#SHOWBIZ: Lee Byung-hun's son asked why he was 'so mean' in 'Squid Game'
SEOUL: Actor Lee Byung-hun cuts an intimidating figure in Squid Game, from his reveal as the villainous Front Man in season one, to his undercover work as a contestant in season two.
He recently said on The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon that while he has impressed audiences worldwide, his 10-year-old son Joon-hoo was less than pleased with the role.
Byung-hun told Fallon: "My son heard about the show from his friends in school, and one day, he was so sad and asked me, 'Why are you so mean?'"
When Byung-hun asked what he meant, Joon-hoo said: "You killed a lot of people."
He added that his son was also close to actor-singer T.O.P., who played Thanos in Squid Game season two, and asked his father why he hit the latter "so bad".
Byung-hun, 55, said that he had to explain that he was only acting, which his son does not fully understand yet.
When Joon-hoo was only three, Byung-hun had shown him a clip from one of the G.I. Joe movies where he played Storm Shadow, and was asked where his weapon was and why he wouldn't bring it back from the US.
"I said, 'If I see some strong enemy, I'm gonna bring it back," Byung-hun recalled.
Season two of Squid Game ended in a cliffhanger where Front Man kills one of the protagonist Seong Gi-hun's (Lee Jung-jae) best friends.
Byung-hun teased that the climax of the show would be in season three.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Straits Times
7 hours ago
- New Straits Times
#SHOWBIZ: Lee Byung-hun's son asked why he was 'so mean' in 'Squid Game'
SEOUL: Actor Lee Byung-hun cuts an intimidating figure in Squid Game, from his reveal as the villainous Front Man in season one, to his undercover work as a contestant in season two. He recently said on The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon that while he has impressed audiences worldwide, his 10-year-old son Joon-hoo was less than pleased with the role. Byung-hun told Fallon: "My son heard about the show from his friends in school, and one day, he was so sad and asked me, 'Why are you so mean?'" When Byung-hun asked what he meant, Joon-hoo said: "You killed a lot of people." He added that his son was also close to actor-singer T.O.P., who played Thanos in Squid Game season two, and asked his father why he hit the latter "so bad". Byung-hun, 55, said that he had to explain that he was only acting, which his son does not fully understand yet. When Joon-hoo was only three, Byung-hun had shown him a clip from one of the G.I. Joe movies where he played Storm Shadow, and was asked where his weapon was and why he wouldn't bring it back from the US. "I said, 'If I see some strong enemy, I'm gonna bring it back," Byung-hun recalled. Season two of Squid Game ended in a cliffhanger where Front Man kills one of the protagonist Seong Gi-hun's (Lee Jung-jae) best friends. Byung-hun teased that the climax of the show would be in season three.
The Star
3 days ago
- The Star
Squid Game star Lee Byung-hun feels 'bittersweet' as hit series comes to an end
South Korean actor Lee Byung-hyun says he is a little sad that 'Squid Game' is coming to an end. Photo: AFP Lee Byung-hun was one of the few Asian actors to break into Hollywood when opportunities were still rare. The South Korean star – who turns 55 on July 12 – has built an enviable career spanning Korean and Hollywood films. He first entered the Hollywood scene with G.I. Joe: The Rise Of Cobra (2009) and returned for its sequel, G.I. Joe: Retaliation (2013). He's also appeared in Red 2 (2013), Terminator Genisys (2015) and The Magnificent Seven (2016). Now, as he reprises his role as the mysterious Front Man in Netflix's Squid Game Season Three, Lee reflects on how much has changed for Asian actors – and for Korean content. 'Like you mentioned, I do have experience working on Hollywood blockbusters. But the Squid Game experience was truly special,' he tells StarLifestyle during a Zoom interview. 'It was amazing to tell our own story – created and executed entirely by a Korean team. That made it all the more meaningful.' Lee, who has worked in the industry for decades, admitted he had never felt the kind of global fan enthusiasm that Squid Game brought. 'Even with my long career, this is something I'm experiencing for the first time. It's awe-inspiring and pleasantly surprising in the best way,' he continues. Squid Game made history as the first non-English Netflix original to top the US charts. It also topped the Netflix chart in other countries. For the second season, the cast travalled to United States and Italy for red carpet premieres and met the international fans at these locations. Likewise, Lee and his fellow cast were in the US and Britain recently to promote the series' third season. (From left) Lee Jung-Jae, Kim Ji-Yeon, Lee Byung-hun, Park Gyu-young and director Hwang Dong-hyuk pose for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the television series 'Squid Game 3' on June 12, 2025, in London. Photo: AP Lee attributes the global success of Squid Game and other Korean content not just to strong storytelling, but also to the growth of global streaming platforms. 'In the past, many actors dreamed of being in a Hollywood production. But now, we know that if we focus on telling a great story where we are – and execute it well – it can have just as much, if not more, global impact," he says. 'That's the biggest shift I've seen in recent years," says Lee, before adding, "It hasn't changed how I approach acting, but it's changed how I view the industry.' Speaking at a recent press conference in Seoul, Lee also opened up about saying goodbye to the show. 'I feel bittersweet that it's coming to an end. Like I have (felt) with many of my past projects, there's satisfaction, but also a little sadness,' says Lee who starred in other hit K-dramas including Iris , Mr. Sunshine and Our Blues . 'What made this one ( Squid Game ) different was promoting Season Two in the United States and getting to meet fans face-to-face. Their support was incredible,' he adds. With Season Three just around the corner, Lee is excited about reaching even more fans worldwide. 'We'll be doing a lot of global promotions again, and I'm really looking forward to it,' he says. Squid Game S3 is set to premiere in Malaysia on June 27
Hype Malaysia
4 days ago
- Hype Malaysia
Former BIGBANG Member T.O.P Spotted On Emmy Awards Nomination Ballot For 'Squid Game' Role
Despite the controversy surrounding former BIGBANG member T.O.P's (Choi Seunghyun/최승현) hiatus from the music industry, fans are slowly getting glimpses and pockets of appearances by the popular rapper returning to the entertainment industry very soon. Not only is he on schedule to release a solo comeback album, but T.O.P could very well be racking up awards for a successful acting career. The ballot for Emmy nominations was announced last week on 12th June 2025 (Thursday), which included T.O.P under the 'Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series' category. The star is looking to be nominated for his role as Thanos in 'Squid Game' Season 2. Fellow 'Squid Game' actors Lee Byunghun (이병헌) and Park Sunghoon (박성훈) were also listed under the same category, marking the show's casting success. Despite a trail of controversies regarding his character in the popular Netflix series, fans were swayed by T.O.P's charming nature in 'Squid Game', which could earn him an Emmy nomination in the near future. Other notable ballot nominees in the same category include Matt Smith as Prince Daemon Targaryen (House of the Dragon), Tramell Tillman as Seth Milchick (Severance) and John Lithgow as Harold Harper (The Old Man). Fans were clearly excited over the news, with most comments congratulating him on the nomination campaign. Fans have also pointed out that the nomination ballot could be thanks to his appearance at FYSEE LA Squid Game panel on 30th May 2025 with Twitter user @/etttorphine commenting, 'That Choi Seunghyun emmy nominee campaign and I know he's smart and will use the opportunity to hint CSH1 since he already said new music in 2025″. The fact was proven to be true following his solo comeback album spill last Friday (13th June 2025). The Emmy nomination-round voting is now open until 23rd June 2025. As we wait for assembly members to announce the successful nomination on 15th July 2025, we wish T.O.P. and his fellow 'Squid Game' cast members the best of luck! Sources: Television Academy, Twitter Alyssa Gabrielle contributed to this article. What's your Reaction? +1 0 +1 0 +1 0 +1 0 +1 0 +1 0
