He also talked about how he first learned that he was well-known overseas.

With his role as Jang Uk in the Korean fantasy show Alchemy of Souls, Lee Jae Wook has won the hearts of people all over the world.

The second season of the drama just ended to great reviews, and audiences loved the cast, especially the main actors.

But Lee Jae Wook says that at first he wasn't sure if he wanted to take part in the project.

The show had 30 episodes, which were split into two parts.

The first season came out in June and was over by August. The second season began in December and ended in January.

In a recent interview, Lee said that he wasn't sure at first if he should take on the project because of how long it would take.

"I wasn't sure if I would be able to do a long project well… But as an actor, I'm happy with how the series turned out, so I'm thankful to have been in it." The Korea Times, Lee Jae Wook

Lee also thought the setting of the series was hard to understand, even more so than the time span.

The show is a mix of fantasy, romance, and action, which was pretty new for him as an actor. Jang Uk's character was also hard to get right because it had many different parts.

"Alchemy of Souls" is a rare fantasy, romance, and action series in Korea. I wasn't sure if I could finish this series because it was so hard… And because Uk has many different sides, I was scared." The Korea Times, Lee Jae Wook

But he signed up for the challenge in the end because he was ambitious and creative as an artist.

"But then I thought, 'When will I ever see a piece like this again?' and decided to take the challenge."The Korea Times, Lee Jae Wook

He also said that the way he prepared for the same character in each season was very different.

He had to carefully change Jang Uk's mannerisms so that the character change would be clear but seem natural.

"I thought the characters were very different between parts 1 and 2. During the table read, the writers told me they want me to build the character (in season 2) as if he were a different person. So, to make a completely different character, I tried to find a new tone and read the lines in a faster, more strained way." The Korea Times, Lee Jae Wook
In the past few months, Lee Jae Wook has become a well-known star around the world thanks to how popular both seasons of the show were.

The actor said that when he went to Malaysia recently and got a huge welcome at the airport, he realized how popular K-content is around the world.

Alchemy of Souls fans are probably more than happy that he didn't back down from the challenge.

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Former Girl’s Day member Jang Hye Ri (real name Lee Ji In) is making headlines after exposing the dark side of the entertainment industry—revealing that she once received a shocking sponsorship offer from a well-known entertainment company CEO.

On March 3, Jang Hye Ri appeared in a video titled "[NonNonNon] I Heard You Got Wasted and Ruined Yourself?" on the YouTube channel ‘Channel Fixed’ (채널고정해).

During the discussion, broadcaster Kang Byung Kyu opened up about the hidden dangers in the industry, saying, “Even today, there are idols who get invited to drinking gatherings by acquaintances of acquaintances. Some people keep luring them into these situations. We call them ‘devils.’”

Jang Hye Ri then shocked viewers by admitting, “I’ve been to those places before. I even sang there.” She continued, “Even now, I still get offers like, ‘Let’s talk business over drinks’ or ‘You need to build connections this way.’ It happens all the time.”

She also shared how these gatherings have evolved, saying, “Nowadays, it’s not just about drinking. There’s also golf. People keep asking, ‘Do you play golf?’ I don’t drink well, and I don’t enjoy these meetings. But sometimes, I wondered, ‘Do I have to do this to succeed?’”

Then, Jang Hye Ri dropped a bombshell—recalling a shocking moment from her rookie days:

“When I was a rookie, I attended a drinking gathering where a very famous CEO was present. He had even invited male rookies to sing. Then he suddenly told me, ‘If I help you grow, you have to be my girlfriend.’”

She continued, “I was caught off guard and immediately refused. But then he started listing celebrities he had ‘helped’ through these relationships. I was young, and it really hurt my pride. It made me determined to succeed without going down that path. But he told me, ‘You’ll never make it if you don’t do this. This is how the industry works.’”

Even after rejecting him, Jang Hye Ri revealed that she kept running into the CEO over the years. “Since he’s still active in the industry, I would occasionally see him. Every time, he would say, ‘You rejected my offer, and that’s why you’re struggling now.’ But honestly, I have no regrets. I wouldn’t change my decision.”

Meanwhile, Jang Hye Ri, one of the original members of Girl’s Day, has since transitioned into a trot singer. In 2020, she released her single "Seobangnim" and gained attention after finishing fourth place on KBS 2TV’s Trot National Contest.

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