Lee Dong Wook is back as Jung Jin Man in A Shop for Killers Season 2 — and returning after two years came with nerves, weight gain and a stronger bond with Kim Hye Jun.
“I was a little worried about filming again after two years,” Lee said in a July 23 interview with Sports Chosun. “I’m not usually the type to worry, but I was nervous the night before the first shoot.”
That feeling disappeared once he saw the returning Season 1 crew. “The moment I saw everyone’s faces, all that nervousness vinished,” he said. “It felt like I’d seen them just yesterday.”
Physically, Lee said he gained about 8kg (18 lbs.) to bring back Jin Man’s heavier, more imposing build. “I ate four or five meals a day, mostly protein,” he said. “At some point, it stopped feeling like eating and just became shoving food into my mouth. It was really hard.”
Season 2 also gave Lee more scenes with Kim Hye Jun, who plays Jin Man’s niece Ji An.
“In Season 1, Jin Man and Ji An had chemistry, but a lot of Ji An’s story was played by the child actress, so Hye Jun and I didn’t actually have that many scenes together,” he explained. “In Season 2, we definitely had more time to exchange emotions.”
Lee said their off-screen relationship also became more comfortable over time, which gave them more freedom in their performances.
He had especially high praise for his costar: “She’s not an actress I would dare to evaluate. She’s an incredible actress,” Lee said. “She went through so much physically and emotionally, and she also had a huge amount to carry. She handled all of it without ever showing frustration on set.”
Lee also joked about how much Ji An has grown since Season 1.
“In Season 1, I said, ‘Listen carefully, Jung Ji An,’ all the time,” Lee said. “But in Season 2, I barely say it anymore. Jin Man already taught her everything.”
He laughed as he pointed out that Ji An now turns the line back on her uncle, telling him, “Listen carefully, Uncle,” and even, “Listen carefully, Jung Jin Man.”
Lee said the returning Murthehelp cast also came back even more prepared. “It felt like everyone came back with something to prove compared to Season 1,” he said. “That motivated me too.”
As for Season 3, Lee said nothing has been decided.
“I haven’t heard anything at all about Season 3,” he said, adding that it will likely depend on how Season 2 performs. Still, he joked, “If Season 2 gets a lot of love and we get to do Season 3, maybe it could come out in another two years. I guess I’ll have to work hard to make sure Jin Man doesn’t get any older by then.”
A Shop for Killers Season 2 premiered with two episodes on July 22, with two new episodes arriving every Wednesday for a total of eight.
>> ‘A Shop For Killers 2’ Review: Lee Dong Wook Returns With Avengence and More
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