Lee Je-hoon mentions the industry’s downturn “The number of productions has noticeably decreased, and there’s a lack of good stories”
As a prequel of the series “Chief Inspector”, “Chief Detective 1958” follows Detective Park Yeong-han (Lee Je-hoon), who specializes in apprehending petty thieves, as a team with three unique colleagues, breaking down the absurdities of corrupt power with common sense, and being reborn as a detective for the people.
Lee Je-hoon shared his thoughts on the industry’s downturn, from his perspective as both an actor and a company representative. He said, “It seems the same for dramas as it is for movies. Over the past few years, the number of productions has noticeably decreased. While we need to look at the overall industry to pinpoint the cause, as an actor, I simply think it might be due to a lack of good stories. As someone who participates in storytelling, it makes me feel a sense of duty to create good stories. There needs to be content that people want to see, but it seems like things are becoming more standardized, which is something I reflect on.”
He continued, “During the pandemic, it became easier to access movies. However, the most moving experiences for me came from watching films in theaters. The focus, lingering emotions and impact were some of the greatest joys and happiness in life. It’s unfortunate that such opportunities are becoming rarer. Starting my YouTube channel was a way to record personal moments. I love visiting independent cinemas. Seeing these spaces disappear made me want to document them. I can’t guarantee entertainment value, but it’s something personal I wanted to preserve.”
Regarding the most important factor in selecting projects for actors in his company, Lee Je-hoon shared, “My main criterion is whether the actor genuinely wants to do it. From a company’s perspective, you can’t ignore the financial returns for the actor, but I hope that money is not the primary reason for their choices.”
