Actor Lee Joon Gi expressed his inhibitions over selecting IU as female lead for upcoming drama, Scarlet Heart: Goryeo. The 34 year-old revealed that he was worried if the actress, whose real name is Lee Ji-eun, would be able to take up the pressure. However, the actor relays that he was proved wrong after he saw the 23-year-old performing extremely well.
At the show's press conference on 24 August, Joon Gi stated: "To be honest, I was really worried about IU's acting at first. It's true that she's shown her skills in previous projects, but there was a lot to process in the beginning. She's close to playing the lead, so I thought maybe it'd be too much pressure for her and I worried."
He further added: "From the start of filming, I began to have a lot more trust in IU. IU's able to make the role her own. Working on the 2nd-3rd episodes, it made me think that I was able to lean on her as an actress, and it was another chance for me to focus on my character. I'm thankful she did so well. You should really look forward to it."
SBS's Scarlet Heart: Goryeo will premiere on 29 August. It is a fully pre-produced series similar to tvN's Cheese in the Trap and KBS's Descendants of the Sun. IU reportedly wrapped up the shoot in July, to make a comeback to the music scene.
