[Edaily Starin Choi Hee-jae Reporter] "He’s a really upright, top-like younger brother."

Actor Yoo Hae-jin spoke about his chemistry with Park Hae-il and Lee Min-ho during an interview for the film *The Assassin(s)*, held on the morning of the 11th at a café in Samcheong-dong, Seoul.
*Assassins* is a mystery film inspired by the August 15, 1974, assassination attempt on the First Lady, tracing the suspicions and the masterminds behind the incident.
Yoo Hae-jin plays Detective Cheol-gu, who witnesses the assassination attempt and sets out to track down those behind it. Given that the film is based on a real event in modern history, he must have felt some pressure. “If we had stuck to the original script, I don’t think I could have done it,” Yoo Hae-jin said. “We exchanged various opinions and made revisions.” He added, “After reading the script, I think I had specific discussions with the director about my impressions, the parts I enjoyed, and the parts I felt were delicate.”
He also noted, “As with any project, I approach the role by immersing myself in the character. Expressing emotions is my fundamental task, and I didn’t find any other aspects particularly difficult,” explaining what he focused on in this film.

When the topic turned to his co-star Park Hae-il, Yoo Hae-jin remarked, “Isn’t Park Hae-il quite serious?” He then imitated Park Hae-il, saying, “To put it simply, if you ask him, ‘Do you want jajangmyeon or jjamppong?’ he’ll hesitate for quite a while,” drawing laughter from the audience.
He also joked, “Park Hae-il kept asking, ‘How well did we know each other, and for how long?’ and talked about the character in great detail. I just told him, ‘Let’s just go with the idea that we’ve known each other for a long time.’”
Yoo Hae-jin said, “I take that as a compliment,” adding, “You can tell just how seriously Park Hae-il approached the role by watching the movie.” He shared a behind-the-scenes anecdote, saying, “It’s hard to call it ‘cute,’ but maybe ‘approachable’? It’s funny.”
He also said, “I heard he studied me that closely on set—trying to uncover my trade secrets. (Laughs) That really sticks in my memory.” He continued, “I try not to miss a single detail. What struck me while watching the movie was how great his gaze was. One of the things I envy about Lee Byung-hun and Park Hae-il is their gaze.”
Yoo Hae-jin compared Park Hae-il to a “spinning top.” He added, “When a spinning top gets a push, it stays upright, doesn’t it? Even when it hits a wall, it bounces off and keeps spinning thanks to that momentum. I felt that his uprightness and energy were just like a spinning top.”

Regarding Lee Min-ho, he laughed heartily, saying, “I just thought he was a star. I’d never met him, and since I’m not part of F4.” He continued, “I think it was during the preview screening for *The Man Living with the King* when someone came up and called me ‘senior’—it was Lee Min-ho,” adding, “He was so warm and friendly. I’d only known him as a star, but he came across as a genuine person.”
He continued his praise, saying, “I think I liked him even more on set. I could tell he was a down-to-earth, truly good person and a great actor.” Yoo Hae-jin added, “He has a very sharp and intelligent gaze. I realized there’s a lot of authenticity hidden beneath his outward appearance,” and noted, “He has a healthy mindset I never would have expected. I feel like I’ve gradually come to see Lee Min-ho in a different light. He’s like a handsome younger brother,” he said, expressing his affection.
Yoo Hae-jin, who kicked off the first half of this year with *The Man Living with the King* and even won the Grand Prize at the Baeksang Arts Awards, will meet audiences in the second half of the year with *Assassins*. Recalling *The Man Living with the King* and the public’s overwhelming support for the show, Yoo Hae-jin appeared visibly moved. “Oh no,” he said with a laugh, “I guess I’m going through menopause.”
He also shared Director Jang Hang-jun’s reaction. Yoo Hae-jin expressed his gratitude, saying, “Director Jang Hang-jun calls me ‘Hae-bal,’ and after watching the trailer, he said it looked like it would do well. He told me to let him know if there’s anything he can do to help with promotion.”
Park Ji-hoon, who plays Danjong, will also attend the “Assassins” VIP screening. “I think Ji-hoon will be there too. I texted him, ‘Don’t feel pressured—do you want to come?’ and he replied, ‘I’m coming,’” he said with a smile.
He continued, “I invited two people—my son, Min,” mentioning Kim Min. He praised him, saying, “I don’t think I was able to show him much affection during filming. I was completely immersed in my relationship with Danjong. I’ve been seeing Min a lot lately, and he’s a really great kid.”
After wrapping up the interview, Yoo Hae-jin will leave Korea to attend the Toronto International Film Festival. Noting that this is his second international film festival appearance following the recent Udine Film Festival in Italy, he said, “When I went to Udine, I was surprised to see people from the U.S. and Hong Kong who had come all the way to that small town just to see me.” He continued, “It felt like the world had become one. Since the Toronto Film Festival is such a major event, I feel both pressure and anticipation.”
Finally, Yoo Hae-jin commented on the film, saying, “Just as *Wang Sa-nam* made the entire nation think about King Danjong, I believe this film will also raise questions.”
*The Assassin(s)* is directed by Hur Jin-ho, known for films such as *Christmas in August*, *Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter… and Spring*, *Princess Deokhye*, and *Cheonmun: Asking the Sky*. It opens on the 23rd.