Why Lee Junho Says He’s Ready for His Next Big Challenge

According to a report by Forbes, actor and singer Lee Junho is entering a new phase of his career as he continues to take on more ambitious roles and creative projects.

The star, who gained massive popularity through the hit Netflix drama King the Land, says he deliberately chose to pursue completely different roles after that success.

Taking on very different roles

In the Forbes interview, Lee Junho explained that after King the Land, he spent about two and a half years preparing for two new dramas: Typhoon Family and Cashero.

“After King the Land, it was about two and a half years since I came out with anything in regards to acting,” Lee said in the interview conducted over Zoom from Seoul.

Typhoon Family tells the story of a young CEO trying to save his late father’s company during the 1997 IMF financial crisis, one of South Korea’s most difficult economic periods.

The drama became a major success, remaining No.1 on Netflix Korea throughout its 16-episode run, while Lee himself ranked first on the drama actor popularity index.

Lee Junho / tvN

From businessman to superhero

Before filming Typhoon Family, Lee had already completed the Netflix series Cashero, where he plays an ordinary civil servant who gains supernatural powers depending on how much cash he carries.

Every time he uses those powers, he loses money.

The physically demanding role required intense preparation, including major fight scenes and action sequences.

Lee explained that creating each character requires him to carefully consider how the character talks, walks, and behaves, often spending long periods alone to fully immerse himself in the role.

Lee Junho / tvN

A successful run on Netflix

Both projects performed strongly on Netflix.

Cashero debuted at No.2 globally and topped charts in more than 70 countries within two weeks of its release, highlighting Lee Jun-ho’s growing international popularity.

Despite the success of both dramas, Lee has not slowed down.

Lee Junho / tvN

Joining a new reality show

The actor recently finished filming the second season of Kian’s Bizarre B&B, a variety program featuring webtoon artist Kian84 running an unconventional guesthouse in the winter mountains of South Korea.

Lee will appear alongside stars including Kazuha and former professional volleyball player Kim Yeon-koung.

The series is expected to premiere on Netflix later this year.

Preparing for his first true villain role

Lee Jun-ho is also preparing for a completely new acting challenge.

He revealed he will play the main villain in the upcoming film Veteran 3, the third installment of the popular Korean action-crime franchise directed by Ryoo Seung-wan.

After years of portraying kind and heroic characters, Lee said he was excited to finally play an irredeemable villain.

“I’ve always played such nice characters,” he said in the interview. “I wanted to try something completely different.”

Expanding his creative career

Another major step for the star is the launch of his own creative company, O3 Collective, which he founded to gain more control over his creative projects.

The agency will support both his acting and music careers.

Lee has been active in the entertainment industry since 2008 as a member of 2PM, and he continues to release solo music alongside his acting projects.

Earlier this year, he also released the song “Four Seasons (Always)” as a gift to fans for his birthday.

Returning to the stage with 2PM

Lee Junho will soon reunite with his group members for the 2PM Japan 15th Anniversary Concert “THE RETURN” at Tokyo Dome.

The concerts mark a major milestone for the group’s Japanese debut anniversary.

“To perform at Tokyo Dome is such a great honor,” Lee said, expressing excitement about meeting fans again on stage.

THE RETURN / 2PM official X

Always looking for the next challenge

Despite already balancing acting, music, and business ventures, Lee says he constantly thinks about what his next move should be.

“I’m always contemplating,” he said. “What the next step will be as an actor or as a musician.”

If his recent projects are any indication, Lee Junho’s career is far from slowing down.