Lee Jun Young had an exceptionally busy year, sweeping awards such as Best Actor at the AAA 2025 and the Excellence Award at the KBS Drama Awards.
Reflecting on the past year, he said, “I truly lived the hardest I ever have. It was a year where I poured everything I had into my work.” He added, “It was honestly impossible, but I split my time into pieces and pushed through an intense schedule. I wondered when I would ever be this busy again, and while it was fun, it was also exhausting. I released a solo album, appeared on MBC’s Hangout with Yoo, and tried many new things.”
In just one year, he appeared in five projects, including Netflix series such as Melo Movie, When Life Gives You Tangerines, and Weak Hero Class 2, along with a special appearance in the TVING original The Queen Who Crowns and the KBS 2TV drama Pump Up the Healthy Love. He also made special appearances in two films, Our Sticky Love and Literalism (working title).
This year, he continues his relentless pace with two leading projects set for release: JTBC’s weekend drama Reborn Rookie and tvN’s upcoming drama Four Hands.
Notably, Lee Jun Young mentioned that part of his intense workload was due to his upcoming military enlistment, saying, “Since I’m set to enlist this year, I pre-filmed several projects in advance.”
Born on January 22, 1997, Lee Jun Young is scheduled to enlist this year. Despite rising as a trending star on television, he expressed no regret about entering a military hiatus.
“I don’t feel regret. I think I’ll actually feel relieved. Physically, it has been very exhausting,” he said.
Having worked at a breakneck pace, he even experienced a frightening moment of collapsing due to overwork. He shared, “When two projects overlapped, the strength I thought I had broke down. I only had one or two days off a month and slept just two or three hours before filming. One day, I suddenly fainted. Not just me, but my manager and staff went through a lot as well. That’s why I feel more relieved.”
As he prepares to enlist at the age of 30 (Korean age), Lee Jun Young has been asked about his plans for years. However, he has always responded confidently.
When asked if he was tired of repeated questions about enlistment, he replied calmly, “Not really. The time has come, and since no one knew when I would go, it’s a natural question.” He added honestly, “Even I think I’m going later than expected. My only concern is my health my knees and back hurt a bit. A few years ago, I think I would have gone in healthy and enjoyed it, but now I just hope to get through it safely.”
He continued, “Aside from health concerns, I don’t think much about it. I’ll just do my best with whatever I’m told in the military. I don’t want to attach too much meaning to it. There will definitely be challenges as an older recruit, but I’m going in with an open mind.”
Lee Jun Young also expressed a grounded perspective on fame, saying, “If you think popularity isn’t yours, it becomes easier. After I return, I’ll work with those who still support me. If not, I’ll think about it then. It doesn’t control my emotions. What matters more to me now are the projects in front of me.”
He teased his upcoming dramas as well. Regarding Reborn Rookie, he shared, “I’ll be taking on a dual role for the first time, switching souls with senior actor Son Hyun Joo. It was a huge challenge. I think people will say, ‘He can do this too?’ I even received praise from senior actors like Son Hyun Joo, Jeon Hye Jin, and Jin Goo.”
About Four Hands, he said, “It’s a bromance story between two friends who love piano. I acted alongside Song Kang, and it has a very different tone from Reborn Rookie. It offers a different kind of fun.”
However, Lee Jun Young surprised many by announcing his retirement from his solo singing career. Last year, he returned as a singer after five years with his first solo mini album LAST DANCE. He even performed in front of 55,000 fans at AAA 2025 and presented a new song at the following day’s ACON 2025.
Despite this, he stated, “I don’t have any plans as a singer going forward. LAST DANCE was my final album that’s why I named it that. I don’t know what the future holds, but for now, I think I ended it well.”
Explaining his decision, he said, “To those who pursue singing as their profession, what I do might seem like an occasional event. Singing used to be my main job during my time in U-KISS, but now my main career is acting. Releasing albums and promoting requires immense effort for them. I asked myself if I could do both acting and singing equally well, and I realized I couldn’t. It would be disrespectful to them, so I decided to let it go.”
Originally a dancer before becoming an idol, Lee Jun Young added, “As an actor and dancer, I want to think about how to live the rest of my life well. But I don’t think much will change. As a person, I’ll continue to move toward what I love.”
He concluded, “Dance was my beginning. I want to keep dancing even in my 60s or 70s I love it that much. I wonder what kind of movements I’ll prefer then, and I also hope to dance without pain. Even now, I participate in dance battles on weekends, gaining inspiration and healing through dance. Whether it’s acting or dancing, I want to do it for a long time. And above all, I want to live in a way that I’m not ashamed in front of those who support me. My number one rule is simple: don’t cause trouble.”
Sources: Naver
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