[Exclusive Interview] This Time, It’s a K-Dessert Variety Show! Meet the Five Muses of ‘Bite Me Sweet’ ⑤ Lee Se-eon

Coming in April is the K-dessert variety program 〈Bite Me Sweet〉(also known as 〈Bamis〉), which will be available globally via the OTT platform Viu, with Asia as its hub, and in Korea via Wavve. 〈Bite Me Sweet〉 is a competitive reality show where well-known pâtissiers from each country in Southeast Asia and Korean celebrities form paired teams to create brand-new desserts using K-snacks. Lee Se-eon, an actor who has been delivering memorable performances through starring roles in the web dramas 〈Saebit Namgo Student Council〉(2021), 〈CEO’s Convenience Store Mart〉(2023), and 〈Heosikdang〉(2025), will appear on the show. With striking visuals and, even more than that, his innate dexterity, he is expected to win over viewers’ hearts. We met Lee Se-eon, an actor whose future we’re even more excited to see, to hear firsthand about 〈Bite Me Sweet〉 and about him, himself.

〈I’m curious about what inspired you to join 〈Bamis〉, and how the process went.〉

Honestly, I’m not really into desserts. But I really enjoy variety shows, and I also like making people laugh. The concept of this show felt fresh, too. The basic premise—actors and models helping professional pâtissiers make desserts—was honestly so novel. So I thought, “If I can do it, there’s no reason not to,” and after meeting with the production team, I was accepted.

Please tell us about Se-eon’s first work in terms of commercials, dramas, movies, and short dramas.〉

Before my first drama, I filmed a commercial. It was an ad for a Korean public institution—specifically, a TV commercial for the Korea Industrial Workforce Corporation and a public service advertisement for Korea Expressway Corporation. Since it was the first time I shared my image with others and tried to earn money, it remains a proud memory.

Even though your first activities were through commercials, I think people started to recognize your face through Mnet 〈Produce 101 Season 2〉 and JTBC 〈Mixnine〉. I heard you originally dreamed of becoming an idol—so what led you to transition into acting?

Actually, when I was filming 〈Produce 101 Season 2〉, I wasn’t dreaming of becoming an idol. That was true even before then. The friends in the 101 group weren’t all idol trainees—there were also friends who had been acting already and came from that route. It was a great chance to get known. I was one of those people, and back then I met friends I’m still close with today and learned a lot from them. I also had many realizations by watching the desperate, earnest attitude of my trainee friends. So for 〈Mixnine〉, I prepared even more seriously and went. At the time, for a little while, I also wanted to become an idol. In the end, it didn’t work out, but I think it became a great experience in my early 20s. To be honest, I wanted to become an actor starting from high school, so I chose a university major in the Department of Performing Arts and went there. After 〈Mixnine〉, I started acting again in earnest.

After debuting as an actor, you took on your first leading role in the web drama 〈Saebit Namgo Student Council〉(2021). Looking back on the path you’ve taken so far—even though it hasn’t been that long—you’ve built up a wide range of acting experience. 〈Saebit Namgo Student Council〉 is a teen drama that’s also a BL drama, and in 〈Heosikdang〉(2025) you played a one-person two-roles spanning both the Joseon era and the modern era. I’m curious—what kind of “nourishment” do you think these unique acting experiences have given you personally?

Of course, there are people who are naturally good at acting from the start, but I feel like I can’t even see where the end of acting is. Of course, that’s true in every field—but it’s just so difficult. At first, it was even more difficult. But because of those precious experiences, at some point I started to feel a bit more at ease. The moment I let myself go, it was like I found more room to breathe. The works you mentioned are what made me realize that the most important thing isn’t trying to do everything perfectly. After that, I just filmed while letting go a bit, and the responses around me were even better. Even when I watch it myself, it feels more natural.

In this program, what kind of side of yourself will you show more?

On the outside, I might look cold, but I think I’ll be able to show a lot of warmth—more than people expect. And it was also a shoot where I could reveal my talents a lot. Also, even though I’m not the oldest, I’ll be showing a bit of leadership—getting along with the other cast members and creating a team together, too. I hope you’re looking forward to it.

Actually, what made a strong impression on me was the moment when the 〈Bite Me Sweet〉 cast is introduced. You brought photos from childhood and showed that you’re naturally good-looking—were you proud of that?

Not really, honestly. (laugh) It was something the writers wanted in order to leave an impression through performance. I don’t think plastic surgery is “bad.” So I worried a lot. If I said, “This is all natural,” it would have felt too unlikable. So after continuing to think things through with the writers, we came up with that compromise: those childhood photos. Since that introduction moment had to quickly highlight the strengths I already had, it was unavoidable. Even after doing it, I worried, and later when I watched the scene, I was surprised—it wasn’t unlikable at all. I think it came out cute, so please treat it as cute and charming, okay. (laugh)

I’m also curious how you felt when you pressed your lip against the employment contract.

I once tried stamping my lip on a panel in a YouTube content piece as well. That experience came back to me, and my first thought was, “That looks hard.” For the lip shape to look pretty on camera, you have to make it quite pronounced. While I was focusing on those details, I wasn’t as flustered as I thought I would be.

In 〈Heosikdang〉, you played the role of a chef. When you joined this program, did the experience from back then help in any way?

At the time, the food team prepared all the food at the drama set. Back then, by actually eating everything, I was able to study a bit. It was also a time to recognize how hard the staff members were working behind the scenes—more diligently than I could really see. And since it was the first time I wore the chef outfit back then, with this 〈Bite Me Sweet〉 I was able to start filming after making a rough prediction of how it would fit me.

Among the menus created in the program, is there one that particularly stands out in your memory?

The lip cake made by Ju-wan (Cha Ju-wan)! After cutting all the bread sheet, you reassemble it and attach it back together. When I saw that, I thought, “What is this?” It was so creative. Even the finished look was really convincing, so I was amazed. (laugh)

If you had to choose, tell us your favorite movie and actor.

When it comes to movies, I like 〈Midnight in Paris〉 the most. Isn’t there poetry and novels within the literary genre? When I watched that movie, it felt like all those different literary genres were melting together. It’s a movie that gave me so many different feelings, and it’s truly one I can’t forget. For overseas actors, I like Johnny Depp. In Korea, I like sunbae Jung Jae-young and sunbae Park Hee-soon. The kind of direction I aim for as an actor is to transform into completely different appearances whenever I take on different roles. I think all three of the people I mentioned are like that.

Please also share your future plans. As an actor, what kind of image do you want to show the public?

Right now, I’m preparing a musical called “Haeg.” Since this will be my debut at Daehak-ro, I hope I’ll do well and grow from it. Going forward, I want to show you many sides of me—various aspects.

Finally, is there anything you’d like to say to prospective viewers who will be watching 〈Bite Me Sweet〉?

It just came to mind, so I’ll say it. (laugh)

Please watch—okay? 

Together with Me (Me), all of us—

Streaming, please make sure you do.