Recently ended tvN drama “Flower of Evil” has not only confirmed how talented actor Lee Joon-gi is but given Lee the chance to show how versatile he can be. Lee, who took on the role of a husband and father who had to hide his past, showed audiences all he had to offer on the cable channel drama through encompassing a variety of different genres such as melodrama, thriller and action.

“I felt a mix of many different emotions as I wrapped up the work,” said Lee during a recent interview with the Ilgan Sports, an affiliate of the Korea JoongAng Daily.

“The comforting feeling that I had safely completed the run of the drama and the feeling of accomplishment that I made it work until the end and overcame the burden I felt in the beginning was mixed with the feeling of emptiness because I was saying goodbye to those who I worked together with on set."

Lee's character Do Hyeon-su, who is suspected of murder but is in fact innocent, decides to live his life under a new identity, with the name Baek Hee-seong, in the hopes of having a “normal” life as a husband and father while trying to leave his dark past behind.

The actor shared why he was smitten with the character he was tasked to play and how it felt to be rediscovered by many fans. Below are edited excerpts from the interview.

BY KIM JIN-SEOK [summerlee@joongang.co.kr]