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“Squid Game” has become the hottest TV show in the world, so many may have thought its South Korean stars are being inundated with job offers from Hollywood.
But Lee Jung-jae — who plays contestant Number 456 in Netflix’s dystopian drama series — says execs in Tinseltown haven’t been in touch about any possible roles.
“No proposals or requests have come my way,” Lee, 48, told Variety on Monday.
The Seoul-born star is an entertainment veteran in his home country, with more than two dozen film credits under his belt.
Lee shot to fame in the late 1990s, headlining a series of South Korean romcoms, and he’s stayed in the spotlight ever since. Variety claims he is “now the most bankable actor in Korea” thanks to his starring role in “Squid Game.”
And that means Lee isn’t exactly waiting around for a phone c all from Hollywood.
“I’ve decided that I’ll only do one job at a time,” he told the publication.
“For now, I don’t have any plans to do an overseas project. But if a good opportunity presented itself, of course I’d be open to it.”
Netflix recently announced that “Squid Game” was on track to become the streaming service’s most-watched original series ever. A modest Lee told Variety he’s surprised by the show’s blockbuster success.
“I didn’t expect this kind of success at all when I first boarded ‘Squid Game’ … But when I read the script, I understood that it contained elements that could resonate with everyone and work outside of Korea.”
Lee — who now boasts more than 3.3 million Instagram followers — is just one of the “Squid Game” cast members who has suddenly become an international name.
His co-star, HoYeong Jung, 27, has racked up more than 15 million Instagram followers since the series started streaming three weeks ago.
The budding actress has also inked coveted modeling deals with Louis Vuitton and Adidas.
“Squid Game — which follows cash-strapped characters competing in a series of violent games — has been the No. 1 Netflix show in 90 countries, despite its gory scenes.
The series is top of the charts in the US, with New Yorkers of all stripes tuning in. In fact, many Big Apple viewers told The Post that they’re intrigued by the show’s interest in class warfare.
“I think it’s definitely trying to shed light on class issues. It’s not really a subtle message,” Rajat Suresh, 26, stated.
“The show sort of beats you over the head with the idea that working-class people are desperate, which is good in a way because working-class people are beat over the head with this stuff every day. This isn’t really a smart reason to like it, but I think it was a good fun show with a solid message.”
Meanwhile, interest in the series shows no sign of slowing down.
“Squid Game” Halloween costumes are hot property on Amazon, while Walmart has confirmed they are partnering with Netflix to roll out apparel, toys and other products tied to the show.
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