Before taking the role in "Pinocchio" actor Lee Jong Suk wondered if he ought to take a drama break. He was disappointed in his acting in "Doctor Stranger" despite the drama's mostly double-digit viewer ratings, which reached 14 percent.
In a recent interview in The Korea Herald, he said that after his spy-medical drama ended, he experienced some negative feelings. Playing the leading role created a lot of pressure as his character had to set the tone for the whole drama. And he felt he could have done a better job of that.
"I kept losing concentration the more I acted," he said. "So I missed a lot of things. I focused only on myself but it turns out the leading role has to bring everyone together. I lacked that. The whole thing started falling apart when I lost concentration."
He felt unsure about taking a new role and was frightened that it might not be a success.
But he was glad that he worked on the hit drama "Pinocchio" because he enjoyed working with his friend Park Shin Hye, the director Jo Soo Won and his co-stars Lee Pil Mo, Byun Hee Bong, Jin Kyung, Sin Jung Geun and Min Sung Wook.
"I found it more fun working with the seniors than the actresses," he said. "I cried in one of the scenes with them from the beginning so hard that the director worried about me."
Lee Jong Suk, who appeared in "Secret Garden," "School 2013," and "I Hear Your Voice" likes working with senior actors because he wants to observe them and learn his craft. He wants to grow as an actor.
Sometimes Lee Jong Suk looks at another actor who is around the same age and is both awed and inspired by his accomplishments. Then he wants to get better.
"I think that's because I've become ambitious about acting," he said. "I received an honorable mention at the SBS Drama Award but I don't know what that's about. I was nominated for The Best Actor and was expecting to win. But when I saw Sung Dong Il get it I thought it was better that I did not take it home. It would have been embarrassing to take home such a grand prize."
If he had not done "Pinocchio," he would not have taken a vacation. He might have chosen a film role.
"I am doing more drama although I want to balance it out," he said. "If I had not done 'Pinocchio' I would have worked on a movie, but I'm happy about my choice."
