On the 14th, the drama 'Love Scout' ended with the highest viewership rating of 12%. The drama, which received attention for reversing the gender roles of the 'secretary genre,' centered around actor Lee Joonhyuk (41), who plays the main character, Eunho. The image of Eunho, the perfect male secretary who assists the female CEO Kang Jiyoon (Han Jimin), captivates viewers in every episode.
In an interview on the 10th at a café in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, Lee Joonhyuk shared, “I felt as if my heart connected with the world.”
"The 'Love Scout' team worked really hard for a long time and it feels like our efforts paid off. Creating a drama is about bringing something that doesn't exist into the world. It feels like people agreed with the vision we believed in. So, it's quite touching."
'Love Scout' is a drama that relies heavily on Lee Joonhyuk's charm. While it brought a fresh perspective by reversing the traditional structure of 'male boss-female secretary romance,' it followed the existing romance genre tropes. The drama's success was tied to Eunho's charms. It's not surprising to see witty comments like 'Lee Joonhyuk's face is the plot' throughout the broadcast.
Playing an 'undeniably charming' character turns out to be challenging for Lee Joonhyuk. He revealed that he had to make an effort to portray Eunho to 'not stand out.' He shared, "Eunho had to exist like a bass in a guitar performance. If he stood out too much like a vocalist and acted 'I'm handsome,' it could've ruined the character. All the staff, including myself, understood and agreed on this approach."
Despite his effort not to stand out, Eunho still captured viewers' eyes with his charming presence. Even the humble Lee Joonhyuk admitted, "There were scenes that I felt turned out really well." However, Lee Joonhyuk emphasized that it was all just fantasy.
"I wonder if the brainwashing effect of mass media is still there or not. If you look at reality, the fantasy would be shattered... Please be fooled just a little longer. Haha."
-What is he talking about? I saw him in person and he looked even more handsomepersonㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ He was the most handsome person I've ever seen.
-He's seriously the most handsome celebrity I've ever seen. He's Milbaen (NB: It's a nickname given for him, stands for Milky Vanilla Angel). His face literally glows.
-What are you talking about? Look in the mirror!!!
-He’s too humble... Why are you like this, Mr. Milky Vanilla Angel?
-Does he not look in the mirror?ㅡㅡ
-Mr. Milky Vanill Angel, why are you like this?
-No... You're handsome as f*ck.
-He's being too harsh on himself. It’s time to just admit it already.
-I saw him in person up close, and I seriously thought he wasn't human…..
-Stop talking nonsense....
-You're too humble...
-Isn't 'mass media' a term used 20 years ago?ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
-Does he not have a mirror at home...?
-Mr. Milky Vanilla Angel, you need to be scolded a little...
-He’s handsome!!!!!!!!!! I feel like I want to tell him that forever.
