[OSENWORLD] Korean actor Lee Byung-hun drew global attention with his solo guest appearance on NBC’s flagship late-night show The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, where he shared exclusive behind-the-scenes stories from the upcoming third season of Squid Game.
Set to premiere globally on Netflix on June 26, Squid Game: Season 3 features Lee’s return as the enigmatic 'Front Man'—a role that has become symbolic of the series’ eerie tone and global appeal.
On the June 18 broadcast(KST), Lee not only discussed the international response to the show, but also joined Fallon in a special 'Squid Game True or False' quiz segment, where he playfully addressed the possibility of a Front Man spin-off with an expressive gesture that had the audience in stitches.
Fluent in English and exuding his usual charm, Lee demonstrated strong chemistry with Fallon. He later shared backstage photos with Fallon and Squid Game creator Hwang Dong-hyuk on his social media accounts, offering fans a rare glimpse behind the scenes of his world-class career.
But while Lee shined on the global stage, he faced an unexpected (and hilarious) 'snub' closer to home. In a video released June 17 on the YouTube channel 'Lee Min-jung MJ'—run by his actress wife Lee Min-jung—Lee makes a brief surprise appearance, only to have his face comically censored with a mosaic. The video features Min-jung learning about whiskey with actor Im Si-wan, and though Lee’s voice and shoulders appear momentarily, his face is never shown.
The reason? A promise. Min-jung previously pledged that Lee would fully appear on camera once the channel hit 500,000 subscribers. The latest video was a celebration for reaching 250,000, meaning Lee’s appearance was technically “postponed” due to the milestone not being met. To drive the joke home, the clip ends with a fully pixelated Lee walking off screen—prompting laughter from fans and sparking witty online comments such as, “The world welcomes him, but his wife’s channel says not yet,” and “This is a subscriber-driven performance.”
Lee, who has casually appeared uncensored on other YouTube content in the past, like the YouTube show Jjannhan-hyung(loosely translated as 'Brother Who Gets You Teary'), seemed more than willing to play along with the self-deprecating humor. Now, all eyes are on Lee Min-jung MJ—will it reach 500K and finally deliver that long-awaited couple cameo?
/k_inside@osen.co.kr
