Lee Min Ho opens up about his experience in "Pachinko" and details why he auditioned for the role of Ko Hansu.
The Apple TV+ series has been gaining massive attention both from critics and viewers as the drama beautifully unfolds the story of Sunja, a Korean immigrant who moved to Japan at the height of Japanese colonization and political warfare.
The Hallyu star took on the role of a wealthy businessman who fell in love with the young and beautiful Sunja.
The series portrayed their romance as illicit and forbidden, far more different from Lee Min Ho's usual roles.
However, in his recent interview, the Hallyu star shed light on why he chose to play the character.
Lee Min Ho 'Didn't' Audition for 'Pachinko' to Change His Image
According to a Korean media outlet, the South Korean star spoke about how he chose his next project.
For Lee Min Ho, he explained that he never chose work to "look cool," especially in rom-com, adding, "many people liked my romantic comedy, so many images were created."
As for his small-screen comeback, the 34-year-old actor says he chose "Pachinko" because he could relate to the character of Ko Hansu, saying he was more drawn to the role than the "concept of a challenge to image transformation."
READ MORE: Did 'Pachinko' Star Lee Min Ho Use Stuntman During His Love Scene with Kim Min Ha? Here's What Viewers Say
For some K-drama fanatics, his role in the Apple TV+ was quite different from his previous characters because it shows realism and desperation.
However, he cleared that he didn't mean to "change" his image or veer away from the typical leading man in K-drama but wanted to be flexible and show diversity as an actor.
'Pachinko' Was Lee Min Ho's First Audition in 13 Years
Lee Min Ho received much love from the viewers, lauding him for his mature role in "Pachinko."
While the "The Legend of the Blue Sea" star aced being Ko Hansu, he previously revealed it was his first time in more than a decade since he did auditions.
Per Insight, he almost forgot the screening process because it was 13 years since he last auditioned.
However, for the actor, doing the audition for "Pachinko" didn't bother him at all, and he explained that it "isn't just a process to show your acting skills, but it's a process to see if your ideology and characteristics match up with the character and how deeply you've thought about the character."
With this, the series' screenwriter Soo Hugh was in awe of the actor's dedication.
The writer tells Digital Spy that Lee Min Ho "went through the same rigorous audition process" like everyone else and delivered a different kind of magnetic charisma that Ko Hansu possesses.
Apart from the Apple TV+ series, the Hallyu star is making a comeback to K-dramaland with his team-up with Gong Hyo Jin in the sci-fi K-drama "Ask the Stars."
