[Edaily Starin Gim Ga Yeong Reporter] "This is the first time in my life I've received this much attention."

Actor Lee Hyun-kyun shared these thoughts after appearing in ENA’s “Rookie 4.” And with good reason: he breathed new life into the series by taking on the role of Lieutenant Colonel Byun Hyeok-jin, a new character in “Rookie 4,” and even helped drive its success.
In a recent interview with E-Daily, Lee Hyun-kyun said, “I’ve received so much love,” adding, “I wanted to greet everyone with a good production, and I’d like to express my gratitude for all the love and interest you’ve shown.”
“Rookie” is a drama that follows the story of a “privileged” recruit who arrives at a military unit filled with all sorts of characters. After Season 1, which aired in 2022, gained popularity, the series was extended through Season 4. In Season 4, Lee Hyun-kyun joined the cast as Battalion Commander Byun Hyeok-jin, newly assigned to the Shinwa Unit. While joining an already popular intellectual property (IP) as a new member is a significant burden in itself, Lee Hyun-kyun overcame this pressure to breathe new life into both the Shinwa Unit and “Rookie 4,” heightening the drama’s tension and entertainment value.
Lee Hyun-kyun said, “I was really nervous,” adding, “The ‘Rookie’ series was already doing so well, and it was a show I really liked myself. So I had worries and doubts, like, ‘Will I be able to do well in this show?’ But after reading the script, I thought, ‘If I prepare well, it’ll be fine,’ and ‘I think I can do this,’ so I decided to take the role.” He continued, “Director Min Jin-ki gave me the courage I needed,” adding, “The director told me, ‘I believe you’ll do well,’ and thanks to that, I think I did a good job.”
“Rookie” is a series that has spanned four seasons, starting with Season 1 in 2022 and continuing through Season 4. With the exception of a few characters, the cast has been together from Season 1 through Season 4, making it a project with excellent teamwork.
Recalling his first day of filming, he said, “When I actually arrived on set, I could feel the energy that comes from the passage of time. I got incredibly nervous,” adding, “I think that energy hit me so strongly during the first shoot because I was so nervous.” He continued, “The existing cast members seemed like a well-established unit, but as a newcomer, I was very nervous,” and noted, “However, as the episodes progressed and I communicated more with the actors, I started to feel more at ease on set.”
The character Byeon Hyeok-jin, played by Lee Hyun-kyun, is truly a “unicorn” of a figure. A top-tier elite commander who graduated at the top of his class from the Korea Military Academy and has followed an elite career path. Early in the drama, he injected tension into the story with his inscrutable demeanor and seemingly cold expression, but he won the hearts of viewers as he was portrayed as a “true leader” who cares for and looks out for his soldiers and subordinates more than anyone else.
Lee Hyun-kyun, who played Byun Hyeok-jin, said, “I thought Lieutenant Colonel Byun Hyeok-jin was very charming,” adding, “Although Byun Hyeok-jin is portrayed as an elite, he has a rebellious streak that doesn’t fit the typical elite mold, and he displays confusing behaviors. I actually thought that was a surprising charm.” He also remarked about Byun Hyeok-jin, “Even outside the military, it’s rare to meet someone like him in everyday life.”
He explained, “Since he’s the kind of admirable adult you rarely see in real life, I tried to portray him realistically so he wouldn’t seem like a fantasy character,” adding, “Now that filming has wrapped and the show is airing, I realize how fortunate I am to have landed such a great role and to be receiving so much love.” He continued, “While viewers do greet Lee Hyun-kyun the person, it seems some also approach me as if they were looking at Lieutenant Colonel Byun Hyeok-jin. I felt truly blessed to have been cast in such a great role and to be loved so much.”
In the early stages of the drama, Byun Hyeok-jin’s enigmatic demeanor makes viewers wonder, “Is he a villain?” but he eventually wins their support as his true intentions are revealed. Lee Hyun-kyun’s nuanced performance heightened the drama’s tension until his true nature was uncovered.
However, he clarified that he did not intentionally act in a way designed to make viewers speculate about Byun Hyeok-jin’s true nature. “I approached Byun Hyeok-jin as a true soldier—someone who works with a sense of professional calling,” he explained. “I’ve heard that many viewers wondered, ‘Is he a villain?’ but I think those speculations arose from the atmosphere created by the situation.”
He continued, “If I had done it intentionally, it would have been less interesting,” adding, “I believe an actor’s role is to bring the character to life, and it’s the director who shapes that character through editing and composition. If I had acted with that intention, it would have been less engaging.”
“New Recruit 4” contributed to reshaping the public perception of the military—moving away from the traditional portrayal of it as a purely oppressive and rigid organization—by featuring compassionate superiors such as Battalion Commander Byun Hyeok-jin, Company Commander Jo Baek-ho (played by Oh Dae-hwan), and Administrative Officer Park Jae-su (played by Oh Yong). It presented the military as a space where leadership listens to soldiers’ hardships and shares responsibility. In particular, by addressing the 2011 military assault case that occurred in Yanggu, Gangwon Province, the series once again delivered a powerful social message.
Lee Hyun-kyun stated, “We addressed the actual military assault case that occurred in Yanggu, and as that incident was brought back into the spotlight, the division commander at the time was also re-evaluated. By showing that there are people in the military striving for change like this, I think it had a positive effect.”
In addition to *Rookie 4*, Lee Hyun-kyun is currently appearing in the popular TVING series *Even Lottery Winners Go to Work* as Jang Gyeong-cheol, the deputy head of the sales department. As *Rookie 4* came to an end, *Even Lottery Winners Go to Work* took over the number one spot on TVING.
He revealed, “One day ‘New Recruit 4’ would be number one, and the next day ‘Even Lottery Winners Go to Work’ would be number one. Watching the two shows take turns at the top, I felt like I was receiving more love than I deserved,” he confessed. He added, “I’ve been acting the same way, but whereas people used to ask, ‘Where have I seen you before?,’ it seems they now recognize me as the actor Lee Hyun-kyun,” noting the change.
While he played the Unicorn Battalion Commander in *New Recruit 4*, in *Even Lottery Winners Go to Work*, he plays the down-to-earth Deputy Director Jang, adding to the show’s entertainment value. In particular, he demonstrates his “acting prowess” by conveying his character’s thoughts and the scene’s atmosphere through facial expressions alone, without relying on extensive dialogue. “I found it fascinating even while watching myself,” he said. “While filming ‘Lotto First Prize,’ I prepared by talking a lot with my co-stars, including actor Lee Jun-hyuk, but even as I watched, I caught myself thinking, ‘When did I ever act like that?’ Ultimately, I think it’s a performance that emerges from the atmosphere created on set and the chemistry with my co-stars.”
He has been working alongside Oh Dae-hwan consecutively in *New Recruit 4* and *Lotto First Prize*. Their chemistry is heightening the audience’s immersion in the drama. “It’s been five years since I last saw Dae-hwan hyung, back after the movie *Gangneung*,” he said. “We filmed *Lotto First Prize* first, and then met again on *New Recruit 4*—it felt great working with him. We exchanged lines in a way that was even more fun than I had imagined.”
Bidding farewell to *New Recruit 4*, he said, “This was the first project where I took on a leading role,” adding, “Since it’s received so much love despite being that kind of project, I think it will remain a truly fond memory.”
He continued, “While ‘New Recruit 4’ conveys various messages, I hope it will be remembered not so much for its deeper meanings but for the simple joy and heartfelt moments it offers right now,” and expressed his affection by saying, “If the ‘New Recruit’ series continues, I’d love to keep appearing in it.”