Actor Lee Moo-saeng is captivating viewers in the tvN 20th anniversary special weekend drama 100 Days of Lies by seamlessly navigating between delicate emotional performances and firm charisma as character Yu Philip.
In episodes 9 and 10, Lee Moo-saeng portrayed Yu Philip, a Korean-American and Gyeongseong correspondent for the US WWP News. He expressed deep affection by directly confessing his long-held feelings for Yu So-ran (played by Kim Hyun-joo) for the first time. Following the Government-General bombing operation, he stepped forward without hesitation to protect the injured Yu So-ran. His dedication was further highlighted as he documented a colleague’s sacrifice through a news article, showcasing an unwavering character caught between love and responsibility.
On the night before the operation, Yu Philip handed Yu So-ran a pair of pearl earrings and revealed his long-hidden true feelings. Although they had lived together as a fake married couple, he confessed that his feelings were always genuine. However, Yu So-ran expressed difficulty in accepting his heart, offering her apologies. Yu Philip quietly accepted the rejection without being able to say much more. Even so, he persuaded Yu So-ran that she must survive after the operation. His unchanging love shone through as he worried about her safety above his own rejected confession.
After the bombing operation of the Government-General signal office opening ceremony, Yu Philip’s strong and resolute side came to the forefront. Witnessing a colleague collapse, he restrained Yu So-ran from rushing toward Kim Tae-woong (played by Park Jin-young) and safely escorted her injured shoulder away from the dangerous scene. Even after returning home when Kim Tae-woong and police arrived to check on Yu So-ran’s injuries, he stood firmly in front of her to block them. Later, he reported a colleague’s sacrifice in an article, fulfilling his responsibility and conviction as a reporter. It was a moment where Yu Philip’s dual identity as a protector of his loved one and a truth-seeker with a pen was fully revealed.
Lee Moo-saeng’s delicate acting particularly shone during the confession scene. From the moment he cautiously handed over the pearl earrings and asked if she would like them, to the part where he bared his soul, his gaze and tone conveyed a long wait and hesitation. His calm delivery of the confession that they were a fake couple but his emotions were real added a deep resonance. From struggling to speak to swallowing his emotions in front of Yu So-ran’s rejection, he conveyed the character’s pain flawlessly without exaggerated expressions.
On the other hand, during crisis situations, he completely shifted the atmosphere with a low, resolute voice and an unwavering attitude. His swift judgment and decisiveness stood out when getting Yu So-ran out of danger and supporting her injured body. Particularly in the scene protesting against police pointing guns to lower their weapons toward Yu So-ran, his strong attitude heightened the tension. Refusing to back down even against unreasonable demands from police wanting to inspect her injuries, his stance provided a stark contrast to his earlier restrained confession.
