Fan Club Goodies

This is a precious article of BH from his Addiction filming to fill the days after the Arena Tour radio interview. But always.. always.. the thoughtful and very insightful person he is, it is always a great pleasure reading his thoughts and point of view. No matter how long ago, it's always a wonderful sharing reading about LBH. I'll never get tired reading & talking about him, each day. And really missing the excellent Byunghunzzang as well.

Gratitude to byunghunzzang.com for the BAZAAR 2002 captures, more pics at the Addiction movie thread
http://www.soompi.com/forums/index.php?sho...=2884&st=40

Article from Bazaar Oct 2002, thanks to Lucy-LBH.SG

Translated by Splash; Sep 14th, 2003

Feature Editor/ Im Do Hee
Photographed by JO JIN MAN

--------------------------------------

LEE BYUNG HUN, THE STRONG ONE

LBH reveals limitless self-confidence about his acting, life and new movie "Addiction."



LBH has started on the path to becoming a competent leading actor after "Bunjee Jumping of Their Own." However, when considering the characteristics of this extremely unique path, the work "Dae Do Moo Mun" comes to mind.

Having won over the public steadily with dramas and commercials (CFs), LBH now commands the power to choose whatever movies and roles he likes.

However, I feel that in recent years LBH's greatest achievement has to be his success in defining his own "LBH Style." His style is fascinating, sensitive and sexy at the same time. He began sharing his ideas and thoughts with the producers and scriptwriters, so he has now become a difficult actor to work together with. Therefore, his new movie "Addiction" is extremely interesting. The sypnosis of "Addiction" describes its story as beginning from the point two brothers lose their consciousness after meeting with unexpected accidents at the same time on the same day. This movie, which deals with the painful love between the younger brother (LBH) possessed by his older brother's spirit and his sister-in-law (Lee Mi Yeon), is in the midst of hectic production in order to meet its intended premiere in October.

This interview with LBH was held on a day of hectic filming of "Addiction." On a valley in the Dae Gwal Lyeong mountain range, the entire staff were so overjoyed that they applauded when the camera which had been going on endlessly the entire day finally captured its last cut (scene). They revealed that they were so happy and felt just like they had just started their school vacation, so they were going to Dong Hae for sashimi. LBH looked really excited when he asked me whether I wanted to join them. I then started asking this veteran actor with 12 year's experience who was now so thrilled that the filming was finally over, what he thought acting was, what kind of profession an actor was, and how one could earn money.


Q: What have you gained from the movie "Addiction"?
A: I usually gain something in whatever I do, regardless of whether I put a lot of hard work into it or if I simply take it easy ... I can't say now that all these have helped me, but I believe that I will definitely realize later on that I have benefitted.


Q: Did you do a good job in your role as Daejin in "Addiction"?
A: I feel like I am bragging all the time, but I think I did very well (laughs). I also think that I did not get selected for the movie, but that I had chosen to be in it?


Q: I saw Cha In Pyo's "Black Box" recently and according to that movie, the possession of one's body by spirits does not exist. What do you think?
A: I really wanted to watch that one, but didn't manage to catch it. Supernatural phenomena like this exist if one believes in them, and do not exist if one does not believe, don't you agree? I did not act in the movie (Addiction) because I believe in spirit possession.


Q: Did you encounter any spine-chilling incidents during filming?
A: Yes, there were times when I felt really good even though my part in the scene was insignificant. I myself was acting, but there were several scenes meant to tell that "wow, this smile really feels good (or he must be feeling really good in order to smile that way)." During those times, I felt almost as if I could get back at those people who used to tease that I smiled the same all the time and that I had a "Dunkin" smile (laughs). The love scene (LBH chooses to use this expression instead of "bed scene" ) was also good. This is a man moved to tears because he has been accepted by his wife, now that he has got up after spending more than a year lying in hospital, and is now having intercourse with the woman he loves most in the whole world. I do not remember any love scene that shows a man with tears in his eyes while he is making love.


Q: What would you consider first of all when deciding on your next movie?
A: I feel that the content and message (of the movie) are important. Issues like low budget, block buster, etc. are concerns of the producers, not mine. It is also important that the movie appeals to me ... then comical and light characters. I would like to try out less heavy (Splash: He seems to mean "not so serious" ) roles.


Q: Since you love movies so much, you probably don't enjoy working on dramas.
A: Do you know that I need to film dramas to fulfil my remaining contract obligations? I would like to do just movies. I feel that there is definitely something that I gain from working on movies and not on TV. However, since I have to do it anyway, I would like to do it cheerfully (and enjoy it). But the TV fans are like bubbles; the popularity that I get from appearing in dramas just fades so quickly.


Q: I heard that the producers really like your features.
A: I have often heard that I have a face that is great for acting ... That I can manifest even the most subtle expressions on my face? Now even Producer Park Young Hun likes my face which is thinner than it used to be. I can express different feelings even through every single nerve on my face.


Q: I think you act really well.
A: I am not pretending to be modest, but I really don't know what acting is. It is not like in sports when athletes can break records (and see how much they have improved or how they are doing compared to others) ... I just trust my gut feeling and take on every challenge that comes along, so that makes it more difficult. However, what I find really funny is I have been acting for 12 years now, but there are still times when my mind goes completely blank. I then feel like an idiot unsure about the future.


Q: What would you rate as the best thing about your own (LBH's) acting?
A: Acting that is full of creativity and energy. I find it extremely difficult to perform that kind of acting, so there are times when I am so stressed that I can't breathe and have to go outdoors to take some deep breaths. The psychological stress that an actor has to go through is really worse than anyone can imagine.


Q: What do you have to say about critics now commenting that you have become a good actor suddenly after having several movie flops?
A: If the critics put it that way, I would feel happy, of course. I am also happy to know that people go to the movies to watch me ... However, (as much as I am happy that people like to watch me) I also feel pressurized. I feel that movies become hits when the public identifies with the movies, and mania when a smaller group identifies with them. If I am pressurized about movie trends all the time, I think I will most probably fall sick after just working on a few movies?


Q: Do you agree when people comment that you are smart and like a fox?
A: Hmm... I have heard that before. But when it comes to being smart, like a fox, or a genius, it all depends on the situation, even for a genius. I admit that while I may be smarter than others in certain areas, I am really like a fool at times in other areas. Haha! How did I end up talking about this?

Our gratitude to Splash for the wonderful translation & Lucy for the article