Source & Gratitude to Mr. Lee Byung Hun at http://blog.naver.com/dalcom2005.do

In 2005, LBH had set up his own blog by sharing personal photos from his travel as well as rare pics from Bittersweet Life as well as various projects & events. It's believed that the blog was started to coincide with the movie's release in 2005. It was a great & cherished moments seeing the photos as they showed everyone especially the fans, glimpses of his personal moments when he out backpacking in Europe (after Cannes 2005) and a lot of other instances.

Gist of BH diary... courtesy of various BH sites, particularly leebyunghun.com, byunghunzzang.com, honeyhunny.com, lovelbh.com, bhjwlove.com & the MagicBox and warmly translated by Wei Lin at soompi.com.

Please enjoy the experience of Byunghun and any further sharing of the diary (of what might be missing from the collection, especially the photos) are highly apprciated.

Vacation Journal - January2005/USA

Behind the scenes photos from A Bittersweet Life + Byung Hun's Diary



This is a hot summer's day, a shot at the film set at a golf course. A frightening shattering noise came from somewhere; I hurried over to the director’s side and fixed my eyes on the monitor to do a check. Right at that moment, the cold monitor entered my heart that was full of warmth and enthusiasm. I had just got into the swing of things and now I cannot wait for the spring premiere of the show.

Byung Hun Diary 1



After such a long time, I was finally able to visit the seaside with my friends. There was a extremely retro and cosy tea house there. I found the kind of harmonica that was from my primary school days. Now, the sound of people permeates this empty space. I would like to thank all the friends who brought such precious and important memories to my life.

Thank you.

Byung Hun Chattering 1

IMAGE 4

I was holidaying with my manager Mr. Pak at Sky Bar. This is a place where one can experience the entire cityscape from a window view. This suddenly made me think of a scene from a movie where the character was viewing the dining hall from the hotel. Although I have been on vacation for quite some time already, the shadow of "Shan Yu" seems to still be with me; deep in my heart.

Byung Hun Chattering 2

IMAGE 5

This is a photo taken at the Beverly Hills Hotel where I was waiting for the car. Previously I had come here before for filming, I am still not quite used to the air here, although I should be. This place is recommended by a friend, and I also enjoyed a good night's rest here. Now I am starving, so I'm hurriedly writing down my journal entry for today. Thank goodness this photo is too small for it to be seen clearly... Ahh... why isn't the car here yet...

Byung Hun Chattering 3



(Those who want to know will understand... those who do not want to know will not understand...)

After the wrapping of the filming, I went to America for vacation. This is the first time that I am keeping a travel journal on vacation. It seems as though after this short but sweet vacation, I will appear again refreshed and revitalised.
This is the Shadow Creek golf club in Las Vegas. It is extremely clean, even if it is not a golf club, it can be a school garden/compound, but my golf stance and technique still need to be brushed up.

As compared to playing golf, my attention is more on the green green pastures, it makes me want to run for the whole afternoon with a goatherd. The Sundays in America are indeed bright and pleasing.

Byung Hun Diary 2

I have been on vacation for a number of days already. Now the temperatures during the day and night do not fluctuate that much anymore. From today onwards, I will be busy preparing for the premiere of <A Bittersweet Life>. Photoshoots for the publicity posters; checking information with the director, and there will be a whole slew of interviews and tours. At the movie set, those nervous feelings have now been transformed into unlimited drive and verve. Now I am fully prepared to meet the oncoming challenges. As compared to before, how come the sweetness of spring is so soothing and friendly?

Having ended the days of filming in the harsh winter, I write this diary in the mood of welcoming the coming spring and the premiere of the movie.

Byung Hun Diary 3

During the evening, I went past a park, and suddenly saw two little children quarrelling. Both of them were raising their voices and were loudly squabbling with each other. In the end, they threw down the things they were carrying and moved towards each other raising a lot of commotion. I was in the car viewing all of this and felt that this scene made me rather envious. We are just so naïve and innocent when we are young. We are quick to quarrel and also quick to forgive and forget. As we grow older, this kind of fights will become lesser in number. However, this is not due to us becoming more grown up; mature or closer to each other, but it is that once we grow up to become adults, we must learn tolerance and forbearance, and must refrain from such behaviour like hollering our displeasure as and when we feel like it. My friends say that as people grow up, our troubles also increase, but our right to express ourselves out loud also diminishes... It looks as if I do not quite have the right to become an adult yet because I frequently feel like shouting out loud. Today, from the fight between those two little children; in this foreign and unfamiliar place, it made me think of a lot of things in this context.

Credits: www.leebyunghun.com, byunghunzzang.com 

English translation: Wei Lin at Everything Lee Byung Hun, 29/03/05 9.00pm
Chinese translation credit: Taiwan MagicBox, 永遠的愛 from lovelbh.com

Translated: 2nd part of LBH's diary



"Shan Yu" (his character's name I think) doesn't smoke. Quite funny, right? With regards to having the perfect persona, a smile and cigarettes don't quite go well together. But I love both cigarettes and smiling. When there was a break in the filming, I returned back to myself. From now on, I would like to try to begin Shan Yu's story.

2005/02/01

IMAGE 8

The movie <A Bittersweet Life> is a production that demands a lot of one's physique. Running and fighting and many action scenes¡¦ It requires non-stop concentration, even when not filming, my body is still very tensed up. The gun-wielding scenes are very memorable. Recalling the cruel scenes in the restaurant, I discovered that I can still smile, as if someone is trying to get me to smile...(Could have been a crew member dressed as a dancer and an old man at the same time...)

Having gone through all that, with bullets flying in all directions, no matter what, it did use up a lot of energy. It is also a memory that brings to mind a lot of hardship.

2005/2/15

IMAGE 9

The director, through the camera lens, captured and analysed me from the angle of the filming in detail; while I made use of this time to study the script. This makes one feel that this is how actors and directors work together. And this is the foundational feeling that one gets while during production. No matter how much time or how many words, it cannot beat a single gaze between 2 individuals, or an action or a frown. It is through body language that others can understand one another. This is the camaraderie that actors and directors share when working together. Those scenes from before that were hard to tolerate or those which were painful, now brings back memories. Because of this, it makes it impossible for me to walk away from these things called "movies".

IMAGE 10

In the early days of filming, together with the actor who acts as my superior, we got these photos from the photography department. After filming, we sat down to slowly choose some photos. Among the photos we saw one that had a head shaped like an egg, like the image of µå·Õ (the French actor in the movies <Cassanova> and <÷¼åÕػػò¢> etc.) As I saw the director smiling while choosing and editing the photos; I chose this particular photo. I guess the director had the same feeling as I, we have immersed ourselves in this character's ("Shan Yu") soul.

Credits

lovelbh.com for the Chinese translation & English translation by wei lin 30/03/05 2:57pm

A break in the tropics :)