A new rising star has arrived.
Actor Lee Hyo-je has made a strong impression on global viewers by kicking off the Netflix series ‘Kirigo’ with an intense performance.
‘Kirigo’, Netflix Korea’s first YA horror series, tells the story of high school students who struggle to escape a curse after being predicted to die suddenly via a wish-granting app called ‘Kirigo’. The series climbed to 4th place in the Global Top 10 Non-English shows just three days after release and hit #1 in its second week (April 27 to May 3) with 7.5 million views.
Lee Hyo-je brought a heavy sense of gravity to the start of the show. He plays Hyeong-wook, a bright and kind prankster who loves hanging out with friends and is the first person to get entangled with ‘Kirigo’. Lee Hyo-je perfectly portrayed the character’s various sides, from being an ordinary high schooler to suffering through an unexpected reality.
Lee Hyo-je created captivating scenes by meticulously controlling everything from his gaze and expressions to the trembling of his facial muscles as Hyeong-wook slowly descends into terror. By realistically capturing the character’s psychology, swinging between desperation and fear, he clearly signaled the start of the main narrative. He is receiving high praise for his fluid expression of fluctuating emotions, which played a huge role in hooking viewers early on.
According to his agency, Lee Hyo-je didn’t hesitate to gain about 20kg to bring the character to life. It seems his sincerity and passion were successfully conveyed through ‘Kirigo’ and the character of Hyeong-wook.
