For Korean actor Lee Jun-ho, the story of the project is the most important element when taking on a new role.
“As the narrator who drives the story, I sometimes make choices based on how the overall message gets across,” the 36-year-old told USA TODAY.
This emphasis on storytelling has led Lee to star in a number of award-winning Korean dramas, including globally recognized King the Land and Typhoon Family, both of which dominated the global Netflix streaming charts.
But another driving force behind Lee’s acting is his ability to immerse himself and challenge himself. Lee has played everything from a Joseon Dynasty king to a rookie CEO to an ordinary person turned superhero.
Lee’s two most recent projects, “Typhoon Family” and Netflix Korea’s “Kashero,” have been some of his most interesting roles to date, he says.
“When I worked on the dramas “Red Sleeve” and “King the Land,” I played characters like kings and kings. Zaibatsu (A wealthy heiress), but the characters in “Typhoon Family” and “Cachero” were in situations that I was personally drawn to,” Lee explains.
Casiero becomes a normal superhero.”
“Cachero” is Netflix’s first Korean original superhero production, which is what attracted Lee to the project, he said.
“We felt that[Cachero]had a differentiating quality that set it apart from the various superhero stories that we’re all familiar with,” Lee explains. “What definitely caught my attention was the fact that[the show]doesn’t just use superpowers, but you actually have to pay a price to use them.”
“Cachero” tells the story of Kang Sang-woong, an ordinary civil servant who discovers that he has supernatural powers, but there are caveats to his abilities.
“In order to fully immerse myself in the character of Sang-woong, I had to keep believing that I had superpowers and that if I wanted to use them, I could only use them based on the amount of cash I had,” Lee says. “In some ways, this was probably the most unrealistic character I’ve ever played.”
Being this “everyday type of hero” appealed to Lee, and he says performing the various action sequences, such as flying and throwing heavy stones, was more fun than exhausting.
But beyond the intense and fantastical themes, the real heart of “Cachero” lies in its message.
“I think it’s an opportunity for viewers to feel what it’s like to be a Korean-made, everyday K-hero with a different vibe than the more commonly known Marvel and DC superhero stories,” Lee explains. “But there’s also a really important key point that’s being addressed in this series, which in a way is something that’s mentioned in every superhero story, and it’s also mentioned in Spider-Man: ‘With great power comes great responsibility.'”
“Typhoon Family” and the importance of authentic storytelling
Before “Cachero,” Lee starred in another hit series, “Typhoon Family.” The 2025 Korean drama depicts Kang Tae-poon’s struggles and growth after a family tragedy during the 1997 Asian financial crisis.
“In the case of ‘Typhoon Family,’ it depicts how our country, South Korea, experienced the hardships of the IMF era and how we overcame it,” Lee says. “In a sense, people around the world are still experiencing similar difficulties, and I think this is an important theme of how to overcome them together with those around you.”
Lee Lee, who played the troubled Tae Poong, won the Best Actor Award (TV Category) at the 2025 Asian Artist Awards.
Lee said it was very important to portray realistic characters, and the hardships Tae-poong faced in “Typhoon Family” were a powerful story to share.
“I really wanted to tell a story about people who endure that kind of pain and ultimately overcome it,” he says. “I think the greatest strength of this drama is that it gives us the opportunity to look back on a historical period that we have never experienced before through television.
“By portraying these realistic figures, we provide a meaningful opportunity to think about how to overcome the economic (cultural) difficulties facing modern society.”
Looking back on Lee’s career
Lee has been active in the entertainment world for nearly 20 years as an actor, solo artist and member of the boy group 2PM, but he says the media landscape has changed a lot.
“Compared to when I debuted, the influence of global platforms has become much greater. Within the scope of K-content, we have K-pop, K-movies, K-dramas, and I think all of these combined and the fact that this content can more easily reach overseas fans and viewers through these platforms has created a positive impact,” he says.
“Now, I feel that all the years of hard work and effort have paid off, and as a Korean, I am very proud that viewers all over the world can easily watch our dramas.”
Lee hopes to continue taking on new roles in the future. “I’m always looking for the next project, especially new characters and new dramas that I haven’t played before,” he added.
Lee is set to star in the upcoming third installment of the “Veteran” film series, where he will play a new archetype. “I’ve never played a villain before, so I’m really excited and looking forward to the challenge,” he says.
