Lee Min-ho puts down the 'Rom-Com King' mantle for five years... Proves himself from 'Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint' to 'Assassins (The Assassins)' [★FULL Interview]

*This content was translated by AI.

Actor Lee Min-ho is stepping away from his familiar role as the protagonist of romantic comedies and building a new filmography of his own. Through the film "Assassins (The Assassins)," he has unveiled a new side, entering the world set in 1974.

"Assassins (The Assassins)" is a story that investigates the suspicions and masterminds surrounding the assassination attempt on the First Lady of South Korea, which shocked the nation on August 15, 1974. Lee Min-ho takes on the role of Young-il, an ambitious rookie reporter who gets his hands dirty at the scene to capture the events on camera.

For Lee Min-ho, the filming set of "Assassins (The Assassins)" remains a memory marked by a unique atmosphere. In an interview with StarNews, he began by saying, "Even the director and senior actors made the film set feel like a library."

He continued, "There was almost no loud noise. Once a take ended, everyone would gather quietly, sit in a circle, and discuss things together. It wasn't uncomfortable; rather, it felt comfortable. That aspect left a very strong impression on me," he recalled.

Naturally blending into the character living in 1974 was also an important challenge for Lee Min-ho. Park Hae-il, who shared the screen with him, once said about Lee Min-ho, "He put everything aside and acted."

He added with a smile, "I always live by putting things aside, so I think those who haven't experienced it might not be able to imagine it." He further explained, "On this set, even I wondered if I could truly disappear into the character of that era. Keeping that in mind while acting, I tried not to force anything special but simply be as I am. Those who don't know me well may have felt that I let go even more than usual," he added.

He also spoke about his chemistry with Yoo Hae-jin and Park Hae-il. He said, "I had personal concerns about whether I could blend in well between the two seniors. However, after actually filming and reviewing the monitors, I gained confidence that I could relax." He added, "Feeling the stability they provided, I believe I was able to act comfortably as well."

He continued with a smile regarding the set atmosphere, "I remember many coffee carts came by, and the senior actors seemed to really enjoy their coffee."

Originally, it was reported that Young-il had less screen time than he does now. Lee Min-ho also stated, "When I first read the script, it had already been revised to some extent, but it is true that my role had less screen time compared to the roles I have played before."

However, the amount of screen time itself was not an important criterion for choosing the project. He calmly said, "I thought if there was a point where the character came alive within the story, that would be enough."

He also shared his working method with director Hur Jin-ho. Lee Min-ho said, "The director doesn't seem to talk too much. I remember he told me that neither of us is perfect and that what matters most is whether what we see and feel is real." He continued, "During the early stages of filming, up until the second take, the director had clear requirements. But from then on, it seems he left everything entirely to me."

In this way, Lee Min-ho made his screen comeback with "Assassins (The Assassins)" about a year after the release of "Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint" (1.06 million viewers) in July last year.

On that day, he also honestly expressed his regrets regarding "Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint." Lee Min-ho said, "Actually, within the larger plan, I wanted to express the point where the reader becomes Yoo Joonghyuk and Yoo Joonghyuk becomes the reader when they meet. From the second story onward, their relationship deepens and becomes more entangled, but I regret that we couldn't express up to that point."

He continued, "'Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint' is one of the Han Guk-eul (CEO) IPs. If it can be revived in any way, I would like to participate," revealing his affection for the work.

Recently, there is a clear change in Lee Min-ho's filmography. Having shown a strong presence as the protagonist of romantic comedies, he has recently chosen works such as "Pachinko," "Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint," and "Assassins (The Assassins)" that focus more on the story as a whole and the relationships between multiple characters rather than highlighting a single individual.

Lee Min-ho explained, "For about five years, I basically decided not to do 'rom-coms.' Instead of works where one character is highlighted, I focused on projects where the story takes precedence and the focus shifts among multiple actors."

However, he has not completely left romance behind. He said he is instead contemplating love stories suitable for his current age. Lee Min-ho recalled, "I once asked director Hur Jin-ho what kind of story he would want to tell if this were his last work, and he said it should be a melodrama. In the end, he said that love is a story that must be carried until the very end."

He still felt a great attraction to the theme of love. Lee Min-ho said, "I think it's time for me to pursue a different kind of love rather than stories like falling in love at first sight and loving like fireworks as I did in my 20s." He continued, "Rather than romantic comedies that represent youth, I believe there should be romances suitable for my current age and reflecting my current sensibilities. If I simply repeat the rom-coms I did in my 20s, I don't think new energy will come out of it," he admitted.

At the same time, he added, "I think love stories will continue to be made in the future. I believe they are the most powerful and strongest material that people encounter while living."

As still one of South Korea's representative 'Hallyu stars,' Lee Min-ho said, "The characters in those works at the time expressed clumsy and pure love a lot. I think those emotions and experiences are parts that anyone can empathize with, transcending culture and language."

He continued, "Looking back, I feel glad that we made such works during that era. At the time, I heard many people say, 'Why do you keep doing only romance films?' But now, thinking about it, I feel even more glad that we left behind so many of those works."

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*This content was translated by AI.