When it comes to some of the most iconic and well-known Korean actors in K-Dramas and movies, there is one person who will always be at the top of the list: Lee Min Ho. Since his debut as an actor, Lee Min Ho has starred in a number of iconic shows including The heirs, Boys about flowersAnd King: The Eternal Monarch.

Considering his legacy and longevity in the industry, it’s not surprising to know that this has resulted in the actor not having to audition for roles in over a dozen years. Directors and casting agents know what Lee Min Ho is capable of and usually hire him without auditioning.

Yet it seems everything changed when he secured his role in the hit Apple TV series. Pachinko.

In the show, Lee Min Ho takes on a very different character: Hansu, who was adopted into an organized crime family in Japan… worlds away from the romantic characters that netizens are used to seeing him in.

It seems that despite his credentials, Lee Min Ho had to audition like everyone else. In an interview with TIME magazine, the screenwriter Sooo Hugh explained that the casting was crucial for the series, so Lee Min Ho had to audition for the first time in thirteen years.

Particularly in a sit-down interview for Korean society, Soo Hugh was asked all about the process of choosing the cast. It certainly seemed far from easy and could have been quite a challenge for someone like Lee Min Ho, who might not have been used to the process after so long.

Not only did the actors have to audition, they each had to memorize about three scenes, about six or seven pages each. It already shows who really wants it.

— Sooo Hugh

In another interview with Digital spyHoo Sugh explained that because she wasn’t as aware of his credentials and fame, he was treated like any other actor when it came to auditions.

And I didn’t know how big a star he was. So I went in a bit innocently, I must say, and he was treated just like everyone else. He went through the same rigorous audition process.

— Sooo Hugh

But despite the difficulty, it seems like Lee Min Ho enjoyed it. He explained that it was refreshing to be cast not just because he was famous, adding that it reminded him of his early days as an actor.

It’s been thirteen years since I auditioned, so I almost forgot about the process. Auditioning is not just a process to show your acting skills, but it is a process to see if your ideology and characteristics match the character and how deeply you have thought about the character.

– Lee Min Ho

It just shows how dedicated Lee Min Ho is to his craft. Many experienced actors may have felt insulted by having to audition, but Lee Min Ho went through the entire process and showed that he got the role because of his talent. Pachinko’s first season was considered a bit of a hit and the second season is scheduled to be released on August 23.

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