Lee Min-ho reveals he only recently learned to be alone

Actor Lee Min-ho revealed that until just two or three years ago, he had never experienced going to the airport alone. As a top star who has been the center of public attention for a long time, he naturally became accustomed to a life of receiving help from those around him. He confessed that after passing his mid-thirties, he finally began to learn "how to be alone."

On the 14th, Lee appeared on the YouTube channel 'Zzanbro' alongside Ryu Hye-young and Kim Dae-myung, with whom he worked in the film 'The Assassin(s),' to discuss his daily life and lifestyle. Although the gathering was arranged to promote the film, the most eye-catching part of the day was Lee's unexpectedly modest lifestyle habits hidden behind his glamorous acting career.

The conversation began with "eating alone." When Shin Dong-yup asked Lee if he had ever entered a restaurant to eat by himself, he replied that he often eats alone in Japan. He explained that he has been consciously changing his lifestyle pattern toward enjoying time alone for several years now.

It wasn't that he felt comfortable being alone from the start. Lee said, "I went to the airport for the first time two or three years ago. I had no reason to go alone." He explained that because it was his daily routine to move with managers, staff, and acquaintances while handling overseas shoots, performances, and official schedules for a long time, there was rarely a need to go to the airport by himself.

Hearing this, Ryu expressed surprise, asking in essence, "That's amazing. How have you lived your life?" While an airport is a space where there is no special reason for an ordinary office worker or traveler to move alone, this was a moment that revealed how "moving alone" can actually be an unfamiliar experience for a top star whose schedule and public gaze are constant.

Lee also stated that his life was not designed that way from the beginning. He explained, "I didn't intend to live like this, but there were always people and friends to take care of me naturally." This can be interpreted as meaning that after becoming a star and being placed in an environment where someone accompanies him for a significant portion of his movements, schedules, and daily life, the task of "solving things alone" was pushed to the background of his life without him realizing it.

The catalyst for change was age. Lee revealed that as he passed his mid-thirties, he thought, "It might become difficult if I don't get used to spending time alone."

Rather than meaning his human relationships were decreasing, it was closer to the realization that in a life where time spent with others was overwhelmingly abundant, the ability to spend time with oneself was also necessary. From then on, he began traveling alone. Even when visiting Japan, he gained experience eating at restaurants alone and exploring travel destinations by himself. However, it wasn't easy at first. Lee recalled that while traveling alone, he felt "unnecessarily self-conscious and awkward," but noted that such awkwardness has largely disappeared now.

Lee's confession is interesting because the word "alone" holds a special meaning for him. For an ordinary person, eating alone or traveling alone is one of many everyday choices, but for a celebrity followed by public interest, time spent alone carries a meaning beyond simple lifestyle habits. While moving with someone is safe and convenient, there also exists a paradox where it makes it difficult to control one's own privacy.

In particular, Lee rose to stardom after playing the role of Gu Jun-pyo in the 2009 KBS2 drama 'Boys Over Flowers' and has since expanded his field of activity both domestically and internationally. Since then, he has established himself as a Hallyu (Korean Wave) star through works such as 'Personal Taste,' 'City Hunter,' 'The Heirs,' 'The Legend of the Blue Sea,' and 'The King: Eternal Monarch,' while steadily continuing his overseas activities.

To that extent, "a life of moving alone" may have come to Lee much later than to an average actor. This is because his life involved repeating a cycle of being with staff on set, being accompanied by management systems during overseas schedules, and dealing with the attention of fans and the press at the airport. It was not an environment where he could move like an ordinary traveler whenever he wanted to be alone.

The fact that Lee has begun to create time for himself provides another perspective on the life of a star. While the life of a celebrity seen by the public is glamorous, the actual person may require an unexpected learning process to spend time solely for themselves.

Furthermore, Lee is currently attempting a new acting transformation ahead of the release of the film 'The Assassin(s).' In the work, he plays the role of Young-il, a rookie reporter chasing the truth of the 1974 assassination attempt on First Lady Yuk Young-soo. The film is a mystery thriller directed by Hur Jin-ho, starring Park Hae-il and Yoo Hae Jin.

Recently, the image Lee has shown through his works and variety shows has been shifting away from the "perfect top star" persona. He has been candidly discussing his lifestyle and even poking fun at his iconic image as Gu Jun-pyo from 'Boys Over Flowers' while tackling new, challenging characters.

Ultimately, Lee's confession that he "had never been to the airport alone" is more than just a quirky anecdote about a celebrity. It shows that things taken for granted by most—like eating alone or traveling solo—can become new skills that a person must learn later in life.

The fact that Lee, who has lived a glamorous life, is only now learning "how to be alone" provides a humanizing glimpse into his current state. The process of a top star, surrounded by countless people, learning to endure and enjoy his own time is a reflection of personal maturity rather than just a change in lifestyle.