Korean actor Lee Je-hoon is starring in the film "I Can Speak" together with veteran actress Na Moon-hee.
The movie opened today in South Korea and it tells about civil servant Park Min-jae (played by Lee Je-hoon) who becomes friends with Na Ok-boon (played by Na Moon-hee), an elderly who files complaints with the local government office but is revealed to be a comfort woman during the Japanese occupation.
Lee Je-hoon said he "was surprised after I finished reading the script."
"My attitude towards the script changed after realizing that Ok-bun is a comfort woman. I really liked how the script warmly deals with the issue with seriousness. But honestly, I was hesitant to take the role at the same time for that reason. I was worried that an inaccurate depiction of a heartbreaking issue might be painful to the victims," he told M Magazine and Korea JoongAng Daily.
He has starred in many films including "Anarchist from Colony," "Phantom Detective" and "Architecture 101," and drama such as "Signal" and "Fashion King."
Lee Je-hoon said preparing for shooting scenes is the most important when it comes to acting.
"The most important factor is the camaraderie among the actors. I've never insisted on acting the way I prepared while shooting. It is essential to understand your fellow actors in order to naturally fit in with them," he said.
He said he wants people to see him not as the actor but the roles he play.
"I only want to exist as a character. I don't want people to think of the actor Lee Je-hoon when they see my roles. I want to be remembered as the different characters I have portrayed. Before, I wished my acting and my identity to be strictly separated. I felt uncomfortable about showing who I am because I was afraid it would affect how audiences see my performance. But now my thoughts have changed. I think people these days accept that actors and the roles they play are separate. In that sense, I have been able to trust the audience more," he said.
Lee Je-hoon said he tries to put his best effort in every project he makes.
"I hope not to feel embarrassed when time passes and I look back at this moment. Of course, I try to live every moment as an actor. [And I] sometimes enjoy momentary bursts of popularity. But what I desperately want more than that is for the effort that I put into acting to become something earnest in the future. After all, in the end what is left is the work," he said.
