[Photo &] Lee Gi-taek of “Never Married, Never Single” captivates Han Ji-min as a younger man, rising as a breakout romance lead

Actor 'Lee Gi-taek' has made a flawless transformation into an earnest, straightforward younger man—one who captures hearts in JTBC’s drama 'An Efficient Match for Never Married, Never Single'. With a down-to-earth charm that never comes off as off-putting, he left a strong impression on viewers and quickly emerged as a breakout figure in the next generation of romance leads. His trajectory—showing distinct character interpretation even at the audition stage—has raised public expectations.

A reality-grounded charm—turning into the straightforward younger man who captivates viewers, along with 'Han Ji-min'

“I wanted to portray a realistic character without seeming unlikable, no matter what he does.” On the 3rd, in an interview at the Yonhap News Agency building, actor 'Lee Gi-taek' shared his thoughts on his performance in JTBC’s drama 'An Efficient Match for Never Married, Never Single'. In the series, which wrapped up on the 5th, he played Shin Ji-soo, who meets Lee U-young ('Han Ji-min') through a matchmaking date he attends in place of a friend, forming a tense triangular relationship with Song Tae-seop ('Park Sung-hoon') and leaving a vivid mark on viewers. After his previous work, he again took on the role of a younger man, saying, “Even among straightforward younger-man characters, each person has their own unique background,” and adding, “The different impressions that emerged depending on how I styled during the auditions were evaluated positively by the directors, which helped.”

As a rookie actor, 'Lee Gi-taek'—who repeatedly wrestled with intense worries while working alongside top-tier senior actors such as 'Han Ji-min' and 'Park Sung-hoon'—delivered Shin Ji-soo’s sincerity without making it feel burdensome. On set, the director’s extravagant praise confirmed that all his careful effort had not been for nothing.

Chemistry with standout seniors—built through intense worries

In the drama, Shin Ji-soo won over viewers with striking good looks and unstoppable straightforward charm. In real life, 'Lee Gi-taek' is the complete opposite of his character—someone who seems like he might suddenly do anything—so he made special efforts to build the role. He said, “Every action and every prank from Ji-soo is filled with genuine feeling, so he’s never unlikable,” adding, “When expressing his feelings to U-young, I tried to stay within the boundaries and approach in a way that wouldn’t be burdensome. I believed that’s how Ji-soo’s pure sincerity would reach viewers.” The process of leading a triangular relationship with major seniors like 'Han Ji-min' and 'Park Sung-hoon' was not a minor burden for a rookie actor. Still, he said, “My biggest goal was to fit in naturally in the same project without standing out—despite the seniors I’ve long admired.” He recalled, “When the director praised me on set, saying, ‘The real Ji-soo has appeared,’ I felt overwhelmed with emotion.”

Beyond drama, 'Lee Gi-taek' has also secured a spot on variety shows. In Coupang Play’s 'Bonjour Bread House', he will shine as an assistant to 'Cha Seung-won'. From baking skills to boxing, and even Japanese, he constantly pushes himself to improve—poised to reveal his true colors as a well-prepared worker. His exceptional sense—typical of a model—will be expected to stand out just as brightly in variety programming.

Stepping into the variety show 'Bonjour Bread House,' as a prepared worker supporting 'Cha Seung-won'

After establishing his presence as an actor through drama, 'Lee Gi-taek' plans to show his human side through Coupang Play’s variety show 'Bonjour Bread House', airing for the first time on the 8th of next month. In the program, where he opens a senior dessert café in a rural village and interacts with local residents, he will act as an assistant patissier who supports 'Cha Seung-won'. He said, “I went in with the mindset of a worker who pours his heart into the job—not so much thinking, ‘I’ll be appearing on TV.’” He also revealed, “When 'Cha Seung-won' senior encouraged me by saying, ‘You were the best,’ I want to remain as a dependable, affectionate younger brother.” Behind this path is relentless self-improvement. He’s not only learning baking techniques, but is also currently focusing on studying boxing and Japanese. In other words, he’s preparing thoroughly to seize opportunities—whatever they may be, including action performances and overseas activities—that could come his way. As a model, he’s shown a rapid upward trajectory since debuting in a web drama in 2020, and he added that the styling know-how he learned through modeling activities became a great source of strength in completing his characters.

After countless moments of anxiety and self-blame, actor 'Lee Gi-taek' has gained real confidence. He dreams of becoming a versatile actor with perfect genre-handling ability—someone who gives his best in every moment without forgetting the desperation he felt as an extra. That’s why his future—where he will cherish and grow himself and one day shine brilliantly—is even more exciting to anticipate.

Beyond anxiety into confidence—dreaming of a versatile actor

Recently, he’s been taking on major roles back-to-back and showing his strengths, but reaching where he is now took plenty of time filled with anxiety and self-criticism. 'An Efficient Match for Never Married, Never Single' gave him great comfort and courage through the story of the protagonists who push forward toward love despite their fears. 'Lee Gi-taek' said, “Every task requires a process to produce results, and if there are no visible results right away, there’s no need to blame yourself. I want to share a message with the public that if you take care of yourself and keep developing, you’ll shine someday.” He continued, “When I was an extra, my wish was to be on set at least once a year. Now, I want to become an actor who keeps working steadily. ” He concluded with a firm vow: “No matter what genre I’m given, my final goal is to be evaluated as a ‘truly sincere, great-acting actor’ after fully mastering it.”