Junho Lee
[셀럽미디어 박수정 기자] Got a good flow. It is the result of quietly walking your own path. It is the story of singer and actor Lee Jun-ho, who met the ‘red end of his sleeve’ and met his brilliant season.
The MBC Friday-Saturday drama ‘Red End of the Sleeve’ (played by Jeong Hae-ri, directed by Jung Ji-in), which became Jun-ho Lee’s life work, recorded its highest viewership rating of 17.4% (National Furniture, Nielsen) on the 1st, and achieved the beauty of a lifetime. In addition to high viewership ratings, various topics and awards were also significant achievements.
Lee Jun-ho, whom I met through a video interview with Celeb Media after the end of ‘Red Sleeves’, said, “I was so happy that many people loved ‘Red Sleeves. It feels so good.”
“We had so much fun on set too. We thought we wanted to continue working in a field like this. Everyone is happy because the response from the viewers is good. The lingering aftertaste of the drama has not gone away. I’m glad that you like it very much (laugh). Also, my friends I’ve been close with since school days told me about ‘red sleeves.’ They are originally not interested in my work. I think it’s also meaningful that my friends were interested. I would like to thank the viewers once again for giving me valuable time during prime time on Fridays and Saturdays.”
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‘Red End of the Sleeve’ is a work about a mournful court romance between a court lady who wants to protect the life God has chosen and a king who puts the country ahead of love. Lee Jun-ho takes on the role of Lee San in ‘Red End of the Sleeve’ and excellently expresses the sorrow of the Crown Prince who had to suffer as the son of Crown Prince Sado and grandson of Yeongjo and his love for the surname Ui-bin, who is regarded as the ‘Romance of the Century’ throughout the Joseon Dynasty. and contributed to the drama’s hot popularity.
Junho Lee, who chose ‘Red Sleeves’ as his first work after being discharged from the military, said, “When I read the script, I focus on ‘Is it fun?’ The most important thing is to have fun. After reading it, I think about the next episode? As soon as I read the script, I read the script for ‘Red Sleeves’. It took me a while to actually decide to do it. It’s fun, but I thought it would be difficult if I did it.”
After choosing ‘red end of the sleeves’, Junho Lee had only one goal. to be discrete itself. Junho Lee tried to ‘discrete’ every little habit, starting with chopsticks.
“I wanted to show viewers, ‘Isn’t this what Jeongjo Lee-san would look like if he was alive?’ I tried to characterize it while thinking about even the smallest habits. At first, I started with chopsticks. I thought it wouldn’t happen. I worked hard from practicing chopsticks with my right hand. And I always tried to maintain an upright posture and show a non-disturbed figure. I tried to adapt to my body by maintaining that attitude as usual. , I tried to express the dignity of Lee San well, even breathing. I was under a lot of stress in the process, but the work itself was fun. I am grateful that the viewers seemed to like it. I think I lost.”
Lee Jun-ho’s passionate performance, who was completely united with the character, was praised for ‘meeting the character of a life’. Junho Lee, who was recognized for his acting skills, was honored with the Best Actor Award in the Miniseries Category at the ‘2021 MBC Acting Awards’.
“I remember hearing such compliments when I was playing the role of ‘Chief Kim’ Seo-yul. It’s a really pleasant compliment. I want to keep working hard in the future.
It is Lee Jun-ho who performed well enough to be called the savior of the MBC drama bureau, and was recognized for his acting skills, but there are also regrets. He said, “I want to try ‘Red End of the Sleeve’ once again. There was a part I didn’t like while monitoring on the set. During the military service period (military + blank period), I was full of aspirations that I wanted to show as a singer and an actor. I don’t think I’ve been able to follow as much as I thought. I think I’ll have to judge myself in a cool way. I’m going to try to watch the drama well once again. I want to keep trying to find the parts that I miss while pondering over each one.”
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Perhaps it is because of the ardent and desperate ‘sappy ending (sad + happy ending) that the deep lingering aftertaste of ‘red end of the sleeve’ lasts for a long time. Lee San (Lee Jun-ho), who accomplished the task, was reunited with Deok-im (Lee Se-young), who was the happiest moment in a place where he did not know whether it was the afterlife or a dream. The two finally completed their love as necessary (ordinary husband and wife), not the king and the king’s wife, and their moment became eternity.
“The ending? It was satisfying. I like it. I watched the ending while moving in the car, and I couldn’t finish the meal because it was too thick. It leaves a lot of lingering impression. .”
Episodes 16 and 17, which contain the story of Jeongjo Lee San after Deok-im (Lee Se-young) passed away first, were exceptionally emotional. Lee Jun-ho said, “The gap was really big. Because the range of emotions was so wide, I concentrated on the emotions of this character the most. As I concentrated on the emotions, things like breathing and dialogue speed naturally followed. I can concentrate on that character and act. It was a time with me. It was so comfortable.”
Lee San (Lee Jun-ho) and Seong Deok-im (Lee Se-young) were called the ‘Sandeok couple’ and received a lot of love. The two won the Best Couple Award at the ‘2021 MBC Drama Awards’, realizing their hot popularity. Director Jung Ji-in of ‘Red Sleeves’ praised the two as “the best combination.”
Lee Jun-ho praised his partner Lee Se-young, saying, “I really love him. Above all, he’s very good at acting.” “I really liked the exchange of things. He was the person who led the atmosphere at the filming site. We joked a lot (laughs). Thanks to him, we were able to work comfortably. It was a scene where we encouraged each other and enjoyed. I think. It was assimilated naturally. It gave me a lot of strength.”
Lee Deok-hwa, who plays Yeong-jo, became a role model for Lee Jun-ho. Lee Deok-hwa previously said at the production presentation of ‘Red Sleeves’, ‘He is an actor with sincerity. I don’t have a friend like this,’ he said, expressing his affection for Lee Jun-ho. In response, Lee Jun-ho said, “I was so surprised that they praised me so much during the production presentation. I did not know where to put myself. He said that again after the production presentation was over. I was so happy.”
He continued, “I received a lot of strength from being both Yeongjo and Jeongjo in the field. The energy is really amazing. He is a very nice senior. He talks from the level of his juniors. I will follow that energy. Thank you for breaking down the wall first. .I always called him ‘My Highness’ on set (laughs). (Like Deokhwa Lee) I thought that I should become a senior who creates a good atmosphere and can give good energy. He is a really great person.”
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After completing ‘Red End of the Sleeve’, Junho Lee is concentrating on preparing for his solo fan meeting ‘JUNHO THE MOMENT’ to be held at the Blue Square Mastercard Hall in Yongsan-gu, Seoul on January 22 and 23.
Junho Lee, who has communicated closely with fans in three years, said, “I want to talk a lot with the fans. Rather than show them alone, we are planning a fan meeting where we can share breath. Isn’t it a great opportunity to meet fans in itself? I want to spend a good time together while chatting slowly. I hope that it will be a place where we can comfortably see ‘Human Junho Lee’ and a place of communication where we can share the future together.”
From 2PM’s ‘My House’ back-running craze to the ‘clothes sleeve’ syndrome, Junho Lee has been showing signs of getting better for the second year in a row. It has risen to the ranks of the mainstream for sure, to the extent that the modifier ‘Junho Coin’ is attached. It is the moment when his wish, “I will wait for his season” 12 years ago, came true.
“I have the same mindset as then. I’m still dreaming now. I think I’ll live like that in the future. Be consistent with what I’ve been doing. Persistence is my biggest driving force. I want to do what I want to do. I want to do what I want to do. I think they love and find you. I feel good and thank you for seeing it as a good flow.”
[셀럽미디어 박수정 기자 news@fashionmk.co.kr / 사진=JYP엔터테인먼트 제공]
