[Exclusive]Lee Jun-ho, Undiminished Grit: "Even to the Decimal Point of Body Weight... Consistency Builds Trust" [★FULL Interview]

*This content was translated by AI.

• Lee Jun-ho Interview: '10th Anniversary AAA 2025' Grand Prize Winner Takes Home Four Awards Including Male Actor of the Year, Best Artist, Fabulous, and Popularity Award

Actor Lee Jun-ho wrote a brilliant year driven by 'Challenge'. Having successfully led his AAA quadruple crown win and MC activities, he revealed the background of his continued new choices through his relentless self-discipline.

At the 10th Anniversary Asia Artist Awards 2025 (10th Anniversary Asia Artist Awards 2025, hereinafter 'AAA 2025'), held on the 6th, 2024, at the Kaohsiung National Stadium, the recipient was honored as a four-time winner, securing awards in a total of four categories, including the Grand Prize category 'AAA Male Actor of the Year'.

Especially, Lee Jun-ho, who opened the event with a special stage alongside IVE's Jang Wonyoung as the MC for AAA's 10th anniversary, created a fairytale-like scene through an elegant waltz performance. He then led the awards ceremony smoothly for six hours, demonstrating unwavering hosting skills and a keen sense of humor.

Recently, StarNews met Lee Jun-ho at its Seoul Jongno-gu headquarters to discuss the behind-the-scenes of AAA 2025, reflect on the past year, and hear about his resolve for the upcoming project.

Lee Jun-ho said that since "AAA is an event attended by so many stars, he approached the MC role with a good sense of tension, and he was aware that "AAA's running time was long, having prepared himself accordingly, but time passed faster than expected. He admitted that he was worried due to his limited MC experience, but because he wanted to help AAA on its 10th anniversary, he stayed focused to avoid mistakes, and time flew by so quickly that all he remembers is how fun it was, " he laughed.

Regarding the chemistry with Jang Won-young, "she is such a professional that there was no difficulty at all, and it was a very enjoyable memory to synchronize with her. She also conveyed that the waltz was a unique and enjoyable experience."

Lee Jun-ho is also a person who perfectly fits the identity of AAA, Korea's first integrated awards ceremony for actors and singers. He said, ""Since I hold both roles, I understand the feelings of both sides. As a singer, I know how happy it is to take the stage at an awards ceremony. "All the juniors' performances were wonderful, and especially seeing the audience sing along to every song even during a group concert made me realize once again that K-pop is receiving great love worldwide."

Lee Jun-ho had a year that shone brighter than anyone else's last year. Through the tvN drama 'Taepung Sangsa', he vividly portrayed the coming-of-age journey of youth, offering comfort and resonance across all generations, and through the Netflix series 'Cashier', he transformed into an 'ground-level' hero, demonstrating a wide-ranging acting spectrum.

First, Lee Jun-ho cited the message as the primary reason for appearing on 'Taepung Sangsa'. He stated that he appreciated the message about how to overcome the difficulties of that era. He emphasized that, rather than feeling the need to showcase something as actor Lee Jun-ho, he wanted to demonstrate how he overcame that period and, further, to present hope.

Following 'the desire for a superhero genre', this led Lee Jun-ho to 'play the role of Casher'. He "personally stated, "I have watched many superhero works such as Marvel and DC, and if given the opportunity to participate someday, I had a strong desire to do so. I originally wanted to work on such a project, and I was also pleased with the title of being Netflix's first original superhero series." "

While noting that "it is a work that requires significant technical expertise and effort, he thought it would be a new experience for him"and 'emphasized that 'it is not merely a simple superhero story but a work with a firm message.

Regarding "Typhoon Business," the relationships among the staff were extremely good. As filming was nearing its end, the actors remarked, "We won't be seeing this as just a typhoon anymore," a sentiment that resonated deeply. He added that it was a work in which letting go of the characters was not easy.

What criteria Lee Jun-ho uses to select works may vary, but among the numerous options, the decisive factor that moved him was diverse; however, the most important element was 'challenge'.

Lee Jun-ho, who always approaches his works with a sense of burden, said, "Ultimately, a work must be created together by everyone, so I cannot help but consider the time invested by all involved. I am constantly thinking about how to create a work that everyone can feel proud of."

The work he mentioned next varies greatly depending on the circumstances and physical condition at the time. He emphasized that while there are many reasons, such as whether the work is what he needs now, what capabilities he wants to showcase, and whether it offers an opportunity to work with a wonderful production team and senior colleagues, the most important criterion for him is challenge.

He added that every time he works on a new project, he contemplates what a different look from his previous work would be, and what would be appropriate for his current age. As a result, he tends to choose works that differ in genre or message, even if the characters appear similar.

When asked about actor Lee Jun-ho's strengths, he smiled shyly and said, "Rather than thinking about my own strengths, I am curious about what others might see as my advantages."

He also added that he remembers receiving praise from senior actors early in his acting career for having good diction and a face capable of portraying diverse roles, and that he himself expects to show various sides, which is why he continues to take on new challenges.

'Challenge' is not limited to selecting works. The decision by Lee Jun-ho to leave JYP Entertainment, with whom he had worked for 17 years, and to go independent, falls under the same context. Lee Jun-ho recalled his time at JYP Entertainment and said, "Even with full support, they created an environment where I had to create my own tasks". He explained that by directly producing albums and concerts, he developed a sense of responsibility, and his understanding of the work naturally increased.

He stated that he has handled self-production for concerts and albums in Japan, and that this experience has influenced his acting activities, making the process of working with a growing sense of responsibility feel enjoyable. He added that at the time, he and Park Jin-young learned a great deal from Jeong Uk (President), and his desire to share responsibility like a team with the people he works with grew stronger. He also noted that JYP supported this sentiment.

He also stated that the process of separation continued naturally, saying it was not so much a decision made due to a specific trigger but rather a well-organized case, and that they are still in contact, asking each other questions whenever there are any. He added that he enjoys working and is a workaholic, so there has been no significant change from before.

He said that being a workaholic seems to be partly innate, and as an ENTJ, he likes to make plans and push them forward. He added that if he doesn't always have a list of things to do next, he feels unsettled. He further noted that because he dislikes being in that state, he keeps searching for things he truly wants to do.

Lee Jun-ho continues to be active across various fields, not only in acting but also in 2PM activities and variety shows. Ahead of his solo concert celebrating the 15th anniversary of his Japanese debut, scheduled for the 9th and 10 at Tokyo Dome, Lee Jun-ho laughed, saying, ""It's not difficult to transition between being a singer and an actor. "It seems like it would be harder if two projects overlap."

Continuing "'Section Chief Kim', even during filming, he would do makeup around lunchtime while filming and head straight to the filming site immediately after the concert ended. He often stayed up all night, but there were no major issues, "he said.

Regarding the passage of time, it seems each member feels it is their own burden to show the same level of condition as before in front of their fans. "It is natural that their appearances change slightly year by year, but they seem to be making efforts to avoid such changes," while "2PM's choreography is not easy; they have faced life-threatening situations in the past and have gone through difficult times, so they are not overdoing it now. Still, they are careful. Even if something feels fine during practice, it can become painful later,"he laughed.

Lee Jun-ho is set to release the Netflix variety show "E0'E1§" in the third quarter of this year and is about to begin filming his new drama "E2'E3§". Originally, filming for the April movie "E4'E5§" was confirmed, but it was postponed due to director Ryu Seung-wan's health issues.

Lee Jun-ho was also working on his weight management for the upcoming 'Viking'. He was seen carefully checking the sugar content of beverages before quietly setting them down, continuing his rigorous self-management.

He said, "I have been strictly cutting and gaining weight for the sake of the work. 'Veteran3' There was an image I wanted to project at the time, so I built my body for that, but now I need to create a different look. I want to become slimmer, so I am losing weight. "I wanted to lose only fat, but when I asked ChatGPT, it said that's difficult. "As a result, my eyes have lost some of their brightness. I am now at a stage where I must exercise hard and follow a diet plan," "he explained.

He followed a diet for nearly a year while filming "The Red Sleeve," and he feels he should probably continue doing so now. He added that Han Ji-yeol in "Viking" needs to appear robust. It may not be a styling that resembles a chaebol, but he is making efforts because he believes robustness is necessary.

Lee Jun-ho is someone who endures with a sense of pride when checking his weight. He exercises, and if the weight he expected the next day comes out exactly down to the decimal point, he feels proud. As he loses weight that way, he feels a sense of accomplishment, and that is what helps him endure. Still, he laughed, saying that he eats something delicious once every two weeks.

In this way, Lee Jun-ho was taking another step forward toward the future with undying passion. Finally, he said, "I want to continue doing well steadily as I am now. I know it's not easy, but I believe I must fulfill the tasks given to me with a sense of responsibility. I believe that as this process accumulates, it will build trust. Based on that trust, people will come to find me, and perhaps that will allow me to keep moving forward."

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*This content was translated by AI.