It’s a time of major career moves for Lee Chae Min. The rising star has reportedly parted ways with his agency of five years, Gold Medalist, and is set to sign with Varo Entertainment. The news broke on August 20th, just a day after the press conference for his new high-profile drama with YoonA.
Varo Entertainment is home to several major stars, including Jin Goo, Gong Seung Yeon, Lee Yoo Mi and Lovely Runner breakout Byun Woo Seok. Gold Medalist, home to Kim Soo Hyun, confirmed the move, stating, “We respect the decision reached after long and careful discussions, and we have decided to support each other’s future endeavors.”
This career change comes as Lee Chae Min promotes his new tvN drama, Bon Appetit, Your Majesty. At a press conference for the series on Tuesday, director Jang Tae Yoo revealed a behind-the-scenes story about his casting.
As previously reported, Jang shared that Lee Chae Min was not his first choice for the lead role. The part had originally gone to Park Sung Hoon, who had to drop out following a personal controversy. However, the director says he couldn’t be happier with how things turned out.
“Although Lee Chae Min was not the actor I initially thought of, I am 100%, even 120% satisfied with him,” Jang stated.
The director also praised Lee’s incredible dedication, joking about how prepared he was for physically demanding scenes.
“He never missed a single day of exercise, including horseback riding and archery. He always had to be ready for scenes that showed his abs,” Jang laughed. “Normally, you have to give an actor weeks of notice for a scene like that. It was so comfortable working with an actor who was ready to film at any time.”
>> Can Lee Chae Min Handle the Role After Park Sung Hoon’s Exit in ‘Bon Appetit, Your Majesty’?
