From the time Lee Byung-hun appeared in the drama ¡°Tomorrow Love¡± (1991), he has been an actor to watch. Since that debut, he has played a remarkable variety of characters. He jumped from gambler Kim In-ha in ¡°All In¡± to commando Kim Hyun-jun in ¡°IRIS,¡± and from U.S. soldier Eugene Choi in ¡°Mr. Sunshine¡± to Jeju-born merchant Lee Dongseok in ¡°Our Blues.¡± That remarkable acting range is also apparent in his film appearances. He played a king of the Joseon Dynasty in ¡°Masquerade,¡± a boxer in ¡°Keys to the Heart,¡± and an apocalyptic survivor in ¡°Concrete Utopia.¡±

More than 32 years have passed since Lee¡¯s debut, but his acting remains magical. Such is his charm that none of his characters have been duds. Even after his TV series and films have aired, viewers can¡¯t help wondering that someone looking remarkably like Lee¡¯s character may actually be out there somewhere. Each performance is strong enough to make you forget about his previous roles. His acting is so believable that people are always curious about what he¡¯ll put on next.

It¡¯s not easy to take on the roles of completely different characters. That¡¯s the job of an actor, of course, but it can be an agonizing process. But Lee says that ¡°living the life of somebody else¡± is the very thing that motivates him.

¡°I didn¡¯t choose to be an actor because I was strongly drawn to the job. I wasn¡¯t a graduate of the drama department―I hadn¡¯t even performed in a play. I didn¡¯t know much about acting when I got started, but I feel I¡¯ve come to appreciate the appeal of being an actor while on the job. The more acting I do, the more curious I get about my next role. I always wonder just how many personas there are inside myself. That¡¯s what has brought me to where I am today,¡± Lee remarked.

A scene from ¡®The Man Standing Next¡¯ (2020)

Discovering new versions of yourself requires a constant stream of new roles. To get those roles, you have to prove your worth as an actor to everybody that matters. That¡¯s exactly what Lee has been doing, day after day, for 32 years now―no mean feat in an industry where staying on top is harder than hitting the big time. While asking Lee about how he chooses and polishes his roles, I figured there must be some secret to his phenomenal acting. But in the end, it all boils down to a single word: ¡°trust.¡±

¡°I like to choose productions that sound fun to me. I also look at what the production means. To be sure, ¡®fun¡¯ is a subjective area, and my choices don¡¯t always prove popular,¡± he said.

Once Lee has confirmed a role, he shifts his focus to acting. Actors gain proficiency over time, of course, but they also run the risk of rehashing earlier roles. That¡¯s a trap that Lee has been very good at avoiding. He makes sure none of his characters overlap each other. But surprisingly enough, he doesn¡¯t worry too much about the ¡°originality¡± of his acting roles.

¡°The first time I read the script, I approach it like reading a novel. I try to view it through objective eyes. That¡¯s when the overall structure of the story comes together, and the characters in the story take shape. I find myself guessing about the characters¡¯ complex and subtle emotions. But while analyzing my character and working on my presentation, I don¡¯t intentionally set out to be ¡®different.¡¯ Just as there are billions of people on earth, I believe the role I¡¯m playing will turn out to be different as long as I completely lose myself in the character. That¡¯s why I work so hard to really immerse myself in the character,¡± Lee said.

That doesn¡¯t mean Lee isn¡¯t on guard against repetitive acting. Rather, it means his priority is gaining a complete understanding of his character. He keeps wrestling with his role until he¡¯s confident in his acting in front of the camera. After each cut, he checks to see that his expressions and emotions were genuine, and that his acting wasn¡¯t wooden.

¡°After performing a scene, I sometimes get the feeling I¡¯ve seen something similar before. In such cases, I ask the director for a chance to do one more take. I can¡¯t stand it when my language and emotions as an actor aren¡¯t authentic. After questioning everything and giving it my best shot, the only thing left is to trust my acting. If I feel nervous, I can¡¯t go on to the next scene. Where does that trust come from? That¡¯s a good question. I guess it¡¯s based on the response I get from people who have seen my acting,¡± Lee said.

Just as Lee relies on that confidence in himself, flexibility is another factor behind his growth as an actor. His flexibility makes a difference in the TV shows and films―which are markedly different, despite their similarities.

¡°There are some differences in production methods between the two kinds of media. Dramas go more slowly, so you need to be able to pace yourself. In addition, it¡¯s rare for all the scripts to be available right away. So you have to figure out exactly what the show is trying to do―what the writer wants to say. You can¡¯t just go off script whenever you think of something interesting. But with films, the entire script is often available from the very beginning. That makes it easier to suss out the film¡¯s intentions. So when I get a good idea during filming, I can talk it over with the director and sometimes make minor changes,¡± Lee said.

So while Lee¡¯s flexibility has a major impact on his acting, it also plays an important role in filming. ¡°I try not to get worked up over personal things. If the vibe on set is spoiled by one or two people, it creates a headache for dozens of staff. I¡¯m always doing my best to stay flexible,¡± he said. Given the central role the staff play in production, Lee has found that a little consideration goes a long way in keeping things running smoothly.

(Left) A scene from ¡®Inside Men¡¯ (2015)
(Right) A scene from ¡®Concrete Utopia¡¯ (2023)

For Lee, embodying a character in a story requires constant attention. But he doesn¡¯t mind that since it allows him to keep discovering new facets of himself. He stays determined despite the challenges and utilizes his flexibility in his acting.

Despite my curiosity about Lee¡¯s future plans, I first asked him about his past goals. He was once asked, at the age of 21, what kind of actor he wanted to be. That was back when actors in their 30s were rarely given starring roles in romantic comedies, and actors in their 40s and beyond were rarely cast at all. ¡°In Hollywood, actors like Robert Redford and Richard Gere kept playing leading roles for decades. I suppose that¡¯s because they had the charm and charisma to justify those roles. That¡¯s the kind of actor I wanted to be―an actor with a lasting appeal. I suppose that now I have become the actor I dreamed of becoming when I was younger. For that, I need to thank the actors of my generation who, through their careers and talents, have created more opportunities for older actors.¡±

So Lee, who turned 54 years old this year, has achieved the dream he had in his 20s. But what does he hope to preserve, and to achieve, in the years to come? ¡°Acting is just as tough as when I first started. I guess that¡¯s because experience shows you how much better you can be. I expect this will remain the case in the future. But I¡¯m going to stick with it. I¡¯m also going to savor the joy that comes from being an actor, and maintain a glass-half-full attitude about sad things that happen. I don¡¯t have any big plans. I¡¯m just thinking about what I¡¯ll try next. I¡¯m just going down my chosen path,¡± Lee said.

There are no tricks to moving ahead on that path. Lee can only rely on his sincere passion for acting, his constant questioning and trust in himself and endless practice. So there¡¯s no reason to worry about Lee¡¯s next role. The only question is who he will be next.