[Translation] Lee Dong Wook “Single In Seoul” press interviews

On 21 November 2023, Lee Dong Wook met the press at a cafe in Seoul for interviews as part of his promotions for his new movie “Single In Seoul”. This post is a translated compilation of his interviews extracted from dozens of press articles released by various news outlets. Many of the published interviews had a mix of new and overlapping content, so I’ve tried to be as comprehensive as possible and minimise the repetitive content; it’s also possible that certain parts may feel a bit disjointed since they are pieced together from different sources.

Please note that this post contains some spoilers of the movie.

“Single In Seoul” movie poster

Q: How do you feel while waiting for the movie to be released?
It’s been a long time since I filmed a movie. I’m excited and a little nervous. I’m a bit worried about how people will view it.

Q: After the preview screening, favourable reviews have been pouring in. How do you feel?
I don’t know what the audience’s reviews are like yet, so I can’t really feel anything yet. But people around have been saying, “I heard the movie came out well?” Anyway, the response doesn’t seem to be bad, so I’m relieved. Actually, romance genres usually have a fixed ending right? But I think the key is how to make it fun in a fresh way without making it seem obvious. I think this is a genre where it is very important to elicit empathy through familiarity, and it seems this movie has such an aspect so people view it favourably. I think we’ll have to wait until it’s released to find out what the audience’s reviews are.

Q: How do you feel after watching the finished version of “Single In Seoul”?
First of all, it felt good to see my face on the big screen after a long while. I saw it for the first time during the preview screening for the media and I was very embarrassed. I’m the kind who is not good at monitoring (myself) with someone. I don’t even monitor together with my family, so I couldn’t concentrate when I was watching with so many audiences in the cinema. But people laughed a lot at parts that I did not expect, so I thought they probably relate a lot to the movie. There are not many parts in the movie that are meant to be outrightly funny, but I like that many people laughed a lot at the little lines in the dialogue and reactions.

Q: What was the reason why you decided to star in “Single In Seoul”?
My previous works had many genres. My previous works were fantasy, thriller, action and so on. I had the thought, “I want to tell a realistic story.” Stories about people’s lives. As I was doing a lot of things about non-humans, I got an offer just when I thought I wanted to talk about people’s lives. It’s been a long while since I did the romance genre. Since it’s been almost 10 years since ‘Bubble Gum’, I decided to do it with the thought that it would be nice to do romance after a long time. I read the script, and the lines were really interesting. I heard that actress Lim Soo-jung will be working together, so it couldn’t have been any better. I chose it right away.

Q: It has been a long time since you’ve starred in a rom-com.
I’m in my early 40s now, I wondered if I will be able to do romance even when I’m in my 50s. Eventually, I wanted to do it while I still can. In the romance genre, it is important to show the charm of an actor. The male lead needs to have a bit of a cute side to be more relatable. That’s why I wanted to do it while I’m at least a year younger.

Q: Your work this time is a realistic one. What efforts did you make to keep it realistic?
Rather, I tried not to do anything more. Previously, I tried to act to highlight the characters’ points and elements, but this time I tried not to do anything. The actual image of Lee Dong Wook was also incorporated into this role, and I tried to make it as comfortable as possible.

Q: As you read the script, which part did you find the most relatable?
The way Youngho enjoys his single life is similar to me. I’ve also been single for quite a long time, and I’m getting more used to it. As the time which I experience the comfort of singlehood becomes longer, I can understand the way Youngho feels. I could relate a lot to it and I thought “He is really similar to me”. Of course, I wouldn’t exclaim like Youngho that “You must be solo! Life not as a single is hell”. Because I’m always waiting with an open heart (laughs). Ah, and Youngho is also good at eating alone. He even sits alone in the restaurant and grills his own meat. I’ve taken the challenge of eating alone at a restaurant that serves rice and side dishes before, but I’m not at Youngho’s level. Looking at Youngho’s life, I’ve been thinking, “This guy is a master at enjoying on his own, should I give it a try too?”

Q: Lim Soo Jung has praised you in interviews. While acting together, what kind of person does Lim Soo Jung seem like outside of the camera?
The actress Lim Soo Jung seen off-camera is cute. She has a quirky side just like Hyunjin, so I felt like she was a very cute person in every moment. I also received a lot of help while acting. With her excellent acting skills and her veteran-like image, because my acting style is different from hers, she places more importance in the details, which was helpful in that regard. Because of the moments that actress Lim Soo Jung goes back to review and work on, I was also able to take my time. I think people who worked with Lim Soo Jung would have felt comfortable. That kind of experience doesn’t happen often. It was nice to feel comfortable and have someone dependable while acting.

Q: How was it like working with the “master of romance” Lim Soo Jung?
We worked together once before in “Search WWW”. Although mine was just a cameo appearance, it felt really good that time. In fact, a cameo has to be done really well to make it worth it. Because you are dropped alone into an unfamiliar scene, act for a short while, then disappear right? I filmed it with the mindset that “I shouldn’t cause trouble”, and actress Lim Soo Jung gave a really good reaction. Our teamwork was very good, so I was able to act comfortably and leave. At that time, I thought we should act together again for a longer time, and that opportunity came quickly. She is a very meticulous and detailed actress. And she is also very cute. After a cut is done, she stands there alone in a daze, I found that very cute and she seems like a very nice person.

Q: Among the actors that Lim Soo Jung has worked with such as Gong Yoo, Hyun Bin, and So Ji Sub, didn’t she praise you highly as the best one?
I thought she was working really hard at promoting. Haha. I am grateful, but it was actually a huge burden. I’ve never felt uncomfortable while working with her. I had the thought that I would like to act with this actress again. But if I were to meet her again, I think I will need more time if I were to do romance. Because I’ve already done romance, it wouldn’t be interesting for myself to do it again, so it would be nice to meet again in another genre. I would like to do a more mature melo with her, I think a fantasy genre or thriller would also be fun. I don’t really like to do one genre for a long time.

Q: How was it like working with actress Esom who appears as your first love?
I didn’t spend a long time acting with actress Esom. I had no personal contact with her privately, and we had to film us meeting at a hotel, get close to her and become lovers within a very short time, so I felt burdened and worried. But actress Esom was very professional. She accepted it comfortably. She would seem indifferent but she acts such that her gaze changes when the camera stops rolling, so I also followed suit.

Q: You had to act as Youngho in his 20s for the scene about his first love. What did you think of it and how did you prepare for it?
When I saw it this time, I thought, “I can’t act as someone in his 20s.” I thought acting as a college student would be too much, but I was told that the audience wouldn’t mind. The director also said it was alright, so I summed up my courage and did it. I’m in my 40s, so I wondered if it would be right for me to act as someone in his early 20s. But using CG work or post-production to make me look younger would seem even more unnatural and obvious, so the director gave me a lot of encouragement saying that I can just act with my current appearance. I felt embarrassed seeing it on screen. I can manage somehow up till 30s, but acting as a college student was very embarrassing.

Q: The “Single In Seoul” team seems to have good unity and a good atmosphere. What’s the secret to it?
We filmed it during the pandemic. We had no choice but to stick together. The director has a gentle personality by nature so he enjoyed the set. When you come to the set, you should come to have fun rather than feel pressured, and I think I wasn’t the only one who felt this way. There were no actors who would raise their voices loudly on set. Hyun Sung hyung and Ji Young noona are also the kind who will praise the juniors “good job, good job”, so I think that’s why the atmosphere was good.

Q: How was it like working with director Park Beom Soo?
The director’s personality and style are basically good.  When we work together, we started with a very comfortable sense of security. I had many scenes where I mainly filmed alone. When we were filming in the home set, I was filming alone for about 2 weeks so I felt rather bored and lonely, but at that time I was bickering with the director and we would tease and joke with each other. The director is such an open person like that, so it was great during filming.

Q: The line “To singles, a fling is an affair” drew huge laughter.
When I was acting, that line was just a narration, so I thought of it in my head and acted that scene. I didn’t know it would be that funny. Even when I did the narration during the post-production, I was doing it alone in the recording booth, so I had such a thought. “Isn’t this line too excessive? Why would he express it like that to such an extent?” But many people laughed at that part. I could feel the director’s sense. 

Q: Then which scene or line did you find most relatable?
The line I related to the most was the scene where actor Yoon Kye Sang and his girlfriend entered the BBQ restaurant and Lim Soo Jung ran away, and the lady who played his girlfriend came to buy kimchi. At that moment, Youngho said “Here is the gat-kimchi”, and I found that relatable. I also like gat-kimchi so I think I would have done the same too. 

Q: Lim Soo Jung said it is difficult for a handsome person to be this funny, but she said you were especially funny. Do you usually have a sense of humor?
I think that’s my personality. I think the reason why I have a lot of comedian friends and comedian seniors around me is because I like funny things. I like their job and respect it. I think it’s because I have a yearning like “How can they say something like that over there?” and because I like funny things. I have experience being an emcee for “Strong Heart” and “Wook Talk” compared to other actors, so I think it’s less burdensome for me to appear on things like Youtube. I’m always on guard when I’m filming for Youtube. Because I always recognise that there is a standard that I need to do.

Q: What do you think is the charm of romance movies? And is there a work that you like?
I always think about it, but they seem to be easy to watch. Compared to other genres, there is nothing to make you feel anxious. Isn’t the romance genre something that many generations can relate to and watch without any particular emotional ups and downs? People live their lives with love right? Be it in the past, future or present. Aren’t there relatable points like that? I thought there are emotions to be felt and learnt there.

I enjoy watching romance movies. I like “The Notebook” very much. First of all, the two actors acted very well. In fact, the structure of the romance genre is obvious in a way. It is a natural structure where a man and a woman meet by chance and inevitably, go through a process in the middle, and then their love comes true or not at the end. The movie “The Notebook” has a very unique structure in the middle. The structure was new and fresh — in the middle where the two fight like they want to kill each other, then they fall in love intensely, and then hate each other. I think “Single In Seoul” also has such a charm. That’s probably why people gave good reviews during the preview screenings.

Q: There were personally-taken photos that appeared at the ending. Only Lim Soo Jung was captured blurry, was this intentional?
It wasn’t intentional. I’m not good at taking pictures (laughs). I was carrying and shooting with a camera on set, the director said it would be good to put the photo at the end so we shot the photo, and I also took the photo of Hyunjin. That’s probably my photography skill. It may have been the director’s intention that it was processed in post-production, but I didn’t ask him about it.

Q: There were many scenes in ‘Single in Seoul’ that gave a tickling of excitement while watching it. Which was the scene that made your heart flutter too?
There was a scene where I held Hyunjin’s hands and ran out of the BBQ restaurant, and my heart fluttered a little while filming it. It was a scene where the weather and atmosphere that day gave a refreshing feeling. I like that neighborhood. It was filmed in Pil-dong, it was filmed in my favorite neighborhood, there was a refreshing feeling, and it was a lovely scene, and I liked that scene. We almost kissed but I fell over and the staff had fun too. 

In particular, we needed to give excitement to the audience through our gaze, so there was something intentional. Our movie doesn’t have any special (humour) devices in it. This is a movie with humour that you can relate to. When people relate to something, the first thing that comes out is laughter, so I think you’ll probably laugh a lot while watching it.

Q: Were there any books or works you referenced to in order to act as a single man?
I’m already having a perfectly single life so it’s alright even if I don’t purposely refer to stuff by other people. Haha.

Q: Was there anything you studied or prepared to play the character Youngho?
I thought a lot about how I hoped it would look realistic. Rather than making immense preparation in acting, I hoped to show the image of the human Lee Dong Wook. Rather than just creating a dialogue tone or setting, I wanted to show a natural appearance.

Q: You appear as an essay writing instructor in “Single in Seoul”. Is there anything you paid attention to?
There weren’t many scenes of me lecturing. I looked up some videos of instructors. They were all so different. They each had their distinct styles, so I didn’t think I should use anyone as a role model. Youngho is not that type of person at all. I thought it would be nice if Youngho seemed like an office worker. He does not interact with fellow teachers even within the academy. When the children ask him something after class, he tells them to ask later on. I thought, “So this is just a job to this person”. He thinks it is a good thing if he does what he is good at and send the kids off to good colleges. I hoped that this personality of Youngho is seen even when he does his lectures. Ah, the scene I remember the most is where Youngho says, “You just have to follow me,” and pretends to be cool rather exaggeratedly, and I liked it because it came out in a fun way.

Q: False memories of first love appeared in the movie. Did you relate to Youngho’s story about the distortion of memories?
I could relate to it. Human memories are imperfect; we do remember, but it is in our nature to remember the things that are favourable. I think that’s what dating is like. Isn’t it inevitable that love and relationships between people are viewed from a perspective that is always more favourable to oneself, a perspective based on one’s own inclinations? It’s possible for everyone to have that kind of distortion. In fact, I thought that the memories I had in my early 20s must have been so loose, immature, and foolish. I think that’s quite possible. In fact, a few male reporters found it relatable. If you look back, aren’t we all like that?

Outwardly, Youngho says that singles are the best, but he is like that because he has experienced many failures in the past, he wasn’t such a person from the start. I think everyone feels that way when we come to realise that our past self and our thoughts were wrong. Isn’t first love also like that? You feel sorry and also happy and when you think back, you wonder what a big deal it was. When you were young, it seemed like it meant everything to you, but when you look back on it, you realise it wasn’t such a big deal. When you are young, you feel that you have to be happy till the end, but such cases don’t happen often. While watching the movie, you will naturally feel it.

Q: The title is “Single In Seoul”. Youngho is seen travelling around Seoul, is there any place which you got to experience anew?
Jamsu Bridge appears in the movie. I’ve never tried walking across Jamsu Bridge before. While I was walking and filming there, it felt new to look up from a low place that is close to the water. I thought bridges were high and night views could only be seen from high places, but that stereotype is gone. I was born in Seoul and have lived here for over 40 years, but the Seoul which I saw looking up from here is very new. There is a montage scene where a train passes by. There was a scene where I was taking pictures, there was no reason for me to be there looking at trains, but the trains came and went regularly. Who was the person who designed it within such regularity? Because you can’t afford to have an accident happen. I looked at it with a new perspective.

I went to Gyeongbukgung Palace after a long time. Actually it is not a place that I go to often, but it was really nice. We went during the period when the leaves were falling, while looking at the scenery of Gyeongbukgung Palace, I suddenly became curious about how the four seasons look like in this place. “Single” is an important keyword in “Single In Seoul”, but I hope people will also consider Seoul as important.

Q: What are the reasons why audiences should watch “Single In Seoul”?
It goes well with this season, and there are points that are relatable. And a reporter who is married also said that people will want to date after watching this movie. I think it will be a movie that will make the hearts of many people flutter. Everyone can watch it regardless of gender and age. It’s a good movie for everyone to watch, and I think it will be good for those who might have feelings for each other, or couples who feel like they are losing the spark in their relationship. For those who might have some feelings for each other, they might find excitement and drive from the movie; for those who are losing the spark, watching the movie may make them look back on their love life.

Q: Do you think this movie is saying whether it is better to be a single or couple?
It’s about making a choice. Youngho may preach loudly that he likes being single, but I don’t think his shouting actually resonates that much. Saying that everyone who is not single is guilty doesn’t resonate with me. Despite this, Youngho’s heart gradually opens up and he leans towards Hyunjin.

Being single is convenient and good, but that doesn’t mean you can live in this world alone. It is a world where we all have no choice but to live together with others. In that sense, I think this movie is ultimately saying that people cannot live alone.

Q: What are your thought’s about the movie’s ending?
I like the ending of this movie because it is realistic. How common is it for sparks to fly between a man and a woman immediately when they meet? A man and woman can meet, sort out their thoughts, and bicker. I think the current ending is the most appropriate.

Q: Recently, romance movies such as “Honey Sweet” and “Love Reset” have been successful. What would be the appealing points of “Single In Seoul”?
First of all, I’m very pleased that romance movies got released and did well. It felt like the romance genre itself was getting smaller. I hope that the earlier works do well so we can receive that energy and do well also. The period in which the movie is being released now coincides well with the period when our movie was filmed, so I thought the seasonal feel is really nice. This is really a story of our lives so anyone could have experienced this kind of love once in their lives, there’s also the memory of first love, and also the feeling of liking someone, so I hope everyone can watch and find it relatable.

Q: What do you think is most important when acting in the romance genre?
The persuasiveness of the narrative. When I am told to portray a slow burn romance like in “Single in Seoul”, I always act while thinking about the importance of why it happened that way. I will also give suggestions to the director or scriptwriter if I think there’s something lacking. I think the most important thing when portraying love is the gaze in your eyes when looking at the other person. Rather than talking a lot, I think it’s better to express it with one or two short lines of dialogue.

Q: You are considered a “master of romance”. What do you think about being given such a name?
Even if it’s not a romance genre, I think there’s a love story in every work I’ve done. Except for “Strangers From Hell”. I think romance is a very important trope that cannot be left out in a piece of work, so I will try to portray that part well. I’m happy to be called with such a good name. I hope I can continue to act in romance in the future too. Isn’t it a very happy thing if I am able to act in romance even when I’m in my 50s or 60s? I hope I can continue to do that.

Q: Although you are over 40, when it comes to romantic male leads, there is no one who can catch up with Lee Dong Wook.
Thank you for the compliment which means I did a good job in maintaining my external appearance (laughs). Romance is a genre that the audience can only watch if they find it convincing. Fortunately, so far it seems like people don’t find it gross even if I do a melodrama (laughs), so I’m really thankful for that.

Q: You are acting in a romance movie after mainly starring in other genres, what was the relatively easy part of acting in a romance after a long time?
There is nothing easy about it, but when I do realistic acting like in “Single in Seoul”, I try to relax more. When doing thrillers, you need to persuade the audience well. This applies to the worldview and also the character’s abilities. I had the thought that I needed to make them convincing and fit in well, but it was nice to be able to do a natural, realistic and good story this time.

It was comfortable for my body. There was no flying around on wires nor did I have to do action for 7-8 hours. I even gained some weight while filming. There was no need to do any convincing about the world view, so there were things that could easily unfold and portray in a situation. But I shot the drama “Tale of the Nine Tailed 1938” after “Single In Seoul”. I felt a little bored after filming “Single In Seoul”, I couldn’t stand it so I went there to fly around, as if I had a relapse of some illness.

Q: You have shown the romance of characters like a nine-tailed fox and Grim Reaper before, but what was it like to do a human romance after a long while? What is the charm?
I don’t have to think about past lives and things like that. I don’t have to wait for 1600 years (laughs). The structure itself is so different, but the way to express your love for someone will be the same right?

Q: When choosing a work, are you usually influenced by your previous work?
I avoid genres that are similar to my previous work. If I keep doing the same genre, it feels like I’m trapped in a box. I enjoy challenges so I try to avoid that.

Q: When can we see you do romance and melodramatic acting again?
Now I think it will take about another three years. (Laughs)

Q: “Goblin” writer Kim Eun Suk praised you for being the most handsome celebrity she has ever seen. What do you think of your own looks?
In the past, I thought that having a pretty appearance limited me as an actor. But I don’t think that way now. I think I can do anything. It worked when I actually tried, and people liked it. And now, no matter how handsome I am, I’m in my 40s. I can’t win against the young people (laughs).

Q: Director Park Beom Soo mentioned in his interview that he had been observing you and he said you are really a single indeed.
I guess I must have seemed pathetic in the director’s eyes (laughs). Did I seem so pathetic that “anyone can look and tell that he is single”? I don’t know what he saw that made him say that.

Q: How are you living your single life?
My single life is ordinary. I eat when I want to eat, I sleep when I want to sleep. I watch whichever movie that I want to watch, I think these are the advantages of single life right? When I don’t have to work, my day is really very standard. I wake up around 9.30 in the morning and have my breakfast that doesn’t seem like a breakfast, I go to exercise at around 12 noon and return at around 2.30pm. I also do housework, have a late lunch, and then I do nothing at all. I really stay still. I do drink alcohol, but I usually don’t drink alone at home. When I have time, I often go fishing with Gong Yoo hyung. I tried starting on golf recently but it’s too hard. Alas, sports is not something that’s up to me.

Q: What is your dating style like?
I think my dating style is not the kind that is warm and affectionate. I think the other party was probably very understanding. So while shooting this movie, I ended up looking back on my past. I think what’s important when dating is having the same sense of humour. I have the happiest memory of dating when I’m with someone whose sense of humour matched well and whom I’m able to have good conversations with.

I don’t think I was like a pushover. I think I’m the type who will say what I have to say. I think there are probably many times where my words made the other person think “You’ve got to be kidding me”.  That’s why dating is so difficult right? I’m not right in a one-sided way, but both sides are not right either. Now that I’m in my 40s, isn’t it more difficult? In the past, I would approach first if I had feelings for the other person, but now I’m gradually becoming more withdrawn. I was always the one to confess first. I thought it would be mean to make a woman confess.

Q: In “Single In Seoul”, memories about past love are published as a book.
I would be so embarrassed if I had to publish my love story in a book. I absolutely hate it. Stories about past relationships are often talked about in episodes right? This is a personal opinion, but I don’t think it’s polite to the other party to talk about my past love life so openly like that. The public may not know, but my ex who sees and hears it will know right? I think that will be offensive, so I’ll keep my relationship to myself. And it’s not even an amazing story, who would be curious about it?

Q: What are the pros and cons of being single?
The biggest advantage is being able to do whatever I want. I eat when I want to eat, I sleep when I want to sleep (laughs). I’m a person who really enjoys watching sports. I subscribe to all the paid sports channels, and I am also watching all the Major League Baseball, MBA, and overseas tennis leagues. If I’m not single and watch sports all the time, (my partner) probably wouldn’t like it. The advantage is that I can do whatever I want to my heart’s content. I’m not being restricted by anyone. My meal times are very irregular. I eat at times when others normally don’t eat. Because it’s an irregular pattern like eating lunch at 3pm and dinner at 9pm, if I have to eat with someone because we are together, it will be uncomfortable for both of us. That’s why it’s comfortable to live alone.

But the disadvantage is that I have to be diligent. If I don’t do it, nothing happens (laughs). Even if it’s not a disadvantage, it’s a pity. I ended up not cooking. When I first started living on my own, I had that kind of dream. I did some cooking but I ended up throwing away a lot of ingredients. When I do grocery shopping because I want to eat kimchi stew, I buy some pork, spring onions and onions, but I end up throwing away half of the ingredients. Also, it’s too troublesome to wash the dishes after eating.

Q: Do you have any thoughts about marriage?
I’m not against marriage, I always have the thought of wanting to get married and I also wish to have a baby. I once went to the director’s house late at night. His wife welcomed me warmly, and I could feel that the conversations between the both of them are usually sweet, so I felt envious. I thought they probably feel very comfortable and mentally stable too.  

I do want to get married, but I don’t think it will happen ‘soon’. When I look back and see if I can faithfully fulfill my duties as a member of a family, I don’t think I am such a mature person yet. I took a love cell test on a program and my score came out very low. I guess my love cells are dying. I think they are probably being revived through “Single In Seoul” (laughs). But it’s actually not that important to me. Right now, the most important and meaningful thing is to continue to have fun and work hard at my job.

Q: Are you hoping to meet someone naturally?
I’m not sure about that. However, that doesn’t mean I’m registered with a dating agency. I can’t go on blind dates all the time, and I want to meet the natural way, but the radius of my life is obvious. So I think I’m like this for now.

Q: Have your views on relationships changed after you entered your 40s?
No it hasn’t. I thought things would change as I got older, but that wasn’t the case. But there is a societal expectation of how someone in their 40s should be like right? I’m living my life while matching to that. But I still love comic books, and I also love watching sports channels all day. It seems to be an issue that is separate from growing up. And as I got older, I became more flexible. For most things, I came to understand and think, “Well, that could be possible”.  

Q: Aren’t there alot of single men around you? Is there anyone who gives you comfort?
There are so many actors who live alone, and everyone’s lives are the same. It’s similar and pretty much the same. Because we have similar concerns, we feel a sense of camaraderie rather than comfort. It’s reassuring. It’s also convenient to meet sometimes. I also got to see actor Gong Yoo recently through work and that’s why it’s even better.”

Q: Actress Im Soo Jung said that both of you have love cells that are at rock bottom, did they come back to life while filming the movie?
Haha. Why do you keep saying that like it’s a good thing (laughs). I think they did come back to life a little. As I indirectly experience things that Lee Dong Wook can’t really experience in real life, I think I end up imagining. My heart also became softer. But when I come back to reality again, I am like “I feel comfortable being alone after all.” This is why people are diagnosed with dead love cells… I’m in big trouble. But the biggest problem is that I don’t get the feeling that “I’m in big trouble”. I just let it be and flow with the wind and the water.

Q: Does Lee Dong Wook have a unique way of enjoying single life?
If Youngho is a single man who preaches about concepts, then I am the king of housekeeping. I am good at doing laundry and cleaning. I do laundry three times a day. I wash towels, sportswear and white clothes separately. Actually, it’s so hard. There is no end to doing housework.

This is something I said when I appeared on (Jang) Do Yeon’s YouTube show. Even when I get married, I want to do the housekeeping and housework myself. There are things that I’ve been doing all along, but I think I will be a bit concerned if the other person didn’t do things the same way. “Why did you do the laundry without separating them?” I will have such thoughts. So I thought I should just do it. Things like cleaning the bathroom is difficult, so of course I will do it.

Q: People who feel stressed about their own pattern falling apart are said to be “J” in MBTI.
I’ve not done MBTI before. I always say that I’m someone who doesn’t believe in MBTI. How can people be clearly divided like that? Extroverts don’t go out all the time, and introverts don’t stay at home all the time. I go around talking like a kkondae, saying how is it possible to categorise people with a few alphabets when the human mind is as deep as the universe? (laughs)

*Note: Kkondae is a Korean slang used to describe an older, condescending person.

Q: Is there something that you can never give up on even if you have a partner?
Baseball. Baseball may be the one thing that I probably cannot give up (laughs). I’m personally a Kia Tigers fan, and I also watch Major League Baseball often. I wake up at 4am in the morning to watch Ryu Hyun Jin’s match. I can’t give up on baseball.

Q: In the movie, Youngho dreams of being a writer, but his career doesn’t turn out well. What are your thoughts about your career?
I think I’m like Youngho now. I think there is no such thing as a perfect career. I’m doing what I like and want to do, but as I always say, I have so many works that have failed when it comes to viewership ratings. I am pursuing my acting career with the mindset that I will continue to take on challenges in the future. So I sympathized with Youngho, that you can’t always live your life in the best way only. At times like that, you choose the next best thing, and you choose the lesser evil to avoid the worst, and isn’t that life? Everyone lives like that, and I think we are all living that kind of life.

In the past, I used to have a rather strong obsession with success and failure, but it has lessened a lot now. Of course, I will be happy if “Single In Seoul” does well. But it’s not something that will happen because I struggle. Because luck must follow, and various factors must come together for success to happen. But my sense of responsibility has gradually become stronger. Aren’t there many people who participated in “Single In Seoul”? I think I must not be lazy.

Q: What do you consider most important when working as an actor?
I think harmony on the set is important. Especially in this job, I don’t think there is anything that can be done alone. It is important to listen well and work well with the director, staff, and fellow actors on set. And I think that kind of comfortable atmosphere at the set is important. There are times when I can see, “If I do well in this scene, I think it will turn out really well.” But if you try too hard, you will become greedy and things will go wrong.

Q: What do you think about your job as an actor?
We had other dreams when we were young right? When I was in elementary school, my dream was to be a scientist. However, after my first year of high school, I decided to become an actor around the time I entered my second year. I attended an acting school since my second year of high school. But I guess I was a little lucky, and I ended up debuting quickly. I made my debut 7 months after attending the acting school. But now that I think about it, debuting quickly doesn’t seem to mean anything. Not all Rookie of the Year winners become MVPs right? I was happy that I debuted quickly, but there were a lot of difficult processes after that. 

I struggled a lot. For the sake of success, and in order to see the light. But that didn’t work out. Then, I ended up meeting a drama called “My Girl” and felt joy for the first time. It took me about 6-7 years to get there. At that time, I thought, “Why isn’t it going well?”, but now that I think about it, I think I was able to act like that in “My Girl” because I had gone through those times. Anyway, since I’ve been doing this for a long time, I don’t think there is any work that I did sloppily.

Q: Is there any dream that hasn’t been realised yet?
There are many genres and characters that I haven’t done yet. But I would like to do more movies in the future. As the human Lee Dong Wook, there is no particular goal. I think I should just live my life the same way I’ve done so far.

Q: Do you ever want to go back to the past?
Not at all. I’m comfortable now. I’ve been comfortable with myself since I turned 37. If I was like myself in the past, I would have hesitated to appear on YouTube to talk, but I end up thinking more comfortably as I got older. It’s okay as long as I enjoy it and the viewers enjoy it too. Additionally, I had a strong sense of responsibility towards my family. I debuted at the age of 19, but at some point when I looked back, I realised that I didn’t have anything of my own. I felt very empty at that time. There was such a trigger. Right now, I feel like I’m in the process of accumulating things that I can call my own while living on my own.

Q: Your views on the youtube variety show “Pinggyego” is reaching 10 million soon. What do you think is the secret to it?
The running time is almost an hour, and they say it is reaching 10 million views. Is it fun? Because this is quite similar to how Jaesuk hyung, Cho Seho, Nam Changhee and myself are like usually. We giggle and laugh among ourselves, but it’s amazing that people watch the entire video that is 1 hour long. This is the era of Youtube Shorts. People enjoyed it a lot and it became a hot topic, and thanks to that, I got nominated for the Pinggyego grand prize. Thank you so much.

Q: You’ve been nominated for the Pinggyego grand prize. Congratulations.
I feel burdened because they nominated me for the grand prize without consulting me. I have never received the grand prize before, but I would like to thank Pinggyego and God Yoo (Yoo Jaesuk) for giving me the opportunity to be nominated. 

I would like to express my gratitude to the Pinggyego production team and viewers who so honorably nominated me for the grand prize! Haha, actually it’s really good. It’s a good thing if I have a lot of representative works right? What makes me especially happy is that the episode I appeared in is still ranked first in the number of views. I am satisfied just by being nominated. (laughs).

Q: Besides “Pinggyego”, we’ve been able to see you in many Youtube variety shows. Are you a guest who shows up when called here and there?
I appear for a reason. I appeared on Jang Doyeon’s Youtube channel because I received a lot of help from her during “Wook Talk”. I feel grateful towards her so I really wanted to help her with her programme, that’s why I appeared on “Kokkomu” also. I went because I heard that she now has a programme which she hosts on her own. I know because I’ve done it alone, but it’s not easy to host a talk show, so I went anyway and said it would be easier and helpful if there was someone she knew. In the case of Hyungwon, we are from the same agency, we got closer while doing “Game Caterers” and we also see each other on normal days too. I knew he had a Youtube channel, but I thought there would be no reason for me to be there. Because it was a programme where many idol friends appear. He made a request to me saying “Hyung, I’m going to the army”, so I couldn’t reject him. I also ended up appearing on “Pinggyego” because Jaesuk hyung asked me. All of these are because of relationships. I don’t appear everywhere just because someone calls me.

But I have no intention of being a YouTuber at all. I really have no intention of opening a personal YouTube channel. If I do it, you probably won’t watch it. And I don’t even have enough spare energy to do it. I really meant it as a joke when I introduced myself as a YouTuber. My character is being indifferent right? I simply used it as a joke because it was funny.

Q: Lee Dong Wook’s Bubble is also a hot topic. Is there anything you pay attention to when communicating with fans?
I don’t. That’s really how I speak normally. It’s a more refined way of speaking than how I usually talk to my friends, but the fans like it. I guess it’s comfortable. Should I say that I don’t feel too distant to them? I think they like it because it’s comfortable. When I send something, 1,000 or 2,000 replies pile up in an instant. Of course, I can’t read everything, but I can generally see the flow of what people are thinking these days. I use such things as a topic and we talk and have conversations about those things. There are a lot more teenagers there than I expected. They talk about things like the worries that they have these days, and I get to find out more about their generation in the process. It’s a 2-way communication in that sense, so isn’t that good?

Q: You are the king of communication. There’s no other actor who does activities like an idol like that.
Since 5 to 6 years ago, “Let’s live in the present” became my motto of sorts. It has been 25 years since I debuted and I am now in my 40s. I thought it would become a huge obstacle if I continued to remain in the glory of my past and insist on the old ways of doing things. I think it is very important that I adapt well to the changing world. That’s why I try to communicate a lot. I appear on YouTube, and I also use Bubble. And young teenage fans like it a lot. When I did “Goblin”, the male students would complain about trying to wear fedoras to school but their mums wouldn’t let them do so (laughs). Actually I also worried a lot about what if I seemed thoughtless. I worried if it might seem a little strange if I opened a pop-up and made a doll at this age. But it’s a good thing to try something, and when I took on the challenge, everyone seemed to like it rather than saying “What’s wrong with him?”. I do a lot of things that actors don’t do. I was probably one of the first actors to use V App. Even when I starred in “Strong Heart”, I became the emcee even though it was not very common for actors to be emcees back then (laughs).

Q: Is there a point when these kind of challenges and communication with fans become helpful to you when working as an actor?
Of course there is. It is natural that I get older, but I’m a person who needs to continue acting and be chosen by the public, so if the number of young fans who recognise me increases, I can have the drive to do more. The support of fans is a great source of strength. Communicating like that and being recognised by fans is the joy of being an actor. “Single In Seoul” is about the romance of those in their 30s, but when I look at Bubble, many of those in their teens said they will definitely watch it. They also ask for the pop-up to be extended for 1 more day so that they can go after their CSAT exams. I’m thankful for all of that.

Q: You will be meeting with fans soon through stage greetings. It probably feels different.
My last fan meeting was around 2018, 2019. After that, there was no opportunity to meet personally because of the pandemic. I met fans during the special preview screening of episodes 1 and 2 of “Tale of the Nine Tailed 1938”, and it felt so good. They cheered for me and seeing their smiling faces made me look forward to the stage greetings this time. I hope many will come. But ironically, I said I wouldn’t do a fan meeting even though they asked me to do it.

Q: Is there another reason why you wouldn’t do a fan meeting?
I prepare everything for the fan meeting from the beginning. I do the planning, directing, and I also write the script together with the writers, I also do the directing of the VCR. So if I were to do a fan meeting, I will take about 3 to 4 months, but it’s physically difficult and tiring for me right now.

Q: “Wookdong Lee”, which is the nickname that Yoo Jaesuk calls you, became the name of your character doll.
It’s okay to call me Wookdong. Jaesuk hyung gave me a good nickname. I’m used to it because he always calls me that. It’s good to present myself as actor Lee Dong Wook, but it’s also fun to show myself on YouTube. I think a lot of people feel closer to me because of “Wookdong Lee”. My fans also like it alot.

Originally, Wookdong was a name we used among ourselves internally, but it suited well, so we just used it for the doll. It was my PR team’s idea to produce a doll, but I was against it at first. I went “Ah forget it, I won’t do it.” But the PR team strongly told me that there is this kind of culture and that oppa should do it too. They probably said that because they had a feel for it. Because they would know very well. I said I will trust them and do it. Surprisingly, people liked it a lot and it became a hot topic. I’m thankful that the pop-up went well. I’m relieved and thankful that people like it so much. I hope it gets released as an animation next time. 

All I did was confirm the Wookdong character. I didn’t participate (in the design and production process), I “interfered”. It’s my character anyway.

Q: As Lee Dong Wook enters his 40s, what does the future look like as an actor and as a person?
As an actor, there are many genres and characters I haven’t been able to play yet, so I want to challenge myself. Age is important, but I hope I can take good care of my body and act for a long time. As a human being, I hope to live without any issues. Of course, my job is not ordinary, but I hope my personal life is ordinary.

Q: Is there a role that you especially want to do?
I think Brad Pitt’s role in the movie “Seven” is attractive. I also want to try playing the characters that senior Choi Min Sik played in the movie “Failan”.

Q: Next year is already your 25th debut anniversary. What do you think when you look back?
It is inevitable that there are regrets. How can a person only do the right things and follow the right path in life? What’s scarier than regret is having lingering feelings. What I always keep in mind is that it’s okay to have regrets, but I should not let it linger. I regret, look back and reflect on it, and it may become a life lesson, but that’s it. Regret can be another source of nourishment for moving forward, so I live with the idea that it is okay to regret, but I should not have lingering feelings and let them drag me down. So I still have regrets, even now (laughs).

But still, I think I’ve worked hard right? Even now, 25 years later, I am still able to release a movie and be active like this, which makes me very happy. I think I did well in choosing to do this job. In some ways, the love of fans is very blind (/unconditional). Because they don’t receive anything in return. I think only parents are able to give that kind of love. I think this is something to be so thankful for to receive this kind of blind unconditional love. I think I have lived a very happy life all this while.

Q: How has this year been when you look back on it?
I’ve been living by working hard at filming and promotions. I’m personally happy because it’s rare these days to have two works released in one year. I think I will remember this year as a year with more happy times than sad and difficult times. I hope many will love “Single in Seoul” a lot so that I can be happy till the end of the year (laughs).

Q: Will you be spending Christmas this year with Cho Seho?
I have filming scheduled for Christmas this year. This is such a relief (laughs). Last Christmas, I had filming for “Harbin” too, so I was so happy.

Translated from Korean to English by Gabby. Please credit if sharing on other platforms. Please do not duplicate my entire translation elsewhere without permission. You may translate to other languages.

Sources:
MBN (1)(2)(3); Sisaweek; Star1; Top Star News; My Daily (1)(2); Osen; Joy News; Ize; Choson; SE Daily; Newspim; XSports News; TenAsia (1)(2)(3)(4); Newsen; Spot TV News; MK; MHNS; Hankyung; Asiae; Sisa Journal; SR Times