Actor Lee Je-hoon forgets work-life balance to pursue love of cinema

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Actor Lee Je-hoon forgets work-life balance to pursue love of cinema

Published: 03 Jun. 2025, 12:38

JIN EUN-SOO
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Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

Lee Je-hoon [SHOWBOX]

Actor Lee Je-hoon wears many hats.

He is an actor, a CEO and a YouTuber. He juggles lines on set, manages a company and travels around the country to introduce audiences to small indie theaters on his YouTube channel — all at once.

The 41-year-old actor says the driving force behind these activities comes down to one thing: his passion for cinema.

Specifically, he talks about the overwhelming joy he feels when watching a powerful film inside a dark theater.

“For me, I gain energy when I’m at a theater, watching a great piece of work,” Lee said during a recent interview with local press to promote his newest film, “Big Deal.”

'The Art of Negotiation' star Lee Je-hoon reveals parallels between character and own philosophy

“I feel alive. At the same time, I get the urge to join a similar project or create one myself. It makes me think that if I don’t work hard and do my best now, I might never encounter something that great again. That’s what drives me — my passion for this work and, in a way, my reason for living. Of course, I feel at peace spending time with my family and sharing a good meal, but what keeps me dreaming is watching excellent films or dramas.”

Lee’s newest film, “Big Deal,” is a high-stakes financial drama that follows the fate of Gukbo, a national soju company teetering on the edge of bankruptcy after aggressive expansion. Set against the backdrop of the 1997 Asian financial crisis, the film takes inspiration from the real-life story of Jinro Soju, which was acquired by Hite with Goldman Sachs’ intervention.

Actors Yoo Hae-jin, left, and Lee Je-hoon star in ″Big Deal″ [SHOWBOX]

But the corporate battle is not all the film explores.

It also delves into the generational clash between Jong-rok, played by Yoo Hae-jin, a loyal executive who identifies Gukbo's fate as his own, and In-beom, played by Lee, a cold-blooded elite analyst who sees the company merely as a means to a paycheck.

And actor Lee has something to say about this.

"As much as I want the employees of my company and sometimes myself to work like In-beom because that would be much more convenient, having many roles, I now think I am work — and work is me," he said.

"I think if I separate myself from my job as an actor, I don't have much to say about the human Lee Je-hoon. Although I tell my company employees to manage their work-life balance well, I find myself uneasy when I see my schedule empty for next year."

That inseparability between his personal life and his work has a big influence on the projects he chooses.

Lee’s previous work before “Big Deal” was the JTBC drama “The Art of Negotiation,” in which he also played a sharp mergers and acquisitions expert — a role not unlike that of In-beom.

"As an actor, I continuously explore life and look into what other people are interested in. That process has led me to choose those two works. The agony I have felt recently about an uncertain future has been reflected in my choice of work, and the dynamics between Jong-rok and In-beom make you think about what kind of attitude is right to live your life." he said.

Lee tells people to take a look at his filmography to see what kind of value he holds in life.

"If you ever wonder about my personal side, all I can say is to look at my filmography. That inevitably reflects what kind of thoughts I hold, which direction I am heading toward and so on."

The actor has two highly anticipated follow-up series in the works: a sequel to the popular detective series “Signal” (2016), returning after a decade, and the third season of “Taxi Driver” (2021-).

"I am completely devoted to filming those projects, letting go of all my personal agendas," he said.

"Although it is the same character, I feel that I need to show improvements. If the viewers think that the previous series was better, I don't think I should have done the project in the first place.

"In the first season of 'Signal,’ I was an eager, somewhat reckless junior actor. But as I continued through more projects and eventually to ‘Taxi Driver,’ I began to see not just my position as an actor, but how I could help shape the direction of the script and the overall process. I think it was that mindset of wanting to communicate and find better ways that gave me these opportunities.”

"Big Deal" opened in theaters nationwide on May 30.