Veteran Top Actor Lee Seo Jin Says in New Interview that He Passes the Mantle of Iconic Drama King Jeongjo to Junho Now After The Red Sleeve Cuff

Wow, what a wonderful mentoring and magnanimous thing to say, but so true that as time passes whatever is THE BEST will be supplanted in ways that show growth and evolution. Top actor Lee Seo Jin came back to drama land recently with a TVing streaming drama Dr. Park’s Clinic and this week he gave press interviews during which he touched upon another topic that dovetailed with his earlier work. Young actor Junho won accolades for his performance as Yi San King Jeongjo in The Red Sleeve Cuff and it was the same role that Lee Seo Jin played in his youth back in 2007 in the long sageuk drama Yi San and helped cement his leading actor status. When asked what he thought of the young whippersnapper delivering on a role that was long associated with Lee Seo Jin as the iconic performance, Lee Seo Jin says its been so long ago since he played Yi San even he doesn’t remember it anymore. Now Yi San is only Junho and Lee Seo Jin feels chagrined to even be mentioned in the same sentence. Lee Seo Jin added that he’s very close to Taecyeon and has worked with him many times so he’s familiar with all 2PM members and always though Junho was going to go places and seeing his success now makes him very happy.


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Veteran Top Actor Lee Seo Jin Says in New Interview that He Passes the Mantle of Iconic Drama King Jeongjo to Junho Now After The Red Sleeve Cuff — 37 Comments

  1. I cannot even remember just how many time I watched Yi San…I enjoyed most of the drama immensely…Just hated the death of his beloved …

    I enjoyed Red Sleeve Cuff too but not one I will rewatch again.

      • @maria podes conseguir no myasiantv . Desculpa me ,meu potugues nao é bom , eu soy francesa e escrevo em inglès , neste blog as pessoas so escrevem en inglès . Ja estou aqui cuando koala commeceu com a Yoon euh hye en 2007 . Bom dia da Franca

  2. I always loved Yi San ( 2007 ) and still loving it.

    Red sleeve had been the drama with my least expectations because of my doubts about it , retelling the tale of Yi San.

    But Junho , Seyoung and The whole RS team proved me wrong.
    ( I came for seyoung and came back with Junho ,added to my favorite actors list )

    But I still hold Yi San ( 2007 ) in my heart.
    King Jeongjo had 100 shades and
    both are like essays written by two different students in the same heading.

    YiSan (2007 ) is like a calm and interesting Jeongjo’s biography and about his achievements.
    Red Sleeve is about his passionate romance and his family dynamics.

    Both are perfect and none of these need to surpass each other in my opinion.

    I understand Lee Seo Jin ‘s praise for the younger actor, though

    • Lee Seo Jin’s role as Yi San is the best. He is a great actor n Yi San is a signature role nobody can compare. Whether he is in the King’s robe, Knight’s attire or even a ‘Yang Bang’ streets clothes, he is enormously looks good.

      • I am one of the fans of Lee Seo Jin…up to now I watch Yi San and I still feel soooo good…
        I am happy to hear news from him and a drama at that!
        Hope to see him more in dramas
        Cannot move on yet with YI SAN

    • MBC tend to produce long historical dramas ( over 50 episodes ) .

      Verteran actors played as ‘Calm and Collected ‘ version of kings in these dramas,they didn’t have too dramatic plotline and much up-downs.

      Yi San (2007)
      Dongyi

      Seeing old dramas is like seeing a good family drama ( warm and fuzzy ).

      ******

      Younger actors are now playing
      ‘Bold’ version of the kings in prime time dramas.

      Yoo Ah In ‘King Sukjong ‘ ‘King Taejong ‘
      Lee Jun Ho ‘King Jeongjo ‘

      Watching Bold Kings in prime time dramas is like watching an action thriller.

      • Yoo Ah In is always dramatic for now reasons. I thought Shin Sekyung was the problem in Fashion King but it turned out to be Yoo Ah In for being extra. He is similar to Lee Jehoon. Both are more suitable in Saguek dramas but really horrendous in modern dramas which means IMO opinion both do not have the acting range.

        Lee Seojin ‘Yi San’ was good back in his time. He was cool back then but his interpretation of the character was just on the surface. He is likeable kind of actor with similar vibe as Hyun Bin or Goong Yoo. They are good actors but not much richness on their performance. I do not mean to disrespect but it just some actors like them prefer that kind of acting style and choose not to show their acting range.

    • @blanket: it’s the other way for me. Yoo Ah In is so good in modern drama proof of his multiple awards in acclaimed movie. but sucks in sageuk genre. his great appearance might be make people into thinking he is a good in sageuk. can’t get over how bad he was in Jang ok Jung. Kim Tae Hee outshine him completely.

    • @MMMhwaym – wow this is such a good way of putting it, and I totally agree.

      They’re like different interpretations, Yi San is one of those roles that every generation will have their own iconic take on… so seeing such high praise for Junho in TRS from the OG in the same role makes me really happy!

  3. I love Lee Seo Jin’s Yi San His acting is so natural n superb Every scene with Ji Min is so romantic n well-loved by his fans He was serious in some scenes but a romantic n fun guy when he was in love I hope to see more of his acting

  4. Yi San was my favorite Korean drama of all times. I can’t count how many times I’ve shed tears for this beautiful drama. LSJ and HJM were still my ultimate OTP and no one can top them. Will be nice to see a remake.

  5. I also loved LSJ as Yi San but it was a different styled drama than TRSC.

    Junho’s performance was spot on and intense. He was flashy, bold, commanding and overall amazing as Yisan. Beautiful performance. Much deserved that he is now the iconic Yisan.

    I still from time to time rewatch Yisan for HJM and LJS. It was a slow burn chemistry with them. Some of their scenes were just so adorable. Even though time / audience has moved on, i still see his Yisan as a classic.

  6. Performance per se, depth, authenticity, full immersion to the character – hands down, Junho’s performance is on another level. He is such a phenomenal actor. No doubt his Lee San is the best performance of 2021 and to date.

    But I always Lee Seojin. I watch anything he is in, be it a drama or variety show. His new drama Dr Park with Ra Miran is quite refreshing and hilarious. Respect!

  7. What a great senior and mentor. I don’t know him but I really respect him for saying this. I loved LJH in TRS and haven’t watched Yi San so the only King I know is LJH’s version and his performance bewitched me. I’m happy to see a veteran who feels comfortable giving high praise, it really reflects nicely.

  8. I love Junho in The Red Sleeve. He improved so much in The Red Sleeve. he is much more sincere now. Compared to when I watched him in Just Between Lovers, when he is abit green there. the technique is there, but abit lacking sincerity.

    • Not just JBL. He was atrocious in Wok of Love as well. But his delusional stans act like he was some phenomenal actor before RSC. ? Let’s see how he fares on his next acting project.

      • I have never watched Jun Ho in Wok Of Love, but watched him in Chief Kim. He at times tend to shouting whenever he doesn’t get the right emotion. He is at times abit struggle to depict certain emotion. But his technique already above average.

      • @Missjb The shouting part when he gets frustrated was his Seo Yul character in Good Manager (Chief Kim). He can’t be shouting in a scene if it’s not written in the script. He didn’t shout in Confession, his 2019 drama. ?

        Anyhow, his strength as an actor is, he’s clearly able to portray emotions extensively and vividly with depth and richness and that what sets him apart from actor in his generations.

        His other biggest strength is; he is the kind of actor who can draws out the best performance from the other actors acting with him in the scene and that creates compelling chemistry whether with a male or female actor. His ability to build such strong connection is just impressive.

        Sorry for gushing too much on Lee Junho. I just found myself super impressed of him as an actor after watching most of his movies and dramas.

        I need to watch Memories of the Sword but too bad I can’t find it anywhere else.

      • @clamly: Jun Ho is underacting in confession. His character doesn’t required much emotion there based on first 6 episode, so there is nothing to show. I love Ryo Kyung So more there who really can match Yoo Jae Myung and steal a scene.

        In Just Between Lovers, he nailed some scene, and his macho aura really fit the character. but still see his unexperience cause he is abit stilt, unsincere when dig his character emotion deeper. just agree to disagree I guess

      • @missjb I understand your comment is full of prejudices.

        But from my POV, Lee Junho is one of the few Korean actors who can genuinely immerse and become one of the character. And that ability is very rare not just in kdrama. He is also an actor who’s praised by many senior and veteran actors and directors ever since the start of his acting career. And of course, this particular article of this blog is about that Lee Seojin’s recognition of Lee Junho.

        Before you disrespect Lee Junho any further, just watch this clip about the Confession press conference to educate yourself.
        https://youtu.be/bIxrdlkPaJE

      • @clamly: Calm down, I’m not saying he is bad in Just Between Lovers, Remember Just Between Lovers is one of his Ealier days as the leading man, in in a melodrama, too. It’s seriously challenging Roles. He had all the tools to become good actor, but Lee Kang Doo was really too challenging. And There is a time even best actor underperforming due to limit material they are given. And Confession is not leaving a mark to his performances career Basd On 6 episode I saw. I stopped watching after that though.

        That’s Okay if you disagree.

  9. Found this new gem Lee Junho. What a brilliant actor ???? and well done as Yisan / King Jeongjo. I never like Saguek but his profound performance allowed me to have a pleasurable watch.

    • @MistyEyes – that’s how I knew this drama was special, even sageuk haters were loving it! I remember being surprised to see young fans on twitter, who normally only followed kpop, gushing about how great TRS was but they were right!

      Ironically it keeping a lot of historical details that are normally whitewashed out of sageuks (eg Deok Im being a concubine, polygamy being practically compulsory for kings, no modern-day monogamous marriage being possible for San/Deok Im etc) was something that made me really respect that they were not going to whitewash this aspect of their history to make it more palatable to modern-day viewers.

    • It’s not weird . I understand you completely.

      About 2/3 of the Red Sleeve covers Yi San’s life as a crown prince,his struggles and his relationship with his grandfather, Yeongjo.

      The episodes after he became the King is all about his romance with Deok Im.
      We haven’t seen his political achievements as the King properly.

      ****
      On the other hand, Yi San (2007)
      is over 70 episodes long.
      It covers King Jeongjo’s life in half of its length.
      So we see Lee Seo Jin as the proper King Jeongjo.

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