Lee Jong Suk is lovely. Female reporters who have done interviews with him will inevitably be melted by him, calling them ‘noona’ and releasing his aegyo like a mischievous youngster. However, Lee Jong Suk of 2016 seems to have a different aura. After his work in ‘Pinocchio’ back in 2014, he has rested for quite a while,now he is no longer the 26-year-old with tons of aegyo, he is a 28-year-old with frustrations, fears and ambitions for growth. After a year of intense internal turmoil, he reaches the conclusion that it is all about acting. This is Lee Jong Suk’s talk about his current situation.
How have you been spending your time?
I’ve just been at home. (laughs) Coming to the film set today… I actually haven’t left home for a long time. I thought about a lot of stuff while I was at home – not about anything important though. Oh! I watched a lot of dramas. I really love watching dramas. I’ll also practise my acting while watching. Actually, there were times lately where I’ve become scared of acting.
You’ve never been caught in any acting controversies though, how come you would be scared?
Of course I would. That’s why I’ve been attending acting classes, going to school and acting with people in my year and some junior actors. Don’t know why, but somehow I’ve become a little fearful of acting, compared to before.
That is surprising. I had thought that Jong Suk-ssi is a person that doesn’t fear anything or envy anyone.
There’s so much to be envious about in the world. I am most envious when I watch people who are good at acting. To be truthful, my image as an actor rides very much on my appearance. That’s why I am particular envious of male actors who have a masculine face. That’s something I don’t have. Whether this is an obstacle I can never overcome, or it’s an obstacle that I can one day overcome with tons of hard work… it’s something I am always thinking about deeply. Well, even when I think much about it, there really isn’t any conclusion. I guess there is a need for masculine actors and also actors like me, right? (laughs)
A while ago, you were that without any projects, 2015 was a year that was ‘a shocking time’ to you.
I don’t like leaving the house and I never have anything I want to do in particular. But acting is something that is always captures my interest the most. So I tend to retain my memory of the past through the projects I was in – I’ve been in projects continuously since I debuted, if you think about it. These days, since I’ve spent too much time without a project, I’ve started to feel empty, which must be why I said that in an interview. I feel like time was passing way too quickly.
One can really feel that Jongsuk-ssi is a fan of television dramas. This is your answer to a fan at a China fansign – you were asked which couple you liked in ‘Reply 1988′ and replied ‘Taek-ie’. So you’ve clearly watched ‘Reply 1988′?
I felt a little weird writing a couple name. I felt that Taek’s character is extremely charismatic, which is why I like him. (laugh)
What other dramas have you watched besides ‘Reply 1988′?
’Six Flying Dragons’, ‘Oh My Venus’. I follow most varieties too. When I watch the actos of my age, I would pay special attention to their acting skills. Byun Yo Han in ‘Six Flying Dragons’ can really do romantic acting very well. His gaze is excellent and his expressions when conveying emotions are also really well-done. He really manages to convey the feelings of the character in an honest manner, I feel?
When you film ‘Jade Lover’, you’ll have to be in China for a long time. You won’t be able to keep up your dramas then; what should you do?
Which is why I a special request: There has to be Korean television channels where we live. Haha.
All the reporters who have interviewed Jong Suk-ssi would praise your socializing abilty, but you keep saying that you are introverted and hard to warm up to. What is your real personality?
It’s true though. Even if I call someone ‘noona’ the first time I meet her, I am still really awkward around strangers. I am especially shy in front of my sunbaes. I don’t really know why this is but I just somehow find it difficult. It happened again a few days ago: when I went to a film premiere and saw a lot of sunbaes, my back became wet with sweat. It’s so easy to tell when I am flustered. My face would turn completely red.
It would seem that your personality is not suited to be an entertainer then?
Is that so? Actually I do feel that, as time goes on. Haha.
What did you do during the new year?
I went to my grandmother’s house. Rather than having a heart-stirring time, it made me make some decisions about life. I decided to do a lot of projects this year. You usually would do interviews around the new year, so I would always talk about how many projects I want to do the following year. But I didn’t do it for 2015. So this year, I made the decision to be in at least three projects.
Three in a year? If they are all dramas, you would almost die from fil