Rising Child Star Lee Cheon-mu Shares Heartfelt Moment with Park Bo-gum on ‘Knowing Bros’
On the recent Children’s Day special episode of Knowing Bros (JTBC), Korea’s top rising child stars lit up the studio, including trot singers Park Sung-on, Lee Soo-yeon, Hwang Min-ho, child actors Yoo Ji-tae, Kim Tae-yeon, Lee Cheon-mu, and Oh Ji-yul.
Among the young talents, Lee Cheon-mu captured attention by sharing a touching behind-the-scenes story from the filming of the drama No official English name found, where he portrayed the young version of the character Gwan-sik, played by Park Bo-gum.
“We filmed this two years ago, and I had to be covered in dirt from head to toe. It was uncomfortable to eat during breaks, but I wasn’t allowed to wash up,” said Lee, reminiscing about the demanding preparation for his role. He continued, “My skin got really tanned, but my mom told me no one would notice if I just washed my hands before eating—so I did.”
When cast member Lee Soo-geun asked if he knew he was playing young Park Bo-gum, Lee Cheon-mu replied, “Yes, but I didn’t think I’d get the part since we don’t look alike. So when I got it, I was really happy.”
Lee then shared a memorable encounter with Park Bo-gum during the script reading session. “Bo-gum hyung sat across a big table from me. He walked over just to say, ‘Gwan-sik, I look forward to working with you,’ which was very meaningful for me. It was the first time an adult actor respectfully greeted a child actor like that,” he expressed, leaving everyone moved.
He also revealed his favorite scene in the drama: the part where young Gwan-sik delivers ‘jogu’ to Aesoon’s house, adding, “When he says ‘this one is a freebie,’ it really shows Gwan-sik’s personality.”
Co-host Seo Jang-hoon asked if he could relate to Aesoon’s character constantly scolding Gwan-sik. Lee honestly responded, “As Lee Cheon-mu, I couldn’t understand. She hit me with a rock even when I brought chicken, and scolded me even with gifts. But since I had to live as Gwan-sik, I acted based on his emotions.”
With his passion, professionalism, and six years of experience, Lee Cheon-mu is proving himself to be one of Korea’s most promising young talents.
