The Fiery Priest 2 achieves personal-best ratings, When the Phone Rings starts strong
On the morning of May 20 (local time), Lee Je Hoon conducted an interview with local reporters in Jongno-gu, Seoul. During the interview, he talked about the recently concluded MBC drama Chief Detective 1958 and his upcoming projects.
Set in an era of chaos, Chief Detective 1958 tells the story of Detective Park Young Han (Lee Je Hoon), who, unable to see human dignity being trampled upon, joins forces with three colleagues to shatter the corrupt authority.
Chief Detective 1958 is a prequel to Chief Inspector. Lee Je Hoon played the protagonist, Detective Park Young Han.
Chief Detective 1958 concluded successfully with a nationwide rating of 10.6%. Given that Lee Je Hoon not only played the young Park Young Han but also appeared as his grandson Park Jun Seo, fans can't help but wonder if there will be a second season. When asked about the possibility of Season 2, Lee Je Hoon responded, "I have my expectations as well, but the decision is not mine to make. Our drama ... feels complete as a prequel and a standalone story."
Having often played righteous characters, Lee Je Hoon explains why he continues to choose such roles despite his on-screen characters being seen as predictable, saying, "I instinctively feel that the stories people are interested in and want to see are about justice and retribution. People in the world desire poetic justice and retribution. Since society doesn't always provide that, they want catharsis and relieve stress by watching such works. This is why I think people love and seek out such works, and I am naturally drawn to them as well. ... At the same time, I often think that I need to show more diverse sides of myself and not be confined to a single type [of role]."
Talking about his busy schedule, Lee Je Hoon jokingly remarked, "I'm grateful that I have dramas lined up one after another, so there is no room for new projects in my schedule until next year. Maybe that's why I'm not receiving new offers. I think I can reschedule and push back Taxi Driver Season 3 a bit," he quipped.
Recently, writer Kim Eun Hee announced that she had started working on the script of Season 2 of the tvN hit thriller Signal. When asked if he would be joining Signal Season 2, Lee Je Hoon responded, "I heard that writer Kim Eun Hee is working on the script." "I haven't heard about the casting of other actors [from Season 1], but if they do it, I will join as well," and joked, "She wouldn't write the script excluding me, right? I'm waiting for it," he said jokingly.
Lee Je Hoon will next be seen on the big screen in the movie Escape. He is also preparing to commence the shooting for his new K-drama, The Art of Negotiation.
