With the success of KBS2’s Boys Over Flowers (BOF) Lee Min Ho became a overnight star and the prince charming of every woman’s dreams. Winning a handful of commercial contracts and becoming a household star, Lee garnered not only popularity but financial success, and some described him as an “instant celebrity” or “overnight sensation.”

It’s true that BOF skyrocketed him to top star status. However, what most people don’t realize is that Lee spent 4 years in anonymity, appearing in forgotten dramas such as Love Hymn (MBC), Secret Campus (EBS), and Mackerel Run (SBS) before his supposed ‘overnight success.’

Thanks to these years, he was unshaken by success.

“If I had debuted with BOF, I would’ve had a hard time handling stardom. But 4 years of obscurity had hardened me. I knew what it was like to be nobody. (Smile)”

Lee Min Ho is not an ‘instant star.’ Neither does he want to be an ‘overnight sensation.’ Especially through SBS’s City Hunter, which ended on July 28th, he felt that he learned a bit more about acting.

“What did City Hunter leave me with? A tired body (laugh). But seriously, I learned how to perform without stressing myself out so much. People used to see me as a one-hit wonder, but I think this work helped me naturally evolve out of that preconception. I was happy I was able to show new aspects of myself through City Hunter.”

All throughout the interview, Lee Min Ho emphasized the word ‘actor’: Lee Min Ho the actor.

“What does it mean to be an actor? Well, that’s a pretty hard question. I don’t have answers, but I do have ambitions. People have told me that I have ‘potential’ - now I want to realize that potential. I also want to be an artist that younger, aspiring actors will someday respect. I’m ready to work hard towards that goal.”

Although people think ‘star’ when they think of Lee Min Ho, he himself prefers the word ‘actor.’ Of course, if possible, he would like to be both.

“I know it sounds ambitious, but I want to be somewhere between star and actor. Of course it’s hard to pull off both, but I like to be full of surprises - at times a star, at other times a performer. Am I being too greedy? (Laugh)”

That’s why he intends to put these breaks, like the one he’s earned now, to good use. Lee confessed that unlike in the past, he realized that “the way you spend your free time makes all the difference,” and that he “started investing time and energy in becoming a better actor.”

After the final shooting of City Hunter, Lee has great plans for self-improvement: exercise, piano practice, vocal training, and English lessons.

“The audience is a hard crowd to please, but I want to keep them happy, show them something new every time. I’ll have to work hard for it.”