On July 4, the official channel for tvN’s You Quiz on the Block released a preview clip featuring Lee Jun-young ahead of his appearance on the variety show.

In the preview, Lee spoke about the handwritten letter he recently shared with fans, which drew widespread attention because he rewrote it multiple times. “I didn’t want it to come across as too formal, so I thought it would be funny to label each version as ‘first letter,’ ‘second letter,’ depending on the mistakes I made,” he explained. “But many people told me it made them even sadder, so I thought, ‘That was a failure,’ and I blamed myself.”

Host Yoo Jae-suk then noted, “I heard you wrote and threw away around ten drafts. I saw them too there were even crumpled pieces of paper in the corner.” Lee clarified, “I did that on purpose because I thought it would be entertaining.”

Lee Jun-young, who is scheduled to enlist in the military on July 21, is currently starring in the JTBC drama Reborn Rookie, where he takes on a challenging dual role. Asked whether he has been feeling the drama’s popularity, he smiled and said, “When I’m out, people call me ‘Chairman Kang.’” However, he also joked that every conversation eventually turns to his upcoming enlistment, leaving him feeling flustered.

The actor also reflected on the difficult years before achieving his current success.

After joining U-KISS and beginning his acting career as an idol-turned-actor, Lee revealed that the most painful criticism he ever received was, “Don’t cause trouble for the real actors.”

He also shared a story from his financially difficult days, recalling, “I secretly worked part-time at a convenience store, and then my manager came into the shop. I was so embarrassed that I cried a lot.”

Lee further revealed a heartwarming memory from his trainee days, saying he once received a hug from Yoo Jae-suk when the veteran entertainer visited his agency while filming Running Man. He expressed his gratitude for the encouraging gesture, which has stayed with him ever since.

Lee Jun-young’s full episode of You Quiz on the Block will air on July 8 at 8:45 p.m. KST.

Sources: Daum