On the May 3 episode of the YouTube show ‘Pinggyego’, SHINee member Key shared his admiration for rising actor Byun Woo Seok, expressing how thrilled he is to see him gaining widespread popularity.

During the episode, when Yoo Jae Suk teased Girls’ Generation’s Yuri about her feelings, Key jumped in, saying, “It’s good to carry love in your heart. It’s similar to how people feel about celebrities they admire—like the love people have for Byun Woo Seok right now.”

Yoo Jae Suk added, “Woo Seok is really something,” to which Key commented, “A lot of people around me even have him as their phone wallpaper. We’re the same age.” Yoo explained further, “Although Woo Seok has been around for a while, he’s only recently gotten so popular, so people feel that sudden jump.”

Key revealed, “I’ve known about him since his modeling days. We weren’t close, but I’ve been aware of him for a while, and I’m genuinely happy to see him doing so well.”

When Yuri asked if they had been close before, seemingly missing his earlier point, Key laughed and clarified, “I just said we weren’t close.” Yuri playfully replied, “I was just curious and wanted to hear more details,” which made everyone laugh. Key then joked, “If you and Dong Hyun became friends, the world might end,” adding to the lighthearted vibe.

In addition, Key spoke candidly about attitude issues in the entertainment industry, saying, “Sometimes you just know certain people will regret their behavior by the time they hit their late twenties. I often wonder if they realize their reputation won’t stay inside this bubble.” He added, “But I can’t really intervene—if one word could change them, they would have figured it out by now,” showing both concern and acceptance.

SEE ALSO: 'Dear.M' concludes its belated terrestrial broadcasting with poor ratings at 0.1%