The thought of drinking from the bottle, a bottle of red wine on the street was a very inventive idea. I was hoping to have the chance to try it, but as I have debuted as an actor, it is quite impossible to do so on the streets of Seoul.

My wish came true several years later when shooting I was shooting at Sydney. I got drunk finishing a bottle of red wine and slept along the roadside. I was woke up by a passer-by and I cried that it was a wild and unexpected thing I have done.

“If I can speak French, it would be cool” and so I got enrolled into the French literature department of the University. “Then, are you good in French?” “Certainly” (laughed).

I have played the piano and also sang. However, carefully maintaining with care the importance of being a “movie actor”. Being titled as an actor with a “A thousand faces”, recalling my younger days, my face became serious.

Acting is like walking into different types of life, it gives the feeling of travelling to a new place each time. As I have been constantly away from home for a long time recently, I am homesick now. The thing that I really hope to do now is to be at my spacious and comfortable home, enjoying the wine while watching a movie.

Despite the fact that my principle is not to do multiple jobs, I was invited to work in the American-French collaborated movie, at the same time shooting a Korean movie and I have to live and travel between Hong Kong and China for more than half a year.

Favourite word - “Be Happy”. I think everyone has different values of it and also how they pursuit their own happiness.

“After talking about philosophy, what is your favourite Japanese word?” “By all means!”. And he started laughing mischievously like an innocent young boy.

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あきもと・やすし
１９５６年、東京生まれ、作詞家。４月１日付で京都造形芸術大副学長に就任。

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趣味が人生を見つめている

Hobby looking in a Life (Akinmoto san’s interview)

Lee Byung Hun’s office in Seoul was surrounded by gloomy air.

He and myself who are overall in charge of the production have different concept for the Arena Tour. However, we were mutual about each others opinions.

I suggested, “The Japan Arena Tour must do something that was never done before”. He opposed, “I am an actor, think of another plan, I do not want to destroy that image”. Although it is in foreign country, performing something outside acting is being resisted as he represents Korea as a movie star.

He is a bright and serious man. “It is the hard work that I want to show. To single-mindedly practice hard for this day. We can also show clips taken previously and also pass time by having casual chat, which one do you want to choose?” I told him through an interpreter. He was silence.

I was contacted a few days later. “I will try my best” was the answer from him, a honest and faithful man.

From that day onwards, it was practice during all the intervals of shooting the movies. On the first day of the Arena Tour, the playful dance, comical talks, cooking, playing the piano, all his “sweat” were well received with lots of applause and shout of joy from the fans.

He said “We got the courage to try any kind of things, it’s time that we should toast with a glass of wine.” Wine maybe the punctuation for his life.

Arena Tour capture from http://www.gomaga.jp