Lee Jun Young discusses receiving criticism for his role in “When Life Gives You Tangerines,” a mix-up at an award show, and opens up about his dating life.

Actor Lee Jun Young, one of today’s rising stars, will appear on the September 21 episode of SBS’s variety show My Little Old Boy. Known for his versatility in portraying both good and evil, Lee recently gained attention for his role as IU’s first love Yeong Bum in the hit drama When Life Gives You Tangerines.

Lee revealed that he unexpectedly faced public criticism for a particular scene in the drama. In the drama’s family introduction sequence, his character sat idly while his girlfriend poured scorched rice soup, a moment that viewers found frustrating. “Even ordinary citizens scolded me over that scene,” Lee shared, adding that even his father had words for him after watching it.

The actor also recalled an embarrassing incident at the Blue Dragon Series Awards. Mistakenly believing his name had been called, Lee Jun Young walked up to the stage when in fact it was actor Lee Joon Hyuk who had won. Though he apologized immediately, he admitted, “I was so embarrassed I just wanted to go home.” He humorously added that MC Shin Dong Yup’s remarks made the situation even more awkward, drawing laughter in the studio.

In a lighter moment, Lee candidly confessed that he has had very little dating experience, saying he could count his relationships on one hand. When MC Seo Jang Hoon teased him about being a “dating expert despite limited experience,” Lee admitted he has a unique flirting technique—one that doesn’t require him to confess first but instead draws the other person toward him. The studio reportedly reacted with amazement, curious about what his secret method could be.

The episode of My Little Old Boy featuring Lee Jun Young will air on September 21 at 9 p.m. KST.