[TF Interview] Lee Min-ho, a Fresh Face Carved with 'The Killers'

Lee Min-ho to play rookie reporter Young-il in "Assassination(s)," working with Park Hae-il and Yoo Hae-jin"I don't want to give the same emotions or feelings... I always try to be different."Actor Lee Min-ho held an interview regarding the release of the movie "Assassination(s)." / Hive Media Corp.[THE FACT| Reporter Park Ji-yoon] Lee Min-ho, an actor who is already in his 20th year of debut, has no room for complacency. He is wary of relying on his star status and repeating familiar choices, and has always ventured into areas he hasn't explored before. And with "Assassination(s)," he has once again successfully revealed a fresh side of himself.Lee Min-ho held an interview with at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the 11th, ahead of the release of the movie "Assassination(s)" (directed by Hur Jin-ho). Returning to the big screen about a year after "Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint" (2025), he said, "It's meaningful to greet you with a movie. I'm excited to be able to watch and talk about the work with the audience," and shared various stories."Assassination(s)," which opens in theaters today (23rd), is a mystery thriller that traces the suspicions and behind-the-scenes of the assassination of the First Lady that shocked South Korea on August 15, 1974, adding cinematic imagination to the remaining records and unresolved questions to this day. Director Hur Jin-ho, who has delicately explored characters and events through films like "The Last Princess" and "Christmas in August," took the megaphone.Lee Min-ho plays the role of Young-il, a rookie reporter for Dongseong Ilbo, delivering a passionate performance. / Hive Media Corp.The film is a suspense genre film that fills the gaps in official records with cinematic imagination, based on the assassination of First Lady Yuk Young-soo during the Liberation Day ceremony in 1974. Although he did not directly experience that era, Lee Min-ho found the subject matter more intriguing than unfamiliar, as he had encountered the incident through YouTube algorithms before receiving the script."I found the perspectives of the characters pursuing a non-existent conclusion to be interesting. It was new to reinterpret a subject with a hook. When I read the script, I felt that while Cheol-gu (played by Yoo Hae-jin) and Jae-hwan (played by Park Hae-il) were uncovering the truth, they were not free due to the oppression and responsibilities of the era, but Young-il seemed to be a role that could bring vitality. It was also interesting because there was a point where he could bring variation to that era."Young-il, played by Lee Min-ho, is a rookie reporter for Dongseong Ilbo who witnessed the assassination of the First Lady and an innocent victim up close while covering the Liberation Day ceremony, and then uncovers the truth of the incident. As the youngest son of a chaebol family, he grew up in an environment where a stable life was guaranteed, but without denying this, he engaged in the democratization movement in his own way, met the good adult Jae-hwan, gained social experience, and grew to pursue an independent path."Director Hur and I talked about Young-il feeling like a live fish. During rehearsals, I used a lot of movement and emotion, and he liked it, so I tried to keep moving and expressing energy when designing every scene. The National Theater, where the First Lady's assassination occurred, was the first filming location, and I had a complete experience then. After that, I considered experiencing and feeling everything moment by moment like Young-il as my main emotional line. I focused more on reactions than actions. It was a project where my priority was to feel well rather than how I should act."Lee Min-ho revealed his decision to appear in the film, stating, "It was interesting because Young-il, whom I played, had a point where he could bring variation to that era." / Hive Media Corp.Another important aspect for Lee Min-ho, as much as portraying Young-il well, was to blend in and harmonize with Yoo Hae-jin and Park Hae-il without standing out. To this end, he visited the set even on days he wasn't filming and communicated with the seniors in his natural state. He was able to achieve satisfactory results and gain valuable nourishment for his future path as an actor."Senior Park Hae-il has the appearance of an adult who agonizes and carries many burdens, as well as a momentarily sparkling boyish charm. This duality was attractive, and when conveyed through audio, the story appeared transparent. I was disappointed that I didn't have many scenes with Senior Yoo Hae-jin. I think good energy would come out if we shared intense, raw stories together. Seeing the seniors up close this time, I became convinced that to do good acting, I need to become a person who can embrace more stories with good people."Lee Min-ho, who debuted in 2006, rose to stardom with his role as Gu Jun-pyo in "Boys Over Flowers," which aired in 2009. Since then, he has met the public in works like "The Heirs," "The Legend of the Blue Sea," and "The King: Eternal Monarch," which contained stories that are unlikely to exist in reality, such as falling in love with a mermaid or becoming the emperor of the Korean Empire, all within the broad framework of romantic comedy.Meanwhile, he took on the challenge of portraying infidelity in the Apple TV series "Pachinko" and is constantly revealing new faces by diving into roles he hasn't attempted before, regardless of their length, such as in "Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint" and "Assassination(s)." This is thanks to his attitude towards acting naturally becoming more liberated as he has steadily walked the path of an actor and aged."In my 20s, I preferred movies where I could feel something and find my own meaning, so I didn't watch many movies with actors my age. That's why I thought I wanted to do movies after turning 30. So, in the past, I was criticized a lot for only doing dramas, being accused of just chasing popularity. Now, I think I have my own emotions and perspective on looking at society, which allows me to convey certain stories, so I tend to choose projects where the story is prioritized."Lee Min-ho pointed out the differentiated charm of "Assassination(s)," saying, "It's a movie that talks about the right to know." / Hive Media Corp.Lee Min-ho has consistently expanded his acting spectrum by naturally blending into historical dramas such as "Gangnam 1970" and "Pachinko," as well as the fantasy and romance genres mentioned earlier, and "Assassination(s)." In other words, he has not been confined by the image he built from the beginning of his career and has taken on new roles more boldly as time has passed. He does not hesitate to show different faces each time, focusing on areas he hasn't explored before, rather than the scale or length of the project."The greatest desire within me is always to be fresh. In that sense, I would be satisfied if I received praise for 'I haven't seen this feeling before. It's fresh' through this work. I act constantly, but I don't want to be an actor who gives the same emotions or feelings. I always want something to be different.""Assassination(s)" will be released on the same day as "Tazza: The High Rollers - The Song of Belphegor," led by Byun Yo-han and Noh Jae-won. And with the release of "Bikwang," "The Intern," and "Resurrection Man: The Red" before and after, the lineup for the Chuseok movie season is more abundant than ever."Ours is a movie that talks about the right to know. I think Korea is a society that tends to avoid stories that can be uncomfortable or points that can make relationships uncomfortable, but I believe that bringing out discomfort and honestly talking about individual stories is the path to a healthy society. I also enjoy that. This is an event in history, and I think it's a special work in that it allows viewers to feel their own interpretations and emotions while watching it."[Entertainment Department | ssent@tf.co.kr]jiyoon-1031@tf.co.kr