[On the Record] Lee Dong-wook "Love is Enough with a Single Word and a Look"

Actor Lee Dong-wook Interview

Movie 'Single in Seoul' Single Man Role
"My dream is to act in romance even in my 60s"

Marriage is now a choice. It is no longer a mandatory institution but an era where people choose marriage out of necessity. The term 'bihon' (non-marriage) might even reflect the perspective of the older generation. Only when alone do we truly get to know ourselves. The joy of caring for and loving oneself is immense. Although loneliness strikes at times, there are not enough hours in the day to nurture myself. Actor Lee Dong-wook (42) portrays Young-ho, a single male academy instructor, in the film Single in Seoul, depicting the love stories of this era. Living in an apartment overlooking the Han River in Seoul, he says, "The only person who truly fits me is myself," and enjoys hobbies like wine and photography to his heart’s content. While he says this character closely resembles himself, he also confesses that his "love cells" are dying.

Actor Lee Dong-wook [Photo by Lotte Entertainment]

On the afternoon of the 21st, Lee Dong-wook met with Asia Economy at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul. He said, "My single daily life is similar to the role," and added, "Through the film, I reflected on my past dating style."

Single in Seoul (directed by Park Beom-soo), opening on the 29th, is a romance film about Young-ho, a power influencer who enjoys being single, and Hyun-jin (played by Lim Soo-jung), a publishing editor who dislikes being alone, as they collaborate on a book about single life. Lee Dong-wook plays Young-ho in the film.

He said he had been waiting for a proper romance. Returning to the romance genre after eight years since the drama Bubblegum (2015), Lee Dong-wook said, "I wanted to do a romance genre." He added, "This time, I actually tried not to act too much. I wanted to express the real Lee Dong-wook."

"You don’t have to think about past lives. You don’t have to wait 1,600 years. (laughs) I have acted in some melodrama lines in genre works, but this is almost my first full-fledged romance in 10 years. Still, the way to express love for someone might be the same."

He cited "persuasiveness" as the most important aspect in melodrama. Lee Dong-wook said, "It’s not easy for a person to like another person. Sometimes you act out a love that seeps in slowly, and sometimes you act out a love that sparks at first sight. In those cases, the 'why' is the most important. I even make suggestions to directors and writers."

He said, "The most important thing is the way you look at the other person. When acting out love, I think it’s not good to talk too much. A few short lines and eye expressions are enough."

Lee Dong-wook’s romantic gaze shines in Single in Seoul as well. He pointed to the first kiss scene with Hyun-jin (Lim Soo-jung) as the most impressive. He explained, "I’m starting to like this person more and more? It feels like the timing to kiss now, but what will happen after this? There’s hesitation. All these feelings are captured in the eyes in that scene."

'Single in Seoul' stills
[Photo by Lotte Entertainment]

He also appreciated the emotional line that does not clearly define whether it is love or not. Lee Dong-wook said, "Isn’t that the kind of love we have? I thought it was realistic. It’s rare to experience sparks flying at first sight when meeting someone. When you drift apart for a while, then meet again after months or years, isn’t it strange to immediately say, 'I’ve been waiting for you'? It takes time to clear misunderstandings after meeting again. And then you might bicker a bit."

Lee Dong-wook is known as the original "romance master." His love energy radiating from his eyes and honeyed voice are major factors in his popularity, perfectly suited for melodrama. This makes the anticipation for his full-fledged romance comeback more than justified.

"I wanted to do something other than romance genres until now. If you divide by genre, all my works had love stories. Ah, except for Strangers from Hell (2019). (laughs) I like being called a 'romance master.' I hope to continue acting in romance. It’s a happy thing. I want to act in romance even in my 50s and 60s."

Director Park Beom-soo said in a previous interview, "Lee Dong-wook is truly single." Hearing this, Lee laughed and said, "Did I look so shabby that anyone could tell I’m single?" He added, "My single life is ordinary. I eat when I want, sleep when I want, watch movies I want. That’s the advantage of being single."

He said filming the movie naturally made him reflect on past relationships. Lee Dong-wook recalled, "I wasn’t very affectionate or tender. The other person probably understood me a lot. The important thing in dating is having a matching sense of humor. I enjoyed dating most when the humor and conversations matched well."

Actor Lee Dong-wook [Photo by Lotte Entertainment]

Lee Dong-wook said, "If the humor matches and conversations flow well, I think my heart would go to that person." Then suddenly, he confessed, "My love cells are dying," which made everyone laugh. He explained that he recently took a love cell test on a movie program and scored low. He joked, "I’m rehabilitating with Single in Seoul."

"I think it’s important to work hard and enjoy my job. I want to get married, but I don’t think it will be 'soon' or 'in the near future.' When I think about whether I can fulfill my role as a member of a family after marriage, I’m not sure. The movie made me think about dating once again. Dating is not easy. Memories can be distorted. I should treat the other person well when we meet."

Recently, many people prefer the 'Jamanchu' (natural meeting pursuit) style. When asked about this, Lee Dong-wook answered, "It’s ambiguous." He said, "I can’t register with a marriage information company, nor can I ask someone to set me up on blind dates. If I pursue natural meetings, my living radius is limited. That’s why I’m like this," he laughed.

Compared to his active years, he has had few scandals. He has never faced common controversies or criticisms. Lee Dong-wook said, "I’m timid," and laughed heartily. He added, "It’s comfortable not to do what others tell you not to do. I live ordinarily, avoiding things that no one should do. Although my job is somewhat special, I prefer to live an ordinary life."

"When I don’t have work, my daily life is really monotonous. I wake up around 9:30 a.m., eat a very simple breakfast, exercise around noon, and work out for about two and a half hours. I come home, have a late lunch, and stay home. If I have plans, I go out, but if not, I mostly stay still at home. Sometimes I drink when I have drinking plans, but after drinking, I rest for 2-3 days. I don’t drink every day."

Actor Lee Dong-wook [Photo by Lotte Entertainment]

Recently, Lee Dong-wook appeared on broadcaster Yoo Jae-suk’s YouTube channel Pinggego, showcasing his candid charm. The episode was popular, surpassing 10 million views. He said, "I wondered if people found it funny to see me joking around with Jo Nam-ji-dae (Jo Se-ho and Nam Chang-hee) and Yoo Jae-suk like we usually do. It’s a 'shorts' world, but I was surprised that people watched the full hour-long video. Thanks to that, Pinggego was even nominated for an award," he laughed.

The merchandise named after his nickname "Ukdong-i," gained attention online. A recent pop-up store held at a location in Seoul was also a great success. Especially popular was a hand mirror inspired by hotteok, a snack Lee Dong-wook likes.

"It was the PR team’s idea, but I initially opposed it. I said, ‘No, I won’t do it.’ But the PR team insisted that this culture exists and that I should do it too. Maybe they said that because they sensed something. They must know well. So I trusted them and agreed. Surprisingly, many people liked it, and it became a hot topic. The pop-up went well, so I’m thankful."

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