Lee Jae-jun: “Choi Min-sik is my role model... I want to give performances audiences find convincing” [Actor & Rookie Interview]

[Financial News] The 2009-born actor Lee Jae-jun, who has steadily made a name for himself in films and dramas, places great importance on “emotional credibility.” He believes good acting does more than simply express emotion: it helps audiences fully understand and believe in a character’s feelings. His goal is to become an actor who draws audiences into a work even in everyday moments, like his role model, Choi Min-sik.
Lee Jae-jun has built up his résumé with appearances in films such as Decibel and Concrete Utopia, the Netflix film Revelations, and TV series including tvN’s Tale of the Nine Tailed 1938, Seoul Broadcasting System (SBS)’s Good Partner, and Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC)’s When the Phone Rings. He broadened his acting range with leading roles in the films Yeoreumi Jinagamyeon and Majimak Sukje.
In an interview for “Actor & Rookie,” Lee Jae-jun discussed what led him to start acting, his own approach to the craft, and his future goals.
He said he had been especially absorbed in films since childhood. “At some point, I thought I wanted to become an actor too, and give performances that draw audiences into a work,” he recalled. “I think that feeling was what led me to start acting.”
He cited the chance to experience someone else’s life as the greatest appeal of acting. “When I act, I can indirectly live the life of someone who isn’t me,” he said. “The most appealing thing is being able to encounter all kinds of situations and emotions I wouldn’t experience in everyday life.”
What he considers most important in acting is “emotional credibility.” Lee Jae-jun explained, “Rather than simply expressing an emotion, it’s important to convey naturally why the character feels that way.”
Asked what kind of role he would like to take on, he mentioned a character connected to his hobby of playing the guitar. “I’d really like to play a character who plays guitar at least once,” he said, adding, “I’d also like to take on a role that leaves a strong impression on audiences.”
He also shared his own preparation method, developed through countless auditions. “I keep reading the lines until they’re completely ingrained in my mind,” Lee Jae-jun said. “Rather than making the character fit me, I try to become the character.” He added, “It’s not so much that I have a special method; I tend to prepare a lot, with that much determination.”


Lee Jae-jun, who described his real-life personality as “quite simple,” said he hopes to show different sides of himself.
He said he hopes “to be remembered for roles whose personalities are completely different from mine. I want people to think, ‘Oh, he can play this kind of role too.’”
For a hashtag that describes him, he chose “aloofness.” He laughed and said, “People around me often tell me I seem aloof. But once they get to know me, they find I’m actually very simple. I think I have both an aloof side and a simple side.”
His role model is actor Choi Min-sik. Lee Jae-jun expressed his admiration, saying, “Even in everyday scenes, Choi Min-sik acts so naturally. When you watch him, it’s almost as if the audience is right there in the situation with him. I want to become an actor who draws audiences in like that.”
Finally, he said, “I still have a lot to improve, and I don’t think there’s an end to acting. So I think I need to learn and work harder.” He added, “Just as I dreamed of becoming an actor while watching films when I was young, I’d be so happy if someone someday watched my acting and came to dream of becoming an actor.”
Meanwhile, “Finding Hidden Rookies,” a series of interviews by B&B Industry, the parent company of Baeu & Baeum, discovers and introduces promising new actors.
[email protected] Shin Jin-a Reporter