Lee Jung Jae Reflects On His "Squid Game" Role, The Secret To His Lasting Career, And More

Jun 15, 2025

“Squid Game” star Lee Jung Jae joined Arena Homme Plus Korea magazine for a captivating pictorial and interview!

Opening up about his already iconic role as Seong Gi Hun in “Squid Game,” Lee Jung Jae shared, “I’ve been doing this job for a long time and have taken on many different roles. Some were well-received, others less so. I try to stay grounded and view Seong Gi Hun as just one of those roles. Of course, it’s a character from a massively successful project, but I can’t let myself be consumed by that success.”

He continued, “Still, because it’s a role I spent a long time reflecting on and filming, and because I connected with audiences through the character, there’s also a joy in knowing that it’s become one more defining character in my life.”

Looking back on his long career, Lee Jung Jae remarked, “I never imagined I’d achieve this kind of success or that I’d be acting for so long.”

He added, “A long time ago, there came a moment where I thought, ‘From now on, things won’t be like they used to [in terms of my career].’ But each year, I kept hoping that I’d do a good job with one more project. That’s how the years went by. The fact that I did one good project gave me the chance to do another the following year. It wasn’t planned or predictable. Life doesn’t go exactly the way you hope; all you can do is keep working hard. And somehow, that brought me to where I am today. I’m incredibly grateful.”