'27th Year' Lee Dong-wook: "Never Felt Burnout... If You're Born, You Must Work" [★FULL Interview]

*This content was translated by AI.

'Actor Lee Dong-wook (45) sincerely shared his thoughts on maintaining a long-running career in his 27th year since debut.

'Lee Dong-wook entered the entertainment industry after winning the grand prize at a modeling selection competition in 1999. Since then, he has produced numerous hit works from the early days of his debut, including the original teen drama 'School' series and 'My Girl,' 'Perfume of a Woman.' In 2016, he redefined his career with Kim Eun-sook's 'Goblin,' marking a turning point and continuing his unique path to this day.

'He has transformed into a god of genre films. Lee Dong-wook made another significant mark on his filmography with the mystery thriller 'Beyond Evil' in 2019, followed by the remarkable success of the 'Tale of the Nine-Tailed' series the following year. Showcasing the essence of K-fantasy action epics, the season 2 broadcast in 2023 also received critical acclaim.

'Additionally, he recently led the second season of the OTT Disney+ action thriller 'Killer's Mall,' demonstrating his enduring presence. Lee Dong-wook is one of the few actors to have produced two Korean-style seasonal dramas, which are notoriously difficult to create.

'Moreover, Lee Dong-wook is among the rare actors who have also taken over the variety show scene. In 2019, he served as the MC for Mnet's idol audition 'Produce X101,' captivating a young fanbase. Notably, he launched an SBS talk show named after him that same year, 'Lee Dong-wook Wants to Talk.' Furthermore, Lee Dong-wook marked a significant record as the 'Guest of Honor' on the web variety show 'Excuse Me,' solidifying his status as a versatile entertainer and earning the title of 'National MC' Yoo Jae-seok-ui (CEO).

'Lee Dong-wook has firmly held his position as a top star on television screens for nearly three decades. However, he firmly stated, "I don't think I'm at the top level. Perhaps that's not the secret to my long-running career."

'Lee Dong-wook said, "The top star in my view is Yoo Jae-suk. He is a star who can encompass all generations and the entire nation. I believe one cannot even mention 'top' unless they are on the level of (Yoo) Jae-suk," delivering his characteristic self-deprecating humor that drew laughter.

'Soon after, Lee Dong-wook added, "I've just been consistently working hard at what I do without any special breaks. Perhaps that's why viewers have grown familiar with me, and maybe I haven't done anything that would put me out of their favor."

'As his dense filmography proves, Lee Dong-wook has raced forward without time to feel burnout. He stated, "If you don't work, people become listless. So personally, I've never felt burnout. If you stay still, hide at home, and avoid contact with outsiders, the depth of a slump inevitably deepens. The more that happens, the more I believe one must keep moving. However, I'm not someone who loves work or has such a personality; it seems I just feel that once born, one must continuously do something, which is why I haven't rested much."

'Especially, Lee Dong-wook has become an irreplaceable actor loved by the public not for simply being prolific but for repeatedly undergoing transformations of transformation. As he credited Kim Hye-jun as the true protagonist of the 'Killer's Mall' series rather than himself, he continues to walk a determined path where character diversity and artistic merit shine regardless of screen time. In 2024, he surprised the public with a daring choice: a special appearance in the film 'Harbin.'

'Regarding his criteria for selecting projects, Lee Dong-wook said, "I don't worry about screen time. If there's even one moment where the overall story or my character shines, I believe screen time isn't important. What I always consider most important is the desire to challenge new characters and genres. This tends to be my biggest criterion."

'Lee Dong-wook's challenges are expected to continue in the variety show realm as well. He expressed, "I continue doing variety shows purely because I enjoy them. Now that I'm entering my late 40s, I've realized that joy and laughter are truly important. Life is lived only once; shouldn't it be fun? I don't think doing variety shows would harm me significantly."

'He also shared thoughts on a new talk show following 'Lee Dong-wook Wants to Talk.' Lee Dong-wook said, "Actually, I do want to try hosting another talk show. But after trying it, I found it too difficult. Perhaps it's due to my limited capabilities. It's very hard to decide whether to focus more on humor or information. Also, discussing socially sensitive issues is often uncomfortable and not easy. Since I can't know everything about every field, having to study anew for each guest every week was also quite challenging. Anyway, while I have the desire to do it, I probably won't be able to. Perhaps there's no one who will assign me such a role," he spoke coldly.

'Even when asked about his chances of winning at this year's 'Excuse Me' awards ceremony, Lee Dong-wook gave himself a strict evaluation. Recently, he appeared on 'Excuse Me' with Kim Hye-jun to promote 'Killer's Mall 2,' completing 10 episodes and earning the title of 'Honorary Member.'

'Lee Dong-wook said, "First, winning the grand prize seems impossible for me this year too. I think my performance in 'Excuse Me' this year was too insignificant. It was a year that made me reflect personally," provoking laughter. He then added, "We'll have to wait and see about the award nominations. Aren't we approaching the release of 'Punghyangjung'? We should keep watching," observing seriously as a regular guest on 'Excuse Me.'

'Additionally, Lee Dong-wook said, "It's fun and nice that people talk about 'Excuse Me' wherever I go. It feels like I've grown closer to viewers, and it's good because it becomes a conversation starter with people I'm meeting for the first time," expressing his unique affection for 'Excuse Me.'

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*This content was translated by AI.