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Four years ago, the actor and singer Lee Minho was yearning for a shift in his career. It was around this time that he received the script for Season 1 of “Pachinko,” the drama that follows four generations of a Korean immigrant family, based on the novel by Min Jin Lee.
“I found it to be fateful, in a way,” Lee said. “When I first read the script, I felt that this was a story that would resonate with people of the present and the future, transcending time.”
Lee, 37, is one of the most popular actors in South Korea, having broken out playing the lead role in the Korean TV series “Boys Over Flowers.” In “Pachinko,” created by Soo Hugh and now in its second season on Apple TV+, Lee plays Koh Hansu, a morally ambiguous broker at a local fish market who becomes involved in a thorny love affair with the show’s central character, Sunja (Minha Kim), and fathers her son, Noa (Park Jae-joon).
Lee was drawn to the pathos of his character. “My heart was breaking for him, and I pitied him, too, because of his way of living and the methods he had to choose for his survival,” he said.
In a video call from Seoul, Lee talked about the music he listened to while on set, his favorite video game and how he prepares for roles by writing. These are edited excerpts from the conversation.
My Mother, Father and Sister
I had an opportunity to think really deeply about the meaning of family by playing the role of Hansu. From Hansu’s perspective, the people who remind him of his being are Sunja and Noa. Just like that, the people who make me realize who I am are the people who are close to me.
That Feeling When I Finish Something
The projects that I work on are the projects that I immerse myself in and focus on. I put in a lot of energy and passion. So when the new project releases, I feel so much joy and satisfaction.
Unwinding at Home
Because of my job, I live a glamorous life and get to meet a lot of people. So when I spend a lot of time with people outside, I need to have serenity at home. I live in Seoul, and to relax I find different stories on YouTube and play games, like League of Legends.
Humanity
Nowadays, you can be in a virtual world. We are spending less and less time with each other in person. This will get enhanced more and more with A.I. This is the time when we need to think about what makes us human and what sorts of stories should be told.
Notes App
Whenever I get inspiration or feel something, I go to my Notes app and write it down. When I’m preparing for a role, I write short poems and sentences from the perspective of the character I’m preparing for.
Recharging Outside
When you’re in front of Mother Nature, you feel how feeble and vulnerable you are as a human being. In my 20s, I went to New Zealand a lot. And the location for filming “Pachinko” was in Canada. On the days when we didn’t have filming, I went to Niagara Falls to fill up my energy.
Cycling
When I was younger, I preferred riding in a car or a motorcycle. But now what is fascinating to me is that the driving force of the bicycle is myself. I am the engine of the bicycle. The fact that I can adjust the speed at my own will is the most charming point.
New Experiences
I am the kind of person who always seeks something new, rather than lingering on the things that I have already experienced. Bicycling is a new experience for me, and writing, as well.
Connecting With the Past While Traveling
Visiting historical sites allows me to imagine the lives of those who once lived there, even though they are no longer present. I become immersed in the era, picturing what those people were thinking, how they laughed, cried and moved in their daily lives. This experience serves as a powerful source of inspiration for me, sparking new ideas and creativity in ways I never expect. That’s why, whenever I get the chance to travel, I make it a point to visit places with a rich history, even if they aren’t famous.
Music While on Set
These days, I like to listen to Justin Bieber and Shawn Mendes. And when I was doing “Pachinko,” I tried to listen to music that didn’t have lyrics — Beethoven and Mozart.
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