[INTERVIEW] Lee Jun-hyuk subverts melodrama cliche as male secretary in 'Love Scout'

Lee likens actors to 'ingredients' for talented directors

By Park Jin-hai

The SBS drama "Love Scout" wrapped up Friday, earning praise for its refreshing take on romance by subverting traditional gender roles. The drama challenged long-standing male-centric narratives, featuring a strong female CEO and a supportive male secretary — a rare dynamic in Korean television.

At the heart of the office romance is Han Ji-min as Kang Ji-yoon, a successful CEO of a headhunting company, and Lee Jun-hyuk as Yoo Eun-ho, her thoughtful and highly competent secretary. The drama’s unconventional approach resonated with audiences, contributing to its rapid rise in viewership — from 5.2 percent for its premiere to 11.3 percent by the fourth episode, with ratings consistently high throughout the series.

Lee's performance, in particular, has been credited as a key factor in the drama's success. Known for his intense roles in genre dramas, he has risen as a rom-com king with his role in "Love Scout."

"The process of creating something that doesn't exist in the world is what we (actors) do. Believing in that, the team worked together to create something and the fact that drama fans agreed with it, enjoyed it and connected with it, made me feel like I was having a one-on-one conversation with them. It was very touching," Lee said on the success of his latest work during an interview with The Korea Times at a cafe in Seoul on Monday.

The 40-year-old actor has made his character — a male secretary who defies conventional workplace stereotypes — entirely his own. His character's competence and thoughtfulness have led viewers to question traditional gender roles in the workplace.

Lee, known for his roles in crime dramas like "Stranger" (2017) and its spin-off "Dongjae, the Good or the Bastard" (2024), found himself taking on a new challenge with this romantic show. The actor cited memorable scenes, including the final moment of Episode 4, where Han's CEO character casually compliments his looks, saying, "You're handsome, Yoo Eun-ho."

"Although elements like lighting, art direction, styling and makeup do help to some extent, this particular scene didn’t rely heavily on camera work. I was merely pretending to sleep, but Han’s acting was so convincing that it brought the scene to life," he said, praising his co-star’s performance.

"Her ability to fully immerse herself in the character and deliver a line genuinely even made me believe it, too. It was a fascinating experience to work on a romance drama and see how much can be achieved through collaboration with a talented co-star."

Lee was able to find something special in playing the seemingly mundane character of Eun-ho. He revealed that his favorite scene is the silent exchange of glances between him and the CEO in Episode 7.

"In the empty office of Peoplez (Ji-yoon's company where the drama is set), there was a scene where the CEO was inside the room and I was outside, and we locked eyes — filled with longing, unable to voice their feelings. I really like that scene. In a way, it could be considered a cliche, but if done well, I think it's a good melodrama," he said.

According to the actor, melodramas shared some similarities with the genre dramas he was more familiar with.

"In a way, it is similar to other genre dramas I've done. There's a specific rhythm and structure and timing is everything. In action scenes, you have a specific moment to deliver the punch; in a romance, it's about timing the kiss perfectly. I enjoy that kind of structure and it was fun to work on a project that required such precise timing," Lee said.

Discussing his philosophy in acting, Lee compared actors to raw ingredients in a dish. However, he believes actors should be active participants in the creative process, collaborating closely with the director to fully bring a character to life.

"We need to stay fresh and ready for use. But unlike passive ingredients like fish in a fish farm, we are more active like a living octopus exploring the world, absorbing new experiences and not being afraid of being cooked by a talented chef — or in our case, a good director," he said.