Why Lee Jung-jae almost didn't play Gi-hun in 'Squid Game'

Lee Jung-jae discusses his iconic role in 'Squid Game,' the pressures of season two, and the decline of Korean film and drama production, emphasizing the need for a revival in creative output.

A scene from Season 2 of Netflix series ″Squid Game,″ starring returning protagonist Gi-hun, portrayed by actor Lee Jung-jae, as he embarks on a mission to hunt down the game organizers to put an end to the deadly competition. [NETFLIX]

Since the massive success of Netflix's “Squid Game” (2021-), Seong Gi-hun, portrayed by actor Lee Jung-jae, has become an iconic and irreplaceable protagonist. But Lee almost didn't play him.

Lee, prior to “Squid Game,” was known for playing characters who wore fancy suits — “New World” (2013), “HUNT” (2022) — or had strong personalities, as in “The Face Reader” (2013) and “Assassination” (2015).

After first seeing the script for season one, Lee's agency advised him against taking on the project. Seong Gi-hun, the team felt, was “too big of a loser” for the actor to to play. But when the now-Emmy winner read the story for himself, he was hooked.

“It wasn’t just a typical survival game story,” Lee told reporters at a cafe in Jongno District, central Seoul, on Thursday. “The script highlighted the characters' struggles and emotions. That theme stood out to me, and I really wanted to take on the role.”

Actor Lee Jung-jae [NETFLIX]

The second season of “Squid Game,” directed by Hwang Dong-hyuk, who took the helm of the previous season, was released a day after Christmas. It features returning cast members Lee Byung-hun and Wi Ha-jun in addition to Lee Jung-Jae, as well as newcomers Yim Si-wan, Park Gyu-young, Kang Ha-neul and Choi Seung-Hyun.

The first season of “Squid Game” told the story of a massive, deadly survival contest in which hundreds of contestants played a series of children's games for a cash prize. The second installment picks up where the first left off, with Gi-hun, the winner of last season's contest, turning back just as he is about to board a flight to reunite with his daughter in the United States. The story then continues three years later, following Gi-hun's journey as he seeks to put an end to the gruesome competition and confront its organizer, the Front Man, by rejoining the game.

The show's first season exploded onto the scene upon its release on Sept. 17, 2021. It became, and remains, Netflix's most watched series in its first 28 days, and took six Emmys, including best actor in a drama series for Lee Jung-Jae. Despite the accolades, the actor didn't initially expect a second or third season.

“During the filming of season one, I asked director Hwang several times whether there would be a season two,” Lee said. “And Hwang kept saying that there wouldn’t be a new season, so I honestly didn’t expect it at all.”

The renewal brought pressure, but also “a sense of gratitude,” Lee said, adding that he hoped season two could “repay” the success of its predecessor.

Still from the second season of ″Squid Game″ (2021-) [NETFLIX]

Despite the hype, the second series received mixed reviews — both positive and negative — after its release. While this might have discouraged the actor, he viewed it in a more positive light.

“Since we're in the final stages of season three's production, I feel that carefully listening to more opinions, we’ll be able to wrap up season three even better,” he said.

In the previous season, Gi-hun portrayed a somewhat playful character. He undergoes a significant transformation in the latest installment, showcasing a more serious aspect of himself. Lee didn't love that aspect of the shoot.

“As an actor, I felt I couldn’t present as much of the variety in my character as I did in season one,” Lee said. “So, I did wonder if there was a way to bring back some of the cheerful, carefree aspects of Gi-hun. However, since his character had already evolved beyond a point where he could not return to his former self, I had to set those personal desires aside.”

The actor also shared his challenging mission to succeed in kicking the jegi (traditional Korean hacky sack) five times in a row during his shoot for the second main game — the six-legged pentathlon — saying he'd practiced for a month or two for just that single scene.

Actor Lee Jung-jae [NETFLIX]

“I couldn’t get more than two kicks in a row,” he said. “The director’s request was that I should be able to do five kicks in one go, as there was a chance it would be shot in a single take. So, he strongly requested that I practice a lot, and as I did, I started to feel a strain on my hips.”

The actor, who is also a director and a leading figure in the global recognition of K-content, expressed concern over the decline of Korean dramas and films despite this global attention. Since the Covid-19 pandemic, the number of newly released Korean films noticeably decreased to 10 to 20 films a year; previously, around 60 movies had been hitting the nation's theaters annually. The situation is similar for dramas, as 105 dramas were produced last year, reflecting a decline from 141 dramas in 2022 and 123 in 2023, according to the Korea Drama Production Association.

“When I go abroad, people are constantly waiting for Korean dramas and movies, always looking for what new and exciting works are out there,” the actor said. “What I find most upsetting is why, of all times, it had to shrink at this moment.”

Lee Jung-jae, having spent three decades in the industry, feels that releasing more Korean content is essential.

“I believe that many people, including myself, should work hard and put in more effort so that the number of dramas and films produced can return to previous levels, allowing more great works to emerge.”

BY KIM JI-YE [kim.jiye@joongang.co.kr]