Lee Min Ho on marriage, life partner, being the most loved Korean actor, more
"I've been told all my life that I look old [for my age], so I used to ask when I’d finally look young, but now that I'm in my late 30s, people say I look like I’m in my mid-30s. Only now does it feel like things have taken a turn. This is the moment I've been waiting for. Haha."
Having made his debut 19 years ago, he is still going strong in the industry. Holding onto his convictions while embracing flexibility. This is actor Lee Min Ho, who has reigned as the top Hallyu star for over a decade.
His appearance in a movie comes almost 10 years after the Chinese movie Bounty Hunters. In Omniscient Reader: The Prophecy, he takes on the role of Yoo Jung Hyuk, the protagonist of the novel, whose contents have become reality.
The character, with intense action, cool-headed judgment, and strong, unwavering belief, feels like a role tailor-made for him. Lee Min Ho, during his interview for Omniscient Reader: The Prophecy, expressed, "I feel like I'm waiting for the evaluation."
His return to the film industry after a long time was entirely his own choice. "There was something I thought about on my own in my 20s — when I wanted to relieve my emotions or experience deep stories, I would naturally turn to films. Rather than works featuring actors in their 20s, I found myself drawn to projects that offered more depth. That's why I intentionally avoided acting in films in my 20s, thinking I'd take on them in my 30s."
Lee Min Ho had previously received an offer from the production company Realies Pictures to be cast in Along with the Gods, but due to conflicts of interest and circumstances, he was unable to take part. Now, for Omniscient Reader: The Prophecy, he has once again been selected by the same production company. Regarding this, Lee Min Ho said, "When I received the offer for the Along with the Gods series, I was in my twenties. I usually don't place much importance on relationships when choosing a project. The production company made me an offer again after 10 years, and especially for this project, we had many discussions from the planning stage, which led to my participation. My agency and I also had many conversations about how to adapt this IP into content."
Director Kim Byung Woo praised the actor highly, saying, "If it weren't for Lee Min Ho, there would be no Yoo Jung Hyuk." In fact, Lee Min Ho was the No. 1 choice in casting polls among fans of the original work.
"That was the biggest hurdle for me. When I read the original work, I realized that the character had a lot of symbolism and meaning. That made it all the more burdensome. As for how well I fit the role, I think it’s not for me to judge — I'd just be grateful if the audience feels, 'It's good enough.'"
Having often played characters in works with strong comic-like tones, such as Boys over Flowers and The Heirs, Lee often had to act out scenes which could easily be termed cringeworthy. But he said, "Not once have I ever felt cringey while working on those projects. I don't think this project made me feel anything like that either."
"In my previous works, the character's narrative often unfolded sequentially [alongside the plot]. But in this project, rather than presenting a grand overarching story, the structure focuses on sustaining the persuasiveness of the worldview through the character Yoo Jung Hyuk. That aspect gave me a lot of concerns."
Regarding the praise that Yoo Jung Hyuk is a "cool" character, he said, "I approached it by asking myself, 'Is there really something cool about him?' I kept telling the director, 'He has to be even more desperate.' I believed the more desperate he is, the more convincing he would become [to the viewers]."
"I've never once thought about wanting to look cool while working on a project. If anything seems cool [about me] in a work, it's because of the scene, not because of me. I actually think that the greater the sense of lack or deficiency, the more admirable a character can become. Most of the roles I've played so far had some kind of deficiency, and I believe the fact that the moments when they overcame that with the help of the female protagonist is where that cool aspect came from."
Regarding some reactions that his screen time in the project felt short, he said, "When I work, I don't focus so much on the amount of screen time. I place more importance on the meaning behind the character's existence and what role he serves within the story. It has to be convincing. I experienced that through Pachinko, so I believe I'll be able to take on a variety of projects going forward."
He continued, "My part has already been fully shown in this film. If the series continues, I think we'll be able to see more of Yoo Jung Hyuk's emotions and depth." "There's been talk about screen time, but I think that's a kind of prejudice particular to Korea. If you look at foreign films, no one really talks about who's supporting whom, right? I've never particularly cared about screen time from long ago. In my 20s, I didn't even get offers [for supporting roles], so it wasn't a matter of choice. But I never chose projects based on how big my role would be. What matters to me, first and foremost, is the story the project wants to tell, and there has to be meaning in it. As long as I'm clear on why I should be doing the project, the size of the role or screen time doesn't matter much to me."
When asked if there is someone like Yoo Jung Hyuk in his life, Lee Min Ho began, "Strangely enough, I've never really admired or heavily relied on anyone, even from a young age."
"Actually, my dog passed away a few days ago. So… I spent a few days crying and letting him go, and even during the press conference, I was carrying a sadness inside. At the same time, I realized, 'Ah, I was leaning on him more than I thought.' I think there were times in life when I relied on someone without realizing it. But I've never clearly acknowledged it and said, 'I rely on you.'"
The conversation naturally turned to questions about marriage. After some thought, Lee Min Ho said, "Of course, I should get married." "These days, I find myself thinking more and more about what's truly important in life. When I think about it, things like starting a family and having children are, in a way, some of the most meaningful and valuable things for a person. So, of course, I think about it."
"But things don't always go the way you want. It almost feels like a miracle would have to happen. For now, the thought of marriage still feels vague. I guess if the moment comes where I instinctively feel, 'This is a miracle,' then that's when I'll have to get married."
When asked whether a "miracle" meant his standards might be too high, Lee responded, "I think my standards for dealing with people in general are a bit different. My standards, when it comes to relationships, are also a bit different. I haven't fully defined them yet, but I feel like it has to be one of two things. I've lived without really placing much importance on small happiness or little things. So, it would have to be either someone who finds joy in small things, or someone who can share the thought, 'Why are we even doing all this?' Either someone who is completely different from me in that way, or someone similar to me."
He added, "Her profession doesn't matter — even if she's in the entertainment industry, it's fine. I really don't mind who it is or what kind of job she has."
Lee, now in his late 30s, expressed that this is the time in his life when he feels most content. "My early 20s were a time for gaining experience, and my late 20s were a time for organizing those experiences. Now, it feels like I'm in another phase of experiencing [new] things again."
"At this point, I'm dreaming of freedom while carrying a sense of responsibility." "In the end, it's the experiences from my 20s that have filled these past 10-plus years, and I realized I shouldn't stop there. I've developed a desire to fill myself with something new. Even when I think about the next 10 years, I feel I'll be able to keep going forward in a positive way. I'm not afraid of things people usually hesitate about. I like throwing myself into new environments and enjoy recharging my energy through those experiences."
Regarding his reputation for maintaining a clean career without any controversies over his personal life, Lee Min Ho shared, "I've never felt anxious about it, but I do think that I could find myself in such a situation at any time."
"Whenever personal desires arise, I try to remind myself of things more important than myself — like my family, my projects' future, and greater values. I think those thoughts naturally lead to restraint and effort."
He added, "We're living in such a sensitive times. You never know when an issue might arise. But if I become too conscious of that, I feel I can't live life in a way that's true to myself. I try to maintain a balance within the limits of what I can do."
Lee Min Ho was ranked No. 1 for the 12th consecutive year as the "most loved Korean actor overseas" in the Overseas Hallyu Survey announced by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and Korean Foundation for International Cultural Exchange (KOFICE). The actor said, "Doing my best quietly within the given circumstances is the value I strive for. In that sense, I'm quite similar to Yoo Jung Hyuk. I believe any title attached to the name Lee Min Ho can change at any time. I wasn't a 'Hallyu star Lee Min Ho' from the time I debuted. With the mindset that things can always change, I want to give my best moment by moment."
Talking about the immense love from overseas fans, Lee Min Ho shared, "These days, I've been receiving a lot of letters in Hindi. AI translation works quite well now, so while I can't read all of them, I do read them often, and I also check posts and occasionally read DMs."
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