Actor Lee Jin Wook is finally speaking up about his surprisingly short screen time in the highly anticipated Netflix series Squid Game 3 — and fans are curious why he joined at all.
On the August 5 episode of JTBC’s Let’s Eat Dinner Together, Lee Jin Wook appeared as a guest alongside actress Jung Chae Yeon. During the show, the topic of Squid Game came up, and Lee Jin Wook gave some honest behind-the-scenes details.
Host Kim Hee Sun asked when the last filming took place, and Lee replied,
“It was early last year. It’s been a while now.”
He then revealed something unexpected:
“I was the very last person to be cast for the role. The director struggled until the end to decide who should play it. He even told me he felt sorry because the screen time was so short.”
So why did he accept the role?
Lee Jin Wook explained,
“I had worked with Director Hwang Dong Hyuk before on Miss Granny. We had a connection, so I wanted to be part of it again.”
But even after joining, Lee shared that he didn’t know much about the story.
“I only received the script for the scenes I was in. If I died in episode 3, I had no idea what happened in episode 4. There were no extra scripts.”
The secrecy didn’t end there.
“We weren’t even allowed to talk to each other about the plot. Even the actors stayed quiet and careful. During the script reading was the first time we met and realized who else was in it. That’s when people said, ‘Oh, that was you!’”
Despite his short role, other actors were shocked to see Lee Jin Wook in the cast.
“They probably thought, ‘If Lee Jin Wook is playing this role, it must be important.’ That’s why I also heard people say, ‘Why did you even do this?’” he said with a laugh.
Tak Jae Hoon joked,
“Why would you join something so frustrating?”
And Kim Hee Sun added, “You must’ve been stressed a lot.”
But Lee Jin Wook kept it cool, saying,
“As a fan, I was just happy to visit the set and see the games up close. Filming was actually fun.”
Later in the show, the cast tried (and failed) to get invited for dinner at a stranger’s house in Apgujeong-dong — marking their second failed attempt in a row.
Tak Jae Hoon looked at the two younger guests and joked,
“I hope we didn’t hurt the feelings of these positive young people.”
Lee Jin Wook smiled and added,
“Pressing that doorbell really gives you pressure.”
Even with limited screen time, Lee Jin Wook’s appearance in Squid Game 3 sparked curiosity — and now fans finally understand why he chose to be part of it.
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