Actor Lee Seo-jin revealed his special love for Texas in the United States.
At the press conference for the Netflix variety show “Ready or Not: Texas” held the morning of the 24th at CGV Yongsan I’Park Mall in Seoul, Lee said, “I thought, ‘When I retire, I should come live somewhere like this,’” calling Texas his dream retirement spot.
“Ready or Not: Texas” is a no-plan, no-script U.S. road-trip variety led by Lee Seo-jin and producer Na Young-seok. Self-proclaimed “Texas superfan” Lee treats the state like a second hometown, while Na and his crew tag along for a chaotic, laugh-filled journey. The U.S. travel saga that began with the 2020 tvN show “Lee Seo-jin’s New York, New York,” continued into a Season 2 on YouTube, and now expands on Netflix as “Ready or Not: Texas.”
Talking about Texas, Lee said, “Texas is trending in the U.S. these days. A lot of companies are moving there―especially Tesla and those kinds of companies. That’s how I got interested. The more I went, the more I loved the weather and how livable it is,” adding, “I’ve often said the place I want to retire to is Dallas.”
He continued, “Most American athletes go to school in Texas. It feels like the starting point of all pro sports. And the really great part is, there’s no state income tax. Texas has a lot of oil fields and money, so it doesn’t rely on the federal government and handles things on its own. Big companies with oil fields pay a lot of taxes, so there’s no need to tax individuals. Because of that cushion, people are all very kind. There are so many good things,” he said, showing off his deep Texas knowledge.
Lee added, “In reality, not many people have actually been to that part of Texas. I told my friends, ‘You’ve got to go at least once.’ This time, we got the chance to go, film, and travel.”
In “Ready or Not: Texas,” Lee plays guide through Texas for Na Young-seok, PD Kim Ye-seul, writer Kim Dae-joo, and more. But instead of classic tourist spots, he free-roams to places he personally loves―sports stadiums, merch shops, and out-of-the-way Korean restaurants most people would skip.
PD Kim Ye-seul admitted, “We even worried a bit that some viewers might use this show as a handbook for trips to Dallas or Houston,” but said that could be the fun. “The show reflects Seo-jin’s tastes and lifestyle. It’s less a travel show and more a show about watching Seo-jin. It became a special trip where you get to share in his preferences. We filmed hoping it would capture the process of getting to know who Lee Seo-jin is.”
Lee said, “When you think of America, you usually think New York or LA. I hope you’ll experience Texas, which has a totally different vibe. Please enjoy and have fun watching.” He also hinted at more city-focused travel projects after Texas: “There are countless cities I’m thinking about. The U.S. is so big that every place has a different feel. Even if Netflix doesn’t do it, I want to keep this series going somewhere.”
“Lee Seo-jin’s Ready or Not: Texas” premieres today at 5 p.m. on Netflix.
[Photo by Baik Seung-Chul]
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Sun-ae)