Latest news with #LeeJun-young
Time of India
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Korean Actor Lee Jun-young Makes History - First Korean Star to Work with Japanese Legend Takuya Kimura
The Secret Project That Nobody Saw Coming Imagine keeping the biggest secret of your career for months - that's exactly what Lee Jun-young did! The Korean heartthrob was cast and completed filming for the Japanese film " Tokyo Taxi " in complete secrecy. The announcement came as a massive shock to fans when it was revealed that he had already wrapped up all his scenes before anyone even knew he was part of the project. This level of secrecy is pretty much unheard of in today's social media-obsessed world. It's like pulling off the ultimate surprise party, except the party is a major international film collaboration that could change the trajectory of Korean-Japanese cinema relations forever. Star-Studded Cast That Reads Like a Dream Team by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo "Tokyo Taxi" isn't just any ordinary film - it's a remake of the popular 2022 French film "Une Belle Course" (A Beautiful Course). The movie is set against the backdrop of Tokyo's ever-changing landscape and tells a touching human drama about life's regrets, reconciliation, and miraculous moments at the end of one's journey. The cast is absolutely insane - we're talking about Japanese cinema royalty here. Takuya Kimura , the legendary actor who's basically the Shah Rukh Khan of Japan, leads the cast alongside veteran actress Baisho Chieko, the talented Yuu Aoi, and Sakoda Takaya. And right in the middle of this Japanese powerhouse ensemble is our very own Lee Jun-young, representing Korea with pride. Lee Jun-young plays Kim Young-gi, the first love from the younger days of the main character Sumire (played by Baisho Chieko). His character shares deep emotional scenes with Yuu Aoi, which honestly sounds like the kind of romantic subplot that's going to have audiences reaching for tissues. The Director Who's Basically Japanese Cinema's Living Legend Here's where things get even more exciting - the film is directed by Yamada Yoji, who's literally a walking piece of Japanese film history. This man has directed classics like "It's Tough to Be a Man," "The Twilight Samurai," "Tokyo Family," and the "What a Wonderful Family" series. He's the kind of director whose name alone guarantees quality cinema. What makes this even more special is that this marks Kimura Takuya's reunion with Yamada Yoji after 19 years since "The Twilight Samurai". That's like waiting for your favorite band to get back together - the anticipation in Japan is absolutely through the roof. Why This Matters More Than You Think Lee Jun-young's casting represents something much bigger than just one actor getting a role. This is about Korean talent being recognized and valued in international markets, particularly in Japan where the entertainment industry has traditionally been quite insular. The actor himself seemed genuinely moved by the experience, saying, "Thanks to Director Yamada's emotion-centered direction, I was able to naturally immerse myself in the character. Although it was a short filming period, it was a very intense experience". He also expressed his honor at working with such accomplished actors in his first Japanese film. What's particularly sweet is his hope that "audiences will also be able to feel the warmth of humanity through this work". In a world that often feels divided, stories that emphasize our shared humanity are exactly what we need. The film is set to release across Japan on November 21st, and honestly, this feels like the beginning of a new chapter in Korean-Japanese cultural exchange through cinema . Lee Jun-young is expanding his territory from Korea to the global stage, solidifying his position as a rising star with international appeal. This collaboration feels like a beautiful bridge between two cultures that share so much yet often seem worlds apart. Just like how Bollywood and regional cinema have found ways to collaborate and create magic, Korean and Japanese entertainment industries are showing that great storytelling transcends borders. It's the kind of cultural exchange that makes you believe in the power of art to bring people together.
Tatler Asia
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Tatler Asia
9 K-drama actors who've nailed both red flag and green flag roles
Gong Yoo Above Making hearts swoon in 'Goblin' (Photo: tvN) Above Surprising fans as the mysterious recruiter in the global hit K-drama 'Squid Game' (Photo: IMDb) Green flag: Goblin Red flag: Squid Game Having built a career as one of South Korea's most celebrated romantic leads in K-dramas like Coffee Prince and Goblin , fans were not a little shocked when he went against type in his much-talked-about cameo as the mysterious recruiter in Squid Game Season 1. He then doubled down in Season 2, leaning fully—and almost gleefully—into the dark and sinister tones, revealing a chilling intensity that stands in stark contrast to his swoon-worthy roles. Don't miss: 16 no-romance K-dramas that still pack an emotional punch Ahn Bo-hyun Above Naive and romantic in 'See you in My 19th Life' (Photo: tvN) Above Vindictive and cruel in 'Itaewon Class' (Photo: JTBC) Green flag: See You in My 19th Life Red flag: Itaewon Class In Itaewon Class , Jang Geun-won, a character who clearly wasn't hugged enough as a child, is vindictive and cruel, relentlessly bullying Park Sae-ro-yi (Park Seo-joon) out of a deeply personal vendetta. Ahn Bo-hyun embodied the role with such conviction that it's no surprise many assumed he was tailor-made for villain roles. But subsequent roles in K-dramas like My Name , Yumi's Cells and See You in My 19th Life quickly showed he was more than capable of playing sweet romantic heroes, too. Lee Jun-young Above Earnest and affectionate in 'When Life Gives You Tangerines' (Photo: IMDb) Above An agent of chaos in 'Weak Hero Class 2' (Photo: IMDb) Green flag: When Life Gives You Tangerines Red flag: Weak Hero Class 2 In When Life Gives You Tangerines , Lee Jun-young played Ae-sun's (IU) completely enamoured first love. Affectionate, innocent and earnest, there's no question about how deeply he loves Ae-sun. His one fatal flaw? His inability to stand up to an overbearing, snobbish mother. But that's nothing compared to Geum Seong-je, his character from Weak Hero Class 2 . Seong-je is an agent of chaos, a sadistic bully who finds joy in violence and gets his kicks from watching others suffer. Don't miss: The breakout stars of 'Weak Hero Class': Meet the next generation of K-drama talent Choo Young-woo Above Young, naive and dedicated in 'Trauma Code' (Photo: IMDb) Above Power-hungry and ruthless in 'Mercy for None' (Photo: IMDb) Green flag: Trauma Code: Heroes on Call Red flag: Mercy for None In Trauma Code: Heroes on Call , Choo Young-woo plays Yang Jae-won, one of the titular 'heroes on call'. As Baek Kang-hyuk's (Ju Ji-hoon) reluctant protégé, Jae-won is initially timid and prone to panicking. Still, he is compassionate and dedicated to saving his patients, and eventually becomes a competent trauma doctor. Meanwhile, Lee Geum-Son, the character he plays in Mercy for None , is the son of a mafia boss. Ambitious, power-hungry and ruthlessly manipulative, he is prone to fits of violence and is willing to betray anyone to dominate the criminal underworld. Don't miss: Meet the future of K-drama: 5 breakout actors you need to know Kim Seon-ho Above K-drama heartthrob in 'Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha' (Photo: tvN) Above Unhinged and psychopathic in 'The Childe' (Photo: IMDb) Green flag: Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha Red flag: T he Childe His charming turn as 'Good Boy' in Start-Up and his heartfelt portrayal of the emotionally sensitive jack-of-all-trades Hong Du-sik in Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha established Kim Seon-ho as the next K-drama heartthrob. But in The Childe , he completely flips the script, playing a mysterious, psychopathic hitman who delights in the chaos he creates and his chilling brutality. Don't miss: 9 fan-favourite K-drama opening credits you wouldn't want to skip Byeon Woo-seok Above The greenest flag in 'Lovely Runner' (Photo: tvN) Above Cold and cunning in 'Strong Girl Nam-soon' (Photo: JTBC) Green flag: Lovely Runner Red flag: Strong Girl Nam-soon Lovely Runner 's Ryu Sun-jae is the greenest of green flags, the kind you bring home to meet your parents. The man would defy space and time to be with the woman he loves, after all. But aside from being utterly devoted to Im Sol (Kim Hye-yoon), he is also a dutiful son and a good friend. Ryu Si-o from Strong Girl Nam-soon , on the other hand, is cold and cunning. Raised in the criminal underworld and the product of an abusive upbringing, he has a frightening appetite for violence, and not even his tragic backstory or his affection for Nam-soon (Lee You-mi) is enough to redeem him. Don't miss: 9 romantic K-dramas where the male lead fell in love first—and fell the hardest Choi Woo-shik Above Sweet and introspective in 'Our Beloved Summer' (Photo: SBS) Above Giving major ick in 'Fight for My Way' (Photo: KBS) Green flag: Our Beloved Summer Red flag: Fight for My Way Choi Woo-shik's role as the duplicitous Park Moo-bin in Fight for My Way is enough to give anyone the ick—he's pushy, disregards boundaries and, as it turns out, is already engaged to someone else while pursuing Choi Ae-ra (Kim Ji-won). Meanwhile, in Our Beloved Summer , he plays the endearing and introspective Choi Ung, a talented and passionate illustrator who cares deeply for the people he loves, and whose unwavering affection for Kook Yeon-su (Kim Da-mi) made him a fan-favourite green flag K-drama character. Lee Dong-wook Above Sweet and misunderstood in 'Goblin' (Photo: tvN) Above A manipulative serial killer in 'Strangers from Hell' (Photo: IMDb) Green flag: Goblin Red flag: Strangers from Hell After making fans fall in love with him in Goblin as the sweet and misunderstood Grim Reaper—whose undying love for Sunny (Yoon In-na) had everyone swooning—Lee Dong-wook took a dark turn in Strangers from Hell . As the psychotic serial killer Seo Moon-jo, he doesn't just terrorise Yoon Jong-woo (Im Si-wan), he infiltrates his psyche, determined to mould him into a killer in his own image.
South China Morning Post
19-03-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Lee Jun-young shines in When Life Gives You Tangerines, new Netflix Korean drama
Actor Lee Jun-young is emerging as a scene-stealer in the second act of Netflix's When Life Gives You Tangerines, captivating global viewers with his impressive performance. Advertisement In episodes five to eight of the series, released on March 14, Lee plays Park Young-beom, a pure and devoted young man who only has eyes for one woman. His portrayal of a lovestruck yet earnest character has drawn praise for its warmth and sincerity. When Life Gives You Tangerines tells the life stories of Ae-soon and Gwan-sik, two individuals born and raised on South Korea's Jeju island, portrayed across different decades. The series explores their unpredictable lives through the changing seasons, depicting their innocent teenage years, the challenges of youth, and their eventful journey into adulthood and parenthood. The second act focuses on the characters in their twenties as they face the hardships of the real world and begin their lives as young parents. Advertisement Lee appears as Young-beom, the suitor of Yang Geum-myung (played by IU). He makes a strong first impression at a Seoul National University entrance ceremony, where he instantly falls for Geum-myung and is unable to take his eyes off her.
South China Morning Post
22-02-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Netflix K-drama Melo Movie's Lee Jun-young emerges as breakout romance star
Actor Lee Jun-young, who has shown his versatility across various genres and roles, has solidified his status as a rising star in romance dramas with his performance in Netflix's Melo Movie, which premiered on February 14. Advertisement In the series, Lee takes on the lead role of Hong Si-jun, an aspiring composer who considers himself a genius but remains unknown to the world. The romantic drama portrays the lives of young adults navigating love, dreams and personal trauma while finding inspiration in one another. Lee's performance captivated global audiences with its emotional depth, particularly in scenes depicting Hong's break-up with his long-time girlfriend Son Ju-a, played by Jeon So-nee, and their unexpected reunion after she becomes a screenwriter. His portrayal of heartbreak, hope and inner conflict resonated with viewers, sparking widespread engagement online. Advertisement
