Korean actor Lee Jung-jae, known for his award-winning performance in Netflix’s Squid Game, has embarked on a new chapter in his career, making his US-produced television debut in the much-anticipated Star Wars series, The Acolyte.

Streaming now on Disney+, The Acolyte dives into the complex world of the Jedis, exploring their extraordinary heroism alongside their all-too-human flaws.

Lee Jung-jae stars as Master Sol, a Jedi who takes on a mentoring role for Mae, played by Amandla Stenberg. The actor expressed his awe and disbelief upon joining the Star Wars universe. “I really couldn’t believe it,” Jung-jae shared. “The first time I went in for my first fitting, doing the hair and makeup for the first time, I told myself: ‘Is this reality?' It was an unbelievable moment for me.”

Showrunner Lesly Headland praised Lee Jung-jae for his “quiet intensity” and acting prowess, which enabled him to seamlessly navigate scenes that ranged from formidable to heartbreaking.

“When I first heard from my agent that I had a Zoom meeting with Star Wars, I was very surprised and very excited and also very curious about what the story would be and what character would be offered to me. When I realized it was 'The Acolyte' and this role of Master Sol, it had so much more depth and even so much more spectacle than I could even imagine,” Jung-jae shared.

Lee Jung-jae described his character, Master Sol, as having more depth and spectacle than he had anticipated. “I do think [Sol] creates a lot of balance and harmony between the characters,” he said. “He's also involved in a lot of emotional scenes and relationship webs with different characters. I felt very lucky to be able to play him.”

Beyond his acting career, Lee Jung-jae is also an accomplished writer and director, currently working on his next screenplay. Reflecting on his unexpected journey, Lee Jung-jae said, “Becoming an actor and also a director was something I could never really imagine. But once I started working and these roles became a reality, it was sort of like the flow of my life that kind of kept coming in a way that was very unexpected to me.”

As he continues to captivate audiences worldwide, Lee Jung-jae remains committed to his craft. “I think as long as this is my reality, all I can do is work hard and put my all into these roles,” he concluded.

— By Samantha Prats