‘Squid Game' Front Man Actor Lee Byung-Hun Shares New BTS Details

Forbes

5 hours ago

Lee Byung-hun
Today most audiences around the world probably recognize Lee Byung-hun for his role as the Front Man in Netflix's blockbuster series Squid Game. But before he donned the infamous black mask, Lee was already one of South Korea's most prominent and accomplished actors, having starred in iconic Korean films and TV shows like Joint Security Area, A Bittersweet Life, I Saw the Devil, All In, Iris and Mr. Sunshine—just to name a few. He also appeared in several Hollywood films, including Terminator Genisys, The Magnificent Seven, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra and G.I. Joe: Retaliation.
Known for his smooth, distinctive voice as well as his ability to portray a wide range of characters, Lee has earned numerous acting accolades throughout his career. Now, more than three decades after his acting debut, the veteran actor has gained even greater international recognition thanks to the unprecedented success of Squid Game. Since starring in Netflix's biggest show ever, Lee has made guest appearances on a variety of popular YouTube channels and talks shows in the U.S., including most recently The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, where he (sort of) dropped hints about Squid Game season 3.
Audiences will need to wait till June 27th to find out exactly what happens in the third and final season of Squid Game, but in the meantime, Lee spoke with Forbes about playing the triple role of the Front Man/Hwang In-ho/Oh Young-il, why he felt so much pressure while promoting the show, and the impact that Squid Game has had on his career. He also shared insights into some of the scenes from season 2 to help viewers better understand his character.
Regina Kim: How did you come to play the Front Man in Squid Game?
Lee Byung-hun: For starters, I already had a connection with Director Hwang Dong-hyuk because we'd worked together on the film The Fortress a few years prior, so we knew each other very well. I got the offer while I was filming the drama Mr. Sunshine. He told me the role would appear onscreen very briefly and would require only about a week's worth of work, so because of my relationship with the director, I agreed to do it. And that's how it started.
Kim: I'm guessing that at the time, no one expected Squid Game to become such a massive hit, right?
Lee: I think I received the script for the first six episodes initially. And after reading it, I thought it was very fresh, unique and fun. But at the same time, I also thought it might be too experimental. I thought it could either do extremely well or be received very poorly by audiences. It felt like a risky piece of work.
But I don't think anyone—even the director—expected it to become such a globally beloved show and a huge sensation.
Kim: Regarding the role of the Front Man, did the director specifically want a very famous actor like you for that part? When the Front Man takes off his mask in season 1, I imagine a lot of viewers were shocked to see that it was Lee Byung-hun. But honestly, from the moment I heard the Front Man's voice, I had a hunch it was you behind the mask, and I turned out to be right.
Lee: (surprised) Wait, you really recognized me just from my voice?
Kim: Yes!
Lee: Wow… Well, I think at first, they probably didn't plan on casting a well-known actor for the Front Man role. But maybe for some reason the director thought of me and offered me the part.
From my perspective as an actor, even though it was just a brief cameo appearance (in season 1), I still needed to understand the character and his backstory—who this person is, what kind of life he's lived, and why he's doing what he's doing—in order to portray him properly. So I ended up asking the director a lot of questions. I usually ask directors a lot of questions anyway, but when it comes to cameos, I ask even more because there's so little information given about cameos.
With main characters, you usually know their background, personality and all that, but with cameos, there's not enough information, which is why I had to ask [Director Hwang] so many questions. He might've regretted casting me because I asked so many questions. (laughs)
Lee Byung-hun as the Front Man in 'Squid Game' season 2
Kim: But at the time, there were no plans for a second season, right?
Lee: Exactly. After filming season 1, since the director and I are personally close, we had a meal together, and I told him, "You've worked really hard." He said it was his first time doing a TV series, and he never wanted to do anything like that again.
Kim: The director said that?
Lee: Yeah. He said it almost killed him. He told me he lost seven teeth from all the stress during production.
Kim: Wasn't it nine teeth?
Lee: Adding the two more he lost during season 2, it became nine. It was seven for season 1. So at the time, he said he was completely against doing another season. He had absolutely no thoughts about creating a second season.
But then, as Squid Game received so much love around the world and people around him were constantly urging him to make a second season, he finally decided to do it. I think that shows what an incredible person he is—to go from having absolutely nothing planned for a future story, and then managing to create something that entertaining—that shows just how remarkably talented he is. So in that regard, I was really surprised too.
Lee Byung-hun as the Front Man in 'Squid Game' S2
Kim: In season 2 the Front Man plays a much more important role, so does that mean that the director thought it would be better to focus more on your character this time around?
Lee: While I was filming the drama Our Blues on Jeju Island, Director Hwang—he had already decided to go ahead with Squid Game season 2—came to visit me and chat a bit. I asked him, 'What's season 2 going to be about?' And he said, 'Honestly, there's nothing in my head right now.' So I asked, 'Could it maybe be about how In-ho (the Front Man) first entered the games and what it looked like back then?' He said that he too was thinking of heading in that direction. But a lot changed after that, and instead of a story about the past, the narrative shifted into something that takes place in the present. So I was really surprised when that happened.
Also, the fact that Hwang In-ho would personally enter the games using a fake name like Oh Young-il—I thought that was a really fresh idea. The Front Man ending up participating in the games was surprising even for me.
Lee Byung-hun
Kim: With Squid Game season 1 being such a huge global hit, did you feel any pressure while filming season 2?
Lee: Honestly, I didn't feel that much pressure while filming. Feeling pressure while acting isn't really a good thing. You need to feel free in order to better express emotions and bring out your best performance. So there wasn't any pressure during filming, but once it was all over and we started promoting the season, that's when I felt a lot of pressure.
Kim: Really? Why?
Lee: Because for other Korean projects, there's usually some promotional work involved like appearing on some programs and doing interviews with journalists, but the scale isn't this big. For Squid Game promotions, we went to L.A. and New York, and other cast members even went to Italy and other places.
Everywhere we go, so many journalists are waiting to interview us. And as part of the promotions, there are things I've never experienced before, like YouTube shows, morning broadcasts, talk shows and so on. So that kind of stuff actually gave me more pressure than the filming itself.
Lee Byung-hun
Kim: I see. What was your favorite scene from season 2?
Lee: If we were to focus on my character, then two scenes stand out for me personally.
One was during the Mingle game, when I drag Jung-bae into a room. There are supposed to be two people per room, but one person is already there. It's a moment when my character has to kill the other person, and it's a situation that demands quick judgment and action.
It was a moment when I had to show the Front Man, the decisiveness and reflexes of In-ho when he was a player in the games, and also appear as Young-il to Jung-bae. I felt I had to constantly switch between all three personas in that scene. Viewers are familiar with all three of those characters, but I wanted them to feel a sense of confusion—like, of those three personas, whose eyes are they really looking at in that moment when I'm choking someone? I hoped viewers would feel a sense of ambiguity, so that was a significant scene for me.
And the second scene was when Gi-hun tries to start a rebellion, and we're all in a meeting and listening to him speak. Then the Front Man asks him if we should sacrifice a few for the greater good. Gi-hun doesn't give a direct answer, but he responds in a way that's almost an affirmation. And if you watch the Front Man's reaction, he gives a subtle smile that no one else notices. I felt like that was the moment the Front Man had been waiting for all along, like, 'Now you, too, are starting to think a bit like me.'
Lee Byung-hun as Oh Young-il (Player 001) in 'Squid Game' S2
Kim: In a sense, you played three different characters, which must have been really tough. Were there certain things you tried to keep in mind as you were portraying those three characters?
Lee: I had a lot of conversations with the director for every scene. We were constantly discussing things back and forth while filming. For example, during the six-legged pentathlon game, when my character's cheering or feeling nervous along with the other players—it's all pretend, right? But the Front Man is someone who's experienced the depths of despair, so from his perspective, I wondered if someone like him—no matter how good an actor he may be—could really show that kind of pure joy, that kind of cheering.
(L to R) Lee Jung-jae as Seong Gi-hun, Lee Byung-hun as Oh Young-il, Kang Ha-neul as Kang Dae-ho, ... More Lee Seo-hwan as Park Jung-bae, Jo Yu-ri as Kim Jun-hee in 'Squid Game' S2
The director and I had differing opinions on such moments, and we spent a lot of time debating them. When I first acted those scenes, I took a very subtle approach. I just tried to blend in with the other players so I wouldn't stand out too much, because I have to come across as an ordinary person to the others and make them believe that I'm on their side and part of their team. So that's the kind of performance I aimed for initially.
But then the director said, 'Could you show just a bit more?' So I tried adding a little more, but then told the director, 'I don't feel good acting like this—it feels weird.' But when I looked at the monitor, I thought, 'Okay, this is actually kind of fun.'
So I eventually decided to just go with it—like maybe just as In-ho did in the past, I should enjoy it, too. Even though the Front Man has a bigger objective behind all this, I should allow myself to feel the tension when others feel tense and celebrate with my teammates when our team survives. To just have fun in that moment, as if I've been hypnotized. That's the mindset I adopted for those scenes.
But finding the right balance was really difficult. The conversations I had the most with the director were about how much of these emotions—how much joy, sorrow and tension—I should express. And [figuring that out] was the hardest part for me.
Lee Byung-hun as the Front Man in 'Squid Game'
Kim: When the Front Man disguised himself as Oh Young-il and entered the games, do you think that he envied Gi-hun or maybe even wanted to be friends with him, even for a moment?
Lee: Hmm... I never thought he wanted to be friends [with Gi-hun]. I think the emotions the Front Man felt while observing Gi-hun might have been something like this:
They've both experienced a hellish period in their lives and have come out winners. I was a winner in the past. Gi-hun is also a winner. So he might have wondered, 'How could someone who went through the same thing as me end up with beliefs that are the complete opposite of mine?' Gi-hun still believes that these people aren't garbage, that there's still hope in humanity. I think maybe the Front Man could've felt a bit of jealousy watching Gi-hun be that way. 'I became this pessimistic person because of my experience, but why do you still have faith in humanity?' There's a bit of jealousy in that thought—like, I couldn't stay that way, but you did.
But while playing the game together and pretending to be on the same team, maybe somewhere deep inside, there was a part of him that genuinely wished Gi-hun was right. 'Yeah, I still believe people are trash, but I really hope you're right. I hope human decency still exists in this world.'
(L to R) Lee Byung-hun as Oh Young-il, Director Hwang Dong-hyuk in 'Squid Game' S2
Kim: During the 'spinning top' game, your character—who is left-handed—deliberately throws the top with his right hand at first. But later he uses his left hand. Why did your character initially try to fail on purpose? Because he could've died too!
Lee: Well, if you look at the Front Man's life, he's already become indifferent to death. I don't think living or dying is a big deal to him anymore. He's not someone who's desperately clinging to life.
And maybe, in the worst-case scenario, the Front Man has a secret way out—something only he knows. (laughs)
Kim: Really? But still, it was a game where he was grouped with other people.
Lee: But even in a worst-case scenario, he could still have a hidden way to survive.
When he purposely threw with his right hand—I actually asked the director about that, too. I asked, 'Where does this behavior come from?' And the director replied, 'In the end, wouldn't it just be for enjoyment?'
Watching the clock and feeling the emotions of his fellow players as they come closer to death—it was a moment for him to really experience those feelings. He was creating a situation where they could truly think, 'I might actually die.'
(L to R) Lee Seo-hwan as Park Jung-bae, Director Hwang Dong-hyuk, Lee Byung-hun as Oh Young-il, Lee ... More Jung-jae as Seong Gi-hun in 'Squid Game' S2
Kim: Later on, when Gi-hun leads a rebellion, the Front Man helps him and even kills many of the pink guards, although they're technically on his side. Why does he do that?
Lee: Of course, I asked the director about that too. Why wouldn't I? I mean, I'm probably the actor who asks the most questions in the world. And even the director was at a loss. He was like, 'Hmm, you do have a point.'
So in the end, we decided that the only guard he'd kill was the one who was struggling with Gi-hun and trying to shoot him. All the other shots were just for show—he fired them into the air on purpose. That's what we decided. So while it looks like he's aiming and shooting accurately, in reality, he's intentionally not hitting the other soldiers, with that one exception.
As for sparing Gi-hun, whether he lives or dies doesn't matter to the Front Man. What matters is that Gi-hun reaches the same realization that the Front Man himself had. That's the Front Man's true goal.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 12: Participants and guests attend the Los Angeles Premiere & Fan ... More Event for Netflix's "Squid Game" Season 2 at Los Angeles City College on December 12, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo byfor Netflix)
Kim: You're a veteran actor who's starred in many Korean films and TV shows, and also appeared in some Hollywood movies. When you look at all your work collectively, what does Squid Game mean to you within the context of your career?
Lee: I think it'll take time for me to really understand what Squid Game means to me or what kind of place it holds in my career. Because I'm still in the middle of it right now, it's hard for me to define what this show means to me. But what I can say is that it's been a very new experience for me.
The success of Squid Game goes beyond breaking records or being a show that people like—it feels like a phenomenon or movement. And being right in the middle of that has given me so many new experiences.
As you said, I've been acting for a very long time and have had many different experiences, but I've realized that there are still works out there that can make me feel something entirely new.
When I first went to Los Angeles to promote Squid Game, there was this one event with about 2,000 Squid Game fans all wearing green tracksuits and standing outside a stadium and cheering. I've been part of various Hollywood projects before—not many, but a few—but I'd never seen anything like that. And to be welcomed like that for a Korean project—a work from my own country—was a deeply moving experience. I thought to myself, 'Wow, something like this is happening in my acting career. Maybe I'm working as an actor during a really significant moment in history.'
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity. Many thanks to Lee Byung-hun for taking the time to chat about Squid Game! Squid Game season 3 premieres on Netflix on June 27th.