[Interview] Lee JUNHO (2PM) of ”Taepung Corporation” leaves his own agency... ”I became a CEO, which wasn't my destiny”

"I was able to empathize with Taepoong, who suddenly became the president. Haha," said Lee Junho, an actor and member of the group 2PM, at a tvN event held at a cafe in Seongdong-gu, Seoul on the morning of the 2nd.
In an interview commemorating the final episode of the Saturday and Sunday TV series "Taepoong Trading Company," he spoke about the story behind the show, saying, "Taepoong Trading Company was founded in the 1997 Asian financial crisis, with no employees, no funds, and no products to sell.
The story depicts the struggles and growth of Kang Tae-poong, a rookie trading company employee who becomes the president of a trading company that doesn't exist. Lee Junho plays the role of Kang Tae-poong, the CEO of Tae-poong Trading Company.
Lee Junho left JYP Entertainment, which he had been with for many years, in August and founded the agency O3 Collective.
Lee Junho, who also became a new president, said, "There are some similarities between Taepoong's situation and my own situation," and added, "I started it alone, so it may seem like a one-person agency, but I'm not a one-person agency.
I didn't come out thinking, 'I'm going to start a company.' I don't have any fellow actors yet, but if there are people who share the same aspirations, I have plans to work with them."
When asked what they were similar in, Lee Junho replied, "We both became presidents, which was not our destiny, so we had similarities."
He confessed, "After 18 years of activity, it was a time when I wanted to take on a new challenge. It's true that I was able to empathize with the characters."
He also mentioned JYP, saying, "I was well-educated by good parents, and now that I'm independent,
I feel like I have become a better person. I received a lot of support so that I could become independent and stable," he said, adding, "Even when I was at JYP, I knew that reality would not be easy. I learned little by little.
When asked why he turned down numerous love calls and decided to set up an agency, Lee Junho said, "I think there are more actors like me who are both singers and actors."
He replied, "I was thinking that if there were people who shared the same aspirations, I would like to start together. I wanted to create an environment where I could experience it and learn. I would be happy if I was given the opportunity to do this together."
Lee Junho has had three consecutive hits, from the TV series "Red Sleeves" and "King the Land" to "Taepoong Trading Co." Even though it's been 18 years since his debut, he still says that his work is fun and interesting.
He laughed and said, "I want to accept all praise and criticism to the fullest extent. I don't know if I'm doing a good job yet, but I'm trying my best."
When asked if he was experiencing burnout, he replied, "I feel more tired than before (laughs). I'm still not burned out.
He didn't have time to realize he was out. I think it's a good kind of madness," he said, drawing attention.