On June 17th, Lee Byung-hun made a rare U.S. talk show appearance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon to promote the upcoming final season of Netflix’s global phenomenon Squid Game.
Speaking in slow but fluent English, Lee shared behind-the-scenes stories from his time as “Front Man” — including his first reaction to the script, and the challenges of acting behind the now-iconic black mask.
He also revealed charming personal stories: like how shocked he was when the show exploded globally, how his mom got mad at him for keeping his role a secret, and how he tricked his son into thinking he was a spy. 😂
The interview ended with a playful “Squid Game OX Game” segment and a brief teaser clip from Season 3 — though no real spoilers were given. 😝
Seeing Lee Byung-hun — one of Korea’s top-tier actors — a little nervous on American TV felt strangely refreshing. His English was slow but clear, and despite what seemed like a very rehearsed delivery (understandable!), he got his points across without sounding awkward.
That said, the slow pace did kill some of the potential back-and-forth with Jimmy Fallon… and speaking of Fallon, his interaction with Lee Byung-hun felt so forced- like he’s trying to be funny but also like he wanted to be anywhere else. 👀
