‘Squid Game’ lead Lee Jung-jae gracefully answers question from American reporter unaware of his stardom
By Bryan Ke
An American reporter has gone viral on social media for asking Lee Jung-jae an awkward question about his fame following the international success of the Netflix show “Squid Game.”
The moment: Lee, 48, was attending the LACMA Art+Film Gala in Los Angeles on Nov. 10 to promote “Squid Game” when he was approached by “Extra” reporter Katie Krause.
- “I’m sure you can’t leave the house anymore without people recognizing you. What has been the biggest life change for you since the series came out?” the interviewer asked, seemingly oblivious to the fact that Lee has been a star in South Korea for decades.
- “Yeah, you are right, indeed. The biggest change has to be that I’m so recognized by everybody everywhere,” the actor replied through an interpreter. “That is, in the United States, at that.”
- “When I would go to restaurants, out on the streets, I get recognized by so many people. Sometimes, when they are staring at me, I get startled and think, ‘Why are they looking at me like that?’ he added. “But then when our eyes meet, they would instantly talk about ‘Squid Game.’ Those are the moments when I truly feel like we really did make it big.”
Reaction: Many social media users took to Twitter to criticize the reporter for her question.
About Lee Jung-jae: The actor made his acting debut in the 1993 TV drama “Dinosaur Teacher” after two years of modeling, according to South China Morning Post. He was reportedly scouted while working at a coffee shop in Seoul.
- At 21 years old, Lee won best newcomer awards at three of South Korea’s most prestigious award shows: the Blue Dragon Film Awards, the Baeksang Arts Awards and the Grand Bell Awards.
- His other acting credits include “Deliver Us from Evil” (2020) and “The Thieves” (2012). His 2000 film “Il Mare” was remade by Hollywood in 2006 and titled “The Lake House,” starring Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock, according to Metro Style.
Featured Image via extratv
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