XO, Kitty Star Sang Heon Lee on Playing Min Ho, K-Dramas, and That Kitty Love Triangle
Lee first met co-star Cathcart in Seoul, breaking the ice before filming started. They went out for naengmyeon, introducing her to the cold noodle soup made with buckwheat, and he instantly clocked her positive energy and great smile. During filming, there were COVID-19 protocols that kept most of the cast and crew isolated from the outside world to reduce potential exposure. But there was one time when the cast asked to go to Lotte World, a beloved amusement park, which made for a special bonding experience between the young performers.
His first day on set, however, didn’t necessarily go quite as planned.
“I remember that day so clearly because I forgot my lines and I was just so nervous at the time because everything was new to me,” he says. “Hitting a mark, where to stand before the camera, I was not used to the whole set environment. So it was a very scary time for me. But although it was nerve-wracking, I had fun.”
In one episode about midway through the season, Min Ho saves the day on Chuseok by whipping up a flurry of delicious Korean classics. Lee also knows his way around a kitchen, but his specialties lean toward Western style since his culinary education happened largely during his university years living with flatmates in England, watching YouTube cooking videos to learn how to eat well at home while on a budget.
“I’m not trying to brag here, but I can make a really good steak with a side of asparagus and some caramelized onions,” he says. “Also, an original carbonara, no cream, just using eggs.”
Another central trait that becomes somewhat of a bit for Min Ho is his super intense skincare regimen. That’s where Lee strays from character: his routine is fairly simple. Washing with cold water, not soap in the morning, then finishing off with some toner essence, moisturizing cream, and sunscreen. No obsession with drinking collagen water, unlike Min Ho.
In his spare time, you can often find Lee rock climbing – he even has an entire Instagram account dedicated to his love for the sport. He fell for the activity after jumping onto the viral South Korean social media trend known as “body profile,” where people go through extremely intense physical training and dieting for a huge body transformation which is then documented in a photo shoot. Following that, he hated going to the gym. One day a friend invited him along to rock climbing. That was two years ago, and Lee now goes climbing four times a week.
Related: XO, Kitty’s Minyeong Choi Wants Kitty to Keep the Love for Dae
Beyond XO, Kitty, Lee will also appear in the forthcoming action flick Gran Turismo. While shooting the project in Budapest, he got to meet fellow Netflix actor Darren Barnet. The Never Have I Ever heartthrob was always down to answer Lee’s questions and share his tips on set. In return, restaurant lover Lee convinced Barnet to join for meals at buzzy, well-reviewed places where they ate well. The guys plan to hang out when they’re both in Los Angeles at the same time.
