was the hardest to shoot. They laid tempered glass at a height of 1 to 2 meters. They told us not to worry because it was safe and to just run, but my feet kept slipping because of sweat. They adjusted the spacing so that both male and female actors could run, and we ran repeatedly while readjusting," he recalled.

There is a flaw in 'Squid Game.' The scene where Gi-hun eats lunch while talking with Oh Il-nam (played by Oh Young-soo). The back view of him eating with an empty spoon became a hot topic online. He said, "When filming from the front, I ate diligently, but since only my back was shown, I thought I didn't come out well, so I was a bit crafty. I eat well in the first take, but by the fifth take, I start to get full. Maybe the editors didn't know because it looked like I was eating well," he said with an embarrassed smile.

When asked what he would do if he actually won 45.6 billion won, Lee Jung-jae answered, "I would definitely donate it," adding, "If money suddenly came like that, I think I would decide without hesitation."

When Lee Jung-jae mentioned overseas viewers' reactions calling him a "Korean method actor," he laughed heartily. He said, "Someone posted a lot of my other photos on SNS saying, 'Lee Jung-jae is not just an actor who does this kind of thing.' I laughed a lot looking at that," adding, "I think it's better for an actor to make people curious about who the character is rather than how the individual appears. If people say I did well in the role of Gi-hun, I wouldn't ask for more than that."

Since the release of 'Squid Game,' the response from viewers in their teens and twenties has been hot. Among viewers born in the 2000s, Lee Jung-jae's early debut photos have become a topic. When asked about the atmosphere where even Jae-hee from the drama 'Sandglass' is being recalled, he said, "It's fun to watch," adding, "I thought, 'I had those times too,' and felt how fast time flies," with a smile. He added, "I wanted to have various experiences, so I played many characters, and looking back now, it's interesting."

Earlier, PD Na Young-seok revealed that his dream is to create a program like 'Three Meals a Day' with Lee Jung-jae and Jung Woo-sung. "I want to do a variety show with the two most urban actors," he said, emphasizing that he has been planning it for 10 years. When this was mentioned, Lee Jung-jae wittily said, "If you want to make your dream come true, come to our company (Artist Company)."

Lee Jung-jae also expressed his desire to meet Lee Byung-hun, who played the Front Man, in season 2. "I have been close with Lee Byung-hun since we debuted. We were in the same agency. Our friendship is special. We didn't have a chance to act together while working, but we met in 'Squid Game.' He made a special appearance, so we met in just one scene, but if season 2 comes out, I want to work together. Even if I can't appear in the second season, I want to meet him in another work."

Photo = Netflix

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.