▲ This profile photo of South Korean actor Lee Jong-hyun is provided by Gold Medalist. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

 

SEOUL, Feb. 28 (Yonhap) -- "I didn’t realize it, but I actually have a knack for action," said actor Lee Jong-hyun, during an interview for upcoming Kdrama series "Study Group," held on Thursday in Seoul. 

 

"My character, Kim Se-hyun, isn't supposed to be good at fighting. Since my movements looked too sharp, the stunt team told me not to practice beforehand. So, I learned all my action scenes on the spot and filmed them right away."

 

▲ This still photo of film "Study Group," provided by Tving, shows South Korean actor Lee Jong-hyun. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

 

Tving’s original series Study Group features Kim Se-hyun, a student ranked second in academics but 171st in school fight rankings. Initially relying on the naturally gifted fighter Yoon Ga-min (played by Hwang Min-hyun), Se-hyun gradually grows stronger, eventually managing to take down opponents with an awkward punch or a well-placed headbutt.

 

Ditching the neat school uniform and tidy hairstyle of his character, Lee's intense appearance more closely resembled Pi Han-ul, another figure from the show. Still, he noted many similarities between himself and Se-hyun. "Like him, I think a lot about realistic concerns—what I should pursue and what I should give up," he said.

 

When asked if he was a top student in real life, he laughed it off but added, "I was a science major. I even solved some of the test questions in the drama myself and taught math formulas to other actors."

 

Lee views Kim Se-hyun as a grounded character.

 

Despite being academically gifted, financial struggles and his father’s opposition prevent him from even considering college. Though timid and bad at fighting, he musters courage for the sake of his friends.

 

"I felt that Se-hyun was the only truly realistic character in the show," Lee explained. "If Yoon Ga-min feels out of this world to viewers, I wanted Se-hyun to be someone they could relate to."

 

Lee's journey into acting began at 23.

 

As a child, he dreamed of becoming a soccer player, but he gave up the sport in middle school and spent years without a clear goal. As an adult, he was preparing to start an online clothing business when he unexpectedly stumbled into acting.

 

"They say people get three major opportunities in life. My first one came when an agency looking for rookie actors reached out to me through social media," he recalled.

 

Looking ahead, he hopes to become an actor known for his versatility.

 

"I want my roles to be so different that people wouldn’t even recognize they’re played by the same person. Like Johnny Depp in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Edward Scissorhands, and Pirates of the Caribbean."

[ⓒ K-VIBE. 무단전재-재배포 금지]