'Scarecrow' Park Hae-soo on the 'BL' reaction with Lee Hee-joon: "I know about it..♥ But I felt no emotion at all" [Interview ②]

*This content was translated by AI.

Actor Park Hae-soo shared his thoughts on working alongside Lee Hee-joon in 'Scarecrow'.

Park Hae-soo saw the ENA Monday-Tuesday drama 'Scarecrow' conclude successfully after its 12th episode aired on the 26th.

'Scarecrow' tells the story of detective Kang Tae-ju (played by Park Hae-soo), who was investigating a serial murder case, unexpectedly forming an alliance with prosecutor Cha Si-young (played by Lee Hee-joon), someone he had despised. The drama was inspired by the 1986 serial murders in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, one of South Korea's three most famous unsolved cases. While Bong Joon-ho's film 'Memories of Murder' (2003) highlighted this case that remained unsolved at the time of its release, 'Scarecrow' covered the period up to the arrest of the true culprit in September 2019, leaving behind a meaningful message.

Especially, 'Scarecrow' boasted overwhelming immersion thanks to the explosive synergy of Park Hae-soo and Lee Hee-joon's dual leading performances. The two actors, who have now met for the third time following the drama 'Chimera' (2021) and the Netflix series 'Evil Connection' (2025), put a definitive period on the chemistry they have built over time. In reality, they are also close friends and colleagues under the same roof at BH Entertainment.

In a recent interview with StarNews, Park Hae-soo spoke uniquely about Lee Hee-joon, saying, "We have worked together on three productions, and in 'Scarecrow', we connected the deepest and hottest."

He continued, "While preparing for this project, I also participated in the acting studies that my senior (Lee Hee-joon) was doing. Thanks to that, the existing things within me broke down, and I was able to absorb a lot of Lee Hee-joon's thoughts on acting. The two of us rented one practice room and would spontaneously exchange lines on basic acting and points not in the script. When I said, 'I'll be your father, Cha Si-young,' he would act in response, and we would try matching roles by switching back and forth. This is something you can't do unless you are close; it would give you goosebumps. I respected him so much that I felt it was okay to be in a relationship where I could even take off my shirt. He is talented and works hard," revealing the secret to their top-tier chemistry.

Park Hae-soo also said, "The most common thing Lee Hee-joon and I discussed was not to 'pretend.' When we first read the 'Scarecrow' script, he said, 'We shouldn't pretend with this,' and it really resonated with me. We decided not to show the appearance of a detective trying too hard or to reveal past pain."

Given how intense their chemistry was, there were even joking reactions early in the series suggesting it was 'BL' (Boys' Love, a romance between men). When asked about this, Park Hae-soo remarked, "I heard those kinds of comments too. Since lines like 'I'll keep you by my side' were delivered, I think viewers saw it that way. But I never felt any sense of mutual love. Cha Si-young spoke as if he was treating people like playthings or toys, so hearing those lines gave me goosebumps."

He added, "Actually, those lines were not easy to deliver, but because Lee Hee-joon was in character as Cha Si-young on set, I was able to immerse myself. I feel immense gratitude while acting alongside him. The lines might have seemed one-dimensional, but he acted by even matching the laughter of his former child actor friend. I just received it. He is a precious actor."

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*This content was translated by AI.