Lee Hyo-je, from child actor alongside Kang Dong-won and So Ji-sub to adult actor... "Now I'm certain" [Interview 3]

*This content was translated by AI.

• Netflix's 'Girigori' Interview with Lee Hyo-je.

Actor Lee Hyo-jeong honestly shared his struggles and growth process from his days as a child actor to establishing himself as an adult actor.

Recently, I met actor Lee Hyo-je at the StarNews building in Jongno-gu, Seoul, to discuss the Netflix series "Girigo."

Lee Hyo-je recalled about the reason he started acting, "There was an English musical club in elementary school. Although I had no stage experience, seeing my older brothers and sisters perform made me think, 'I want to be on stage too.'"

He added, "My parents recommended an acting academy. The neighborhood atmosphere was such that if there was a handsome child, they would send them to an acting academy or a presentation academy to build their confidence. I started at their suggestion, but once I began attending, I found it so much fun." He further noted, "At that time, I felt acting like a game. I naturally learned by hanging out with child actors of my age."

He admitted that he had experienced slumps and doubts while acting for a long time. He revealed, "The work that made me truly convinced I should continue on this path just before transitioning to adult films was the short film 'Birthday Gift' that I filmed when I was 20."

Lee Hyo-je said, "While filming 'Birthday Gift,' I experienced for the first time a moment of completely immersing myself in my co-star. Reacting to my co-star's emotions and energy, I felt a sense of catharsis," adding, "At that time, I thought, 'Maybe this is why I act.'" He further explained, "My conviction grew stronger when I encountered the work 'Loop' in my late 20s."

He said, "I felt that I was truly feeling emotions by immersing myself in my co-star and deeply diving into my own emotions. I think I tried to maintain that moment of immersion." He further revealed, "Although I received acting guidance from Bae U-go (Prof.) at school, in the end, I tried to forget everything and focus on the moment on set."

He also candidly shared the concerns he faced while working as a child actor. Lee Hyo-je previously gained recognition by playing child roles alongside actors such as Kang Dong-won and So Ji-sub. He recalled, "The transition from child actor to adult actor was not easy. Around the age of 20, I often heard that I was too old to play child roles, yet I still carried the image of a child actor when taking on adult roles."

He added, "So I didn't want to move forward by putting my image from my child actor days in the forefront. Instead, I often thought, 'I must become a truly skilled actor.' Looking back now, I believe that choice was the right one."

He also revealed his desire to take on various challenges. He said, "I am generally not afraid of change," and added, "I would like to try playing a villain role like a psychopath and also take on comedy." He then laughed, saying, "I can't quite imagine a romantic comedy yet, but if the opportunity arises, I would like to try it."

Regarding the actor's future direction, he said, "I want to be told, 'I didn't know this actor could look like this?'" and added, "I want to become an actor who appears as a completely different person in each work, with changes that feel natural." He continued, "Since we started with 'Girigo,' I think I can undergo even more radical transformations in the future. I've also gained a bit of confidence that there's nothing I can't do."

Lee Hyo-je, who revealed that he has been consistently studying acting, said, "Although I am on leave, I have attended classes and conducted study sessions with fellow students. I also visited many workshops. There are cases where famous instructors' classes require a six-month wait, but I waited even just one month at a time to attend them."

He added, "I am not only taking acting classes but also reading many books and watching many films to gather references. I have a strong desire to keep learning and gaining experiences to expand myself."

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*This content was translated by AI.