Korean superstar Lee Byung-hun just made waves on American late-night TV. Appearing solo on NBC's The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, he wowed audiences with fluent English, witty humor, and a few juicy Squid Game Season 3 teasers.
🎤 Global hit vibes: "Proud, shocked, and thankful"
During the interview, Lee reflected on Squid Game's global success. "It's a Korean-language show made by Korean directors and actors," he said. "I was shocked when I first visited LA and New York for promo—fans were so enthusiastic. I felt proud and thankful."
He recalled his first impression of the script: "It was fascinating and unique. But also experimental. I thought it would either be a massive hit—or completely flop."
🎭 Keeping the 'Front Man' secret—even from his mom
Lee plays the mysterious 'Front Man'—a masked character who only reveals his identity late in Season 1. Jimmy Fallon brought up the iconic mask, prompting Lee to share a funny memory.
"I didn't even tell my mom or close friends I was in the show," he laughed. "One day, my mom called and yelled, 'How could you not tell me?!' I was so sorry."
He also revealed how tough it was to act behind the mask. "The field of vision is so narrow. Even going up stairs was difficult," he said. "I had to move like a ninja and rely on my other senses."
👦 His son's reaction: "Why were you so bad?"
Lee has a 10-year-old son and an 18-month-old daughter. He shared a hilarious parenting moment: "One day, my son looked sad and said, 'Dad, why were you so bad? You killed so many people.'"
🦑 Season 3 Spoilers? OX Time with Jimmy Fallon
To spice things up, The Tonight Show played an OX (true/false) quiz segment about Squid Game Season 3 using the iconic buttons from the show.
- Will more people learn the Front Man's identity? ✅
- Will there be a Front Man spinoff? ✅
- "It's not confirmed, but it's possible," Lee hinted, teasing fans about what's to come.
For the trickier questions—like whether the Front Man will play in the next game, or if there's someone above him—Lee cheekily pressed both O and X, avoiding spoilers.
🗓️ Squid Game 3 drops on Netflix this June 27. Lee's full interview on The Tonight Show airs June 18 at 11:35 PM ET.
