Actor Lee Mu-saeng is receiving praise for his perfect embodiment of the character.
Lee Mu-saeng appears in the Netflix series As You Stood By, released on the 7th, as Jin So-baek, the owner of the large food supply company Jin Gang Sanghoe and a reliable supporter of Eun-su (played by Jeon So-ni) and Hee-su (played by Lee Yu-mi), delivering a powerful presence that dominates the screen.
In the drama, Jin So-baek radiates an unattainable aura with an unshaken expression and steady gaze in any situation, but to Eun-su and Hee-su he offers comfort in his own way, remaining like a trustworthy pillar and portraying the true image of an adult. "I love this character," "I'm falling for Lee Mu-saeng's acting again," and similar positive reactions have followed.
This ability to inhabit the character of Jin So-baek took wing when it met Lee Mu-saeng's acting. Lee Mu-saeng said he meticulously researched the visual aspects to fully immerse himself in Jin So-baek. Challenging long hair for the first time in As You Stood By, Lee Mu-saeng said, "When I first saw it I wanted to give him a mysterious charm that makes it impossible to guess what kind of person he is at a glance, so I tried a style I had never done before," explaining that through the character's external expressions he also layered the character's inner life.
Lee Mu-saeng's deep gaze and low voice also delicately guided Jin So-baek's narrative. Lee Mu-saeng conveyed the character who helps as a true adult through his eyes and tone, further raising the drama's immersion. At the critical moment he spat out lines crisply yet powerfully, and his clear Chinese acting infused the character with breath.
Through such varied research and expression, Lee Mu-saeng, who became one with Jin So-baek, said, "I wanted to be a strong protector for Eun-su and Hee-su and always protect them," and added the origin story of the Lee Mu-saeng-style "Jin So-baek" character, saying, "Jin So-baek was finally able to see his future properly after escaping a dark past, and I tried to express that he grew through this process."
In his previous Netflix series The Glory (2022), Lee Mu-saeng left a strong impression despite a brief appearance as the chilling serial killer Kang Young-cheon, and in Gyeongseong Creature season 2 (2024) he made a new history for villains with a different-level antagonist, widening his range of appeal across genres and putting on an acting tour de force.
Meanwhile, the Netflix series As You Stood By, starring Lee Mu-saeng, tells the story of two women who decide to commit murder in the face of a reality they cannot escape unless they kill or are killed and become entangled in an unexpected incident. It entered the top 10 in 22 countries worldwide, including Korea, Brazil, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia, three days after its release. It is currently streaming on Netflix to much acclaim.
[Photo] Netflix
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