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EXCLUSIVE: Lee Mu Saeng on playing Lee Bo Young’s husband in Hide, facing death in Thirty-Nine and Blood Free shoot
In an exclusive conversation, Lee Mu Saeng, who played the lead role in the mystery K-drama Hide alongside Lee Bo Young, talked about juggling roles simultaneously. Read more below.
Hide, a K-drama about secrets, faith, betrayal, suspense, mystery, and much more, stars Lee Bo Young, Lee Mu Saeng, Lee Chung Ah, and Lee Chae Min in the main roles. It follows the story of Na Mun Yeong, an ex-prosecutor who sets up a law firm alongside her husband, Cha Seong Jae. She is left stunned by his sudden disappearance, opening a box of worms.
About Lee Mu Saeng
The 43-year-old actor started off with smaller roles in films and K-dramas like Prison Playbook and Something in the Rain, and his dedication to his craft soon saw him get cast in bigger roles. With an appearance in Thirty-Nine and The Silent Sea, Lee Mu Saeng's talent was recognized further, and his acting in The Glory as Kang Yeong Cheon further nailed his prowess.
Watch Hide trailer
Lee Mu Saeng interview
With credits in numerous famed projects, his role in the SLL-produced mystery drama Hide alongside Lee Bo Young was highly anticipated. The actor seemingly paid a lot of attention to detail while also shooting for another drama and getting ready for a third one. In an exclusive conversation, he told us all about his hectic schedule.
What kind of a husband do you think Cha Seong Jae was to Na Mun Yeong?
Lee Mu Saeng: The person he loves the most is Na Moon Young, but somehow, he feels inferior and wants to show her only the perfect and capable side of himself. He can't seem to share even the smallest mistakes with her. Cha Seong Jae intends to show Na Mun Yeong the best side of himself but ends up being caught at his bottom, spending highs and lows with her. I don't think he's some kind of a good husband.
What did you take away from Cha Seong Jae's role, and why do you think people should watch Hide?
Lee Mu Saeng: True love seems to be about sharing, understanding, and forgiving even faults. I've learned that it's not the perfection that the other person wants but the mistakes and shortcomings that make us stronger and more solid through each other. It got each other hurt the most in the end by not being honest with the person you need to be the most honest with. If you ever find yourself at a crossroads, I hope you can learn from Cha Seong Jae in Hide and not make that choice.
Our personal favorite role of yours has to be Thirty-Nine, where you portrayed a dedicated friend to a terminally ill character. How do you look back on that role, and what did it teach you?
Lee Mu Saeng: Thank you so much for liking Kim Jin Seok the most.
In Thirty-Nine, Kim Jin Seok is actually out of luck with the timing.
When they were free, he left for another country, and now, just when they are about to start over, the other person passes away. However, Kim Jin Seok summoned great courage and became more honest with himself so that he would have no regrets. In that sense, I think Kim Jin Seok grew a lot by the end of the drama, and what I learned was that if you are in love with someone, love that person now; there's no time like the present to start loving. If you've met someone you love, now is the timing.
You will next be seen in the role of physiologist; in comparison with Cha Seong Jae, which of the two roles was more difficult to pull off and why?
Lee Mu Saeng: As with all characters, there is no way of weighing the importance of interpreting and understanding their personal narratives. However, in my next work, Blood Free, On San is a founding member of a biotechnology firm that defends the company against outside forces, while Cha Seong Jae is always on the run, deceiving and being deceived. Therefore, while On San gets through the difficulties with his colleagues, Cha Sung Jae has always been alone and lonely.
You juggled multiple roles at the same time. How do you get in and out of character with each of them?
Lee Mu Saeng: Last year has been busy for me, as I've been fortunate to take many roles. When I read, I tend to read multiple books alternately. When I'm stuck in a book and don't understand it, I look for one in a different section to divert my thoughts and smoothly go with it. The characters also have some parts I don't understand, so interpreting other characters gives me a different perspective. Like this, each role is helpful to others, and getting out of it is a rest. I make time to walk, exercise, and keep myself busy so that I can clear my mind and get ready to take on a new character.
With so many successful projects under your belt, what kind of roles are you looking for next?
Lee Mu Saeng: It’ll make my heart skip a beat if there is a story about an ordinary person who is thrown into an incident for some reason and solves it simply yet ingeniously.
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