On the 9th, Lee Jung-Jae attended a screening event for the Netflix drama 'Squid Game' in Los Angeles, California, USA. The event was attended by 'Squid Game' director Hwang Dong-Hyeok, as well as actors Park Hae-soo and Jeong Ho-Yeon.
"I believe it's hard to get out of the home now that people know you so much," a reporter for NBC's 'Extra TV' in the US questioned Lee Jung-jae on this day.
"I think the biggest change is that I have a lot of people that recognize me in America," Lee Jung-Jae remarked with a comfortable smile.
"I was startled to be recognized even at restaurants and on the street," he added, "so I thought that 'our drama was extremely popular.' Thank you for watching it."
The reporter's query was deemed improper by several domestic internet users especially those who have been following Lee Jung Jae's work. "Just to let everyone know, Lee Jungjae has been top A list actor in Korea for the past 30+ years, so he couldn't walk out on the street freely even before the global success of Squid Game. To make it clear, his position in the Korean entertainment industry is similar to that of Brad Pitt or Tom Cruise lol", this was one comment of a netizen who saw the interview on Youtube.
For some, the odd question must have been due to the fact that it is based on Hollywood-centric narrow-minded thinking that has not been thoroughly researched. "Because he is an American reporter, he may not know Lee Jung-Jae well," one responder says, while another says, "I was referring to a shift in consciousness in the United States."
Lee Jung-Jae soared to popularity with the drama 'Hourglass' the following year, after making his debut in the drama 'Dinosaur Teacher' in 1993. Since then, he has continued to work as a top actor in films such as 'The Maid,' 'The Thieves,' 'The New World,' 'Contemplation,' 'Assassination,' and the 'Along with the Gods' series.
He is currently enjoying his second heyday after effectively morphing into the affable and kind Sung Ki-hoon in the film 'Squid Game.'
In the same interview, director Hwang Dong -Hyeok also revealed season 2 of the Netflix series.
'Squid Game' is a work that tells the narrative of a person who risks his or her life to compete in a secret survival game with a prize pool of $45.6 billion.
This work was the world's No. 1 from September 23rd to the 7th of this month.
"I vow that 'Sung Ki-hoon' (Lee Jung-jae) will return," director Hwang Dong-hyuk stated in an interview with the American media AP on the 8th, referring to the potential of a second season.
