'Scarecrow' Lee Hee-joon: "When my wife Lee Hye-jeong asked, 'Oppa, are you dying?' in response to a sports question... she said 'Yes'" [Interview ①]

*This content was translated by AI.

Actor Lee Hee-joon shared his wife Lee Hye-jeong's reaction to 'Scarecrow'.

Lee Hee-joon concluded the ENA Monday-Tuesday drama 'Scarecrow' on the 26th with its 12th episode, marking a successful finale.

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

Ultimately, 'Scarecrow' debuted with a 2.9% viewership in its first episode, climbed to over 7% within six episodes, and rose to become the highest-rated Monday-Tuesday drama in ENA history. In terms of overall ENA drama viewership, it achieved the second-highest record, trailing only 'Extraordinary Attorney Woo' (17.5%).

In response to the explosive support from viewers, Lee Hee-joon recently shared his humble reflections in an interview with StarNews. He said, "I truly didn't expect 'Scarecrow' to be this successful. The content was so intense, and it wasn't a story where the protagonists, like in typical dramas, team up heroically to catch the villain. The plot was far more serious, and in some ways, it wasn't a work that ended on a bright note, so I didn't think it would do well. We simply created it with the shared belief that we should take it seriously and work hard together."

Especially regarding his role as Cha Si-young, Lee Hee-joon remarked, "I wonder if I'll ever meet such a charming character again. I am grateful to Director Park Jun-woo. Cha Si-young was not a consistent character. According to the director, in the early development stage of 'Scarecrow', Kang Tae-ju and Cha Si-young were originally conceived as a single character. They decided to split them, and Cha Si-young emerged as the counterpart to Kang Tae-ju. At first, I found it difficult to accept Cha Si-young's inconsistency, but I felt at ease once I realized that catching the culprit wasn't his priority. His deeply ingrained psychological flaws, shaped by his upbringing, made the role incredibly exciting and fun to portray. Everyone, regardless of size, has a need for love and recognition. In real life, we encounter many such people, so I felt that Cha Si-young could indeed be like that. However, Cha Si-young simply had these traits amplified, and because he was not treated according to his own will, he became a monster. He felt like a mirror of reality, which made me empathize with him."

Given how densely and vividly Cha Si-young was portrayed, Lee Hee-joon even received concerned reactions. He shared an anecdote: "A man who works at a gym came up to me and asked, 'Isn't it too bad that you're playing such a nasty role?' At that moment, I also felt a desire to play a kind role and be loved."

His wife, model and broadcaster Lee Hye-jeong, was undoubtedly a devoted fan of 'Scarecrow', watching every episode live as it aired. The couple married in 2016 and welcomed a son in 2019.

When asked about Lee Hye-jeong's reaction, Lee Hee-joon said, "My wife enjoyed it so much and watched every episode live. On the day she watched the fourth episode, she suddenly called and asked, 'Oppa, are you dying?' That shows how much she enjoyed it. My response was, 'Yes, I'm dying.'" He then revealed this nonsensical spoiler, drawing laughter.

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*This content was translated by AI.