[Sportschosun reporter Ahn So-yoon] Actor Lee Min-ho discussed what he focused on most while working on the film 'Assassin(s).'
Lee Min-ho met with Sportschosun at a café in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the 11th and said, "I was quite concerned because the swelling in my face kept changing throughout the film," adding, "I tried not to pay too much attention to my appearance."
Opening on the 23rd, 'Assassin(s)' follows an investigation into the suspicions surrounding and forces behind the shooting of the first lady on August 15, 1974, an incident that shocked South Korea. The film was directed by Hur Jin-ho, who helmed 'Forbidden Dream' and 'A Normal Family.'
Lee Min-ho said of appearing in theaters during the Chuseok holiday with 'Assassin(s),' "I am deeply moved to be able to greet audiences with a film during the holiday," adding, "I am happy to return with such a good project."
Lee Min-ho plays Young-il, a passionate rookie reporter. He explained, "In a way, I thought the starting point as a reporter was to properly examine the scene and circumstances, gather accurate information, and deliver it without distortion. Personally, there was also a part of me that had been yearning to communicate the facts as they were. A victim who does not receive attention appears in the film. Young-il probably felt it was unfair when coverage of that victim was minimized in the article. He is a character who pursues humane journalism."
Asked about the assessment that his refined, princely aura suited the character, he said, "People have often told me in private that I look refined (laughs). In a way, that could be a prejudice, but wherever I am, I try not to stand out exceptionally. Rather, I think that side of me makes the excessive setups and situations in the work feel more understated. When I first read the script, I also wondered how I could make the character convincing. I thought that, to do so, he needed to be someone who knew how to actively draw on his own background."
When asked whether he had paid attention to his visual appearance as well as his acting, Lee Min-ho replied with a laugh, "It is something only I know, but the swelling in my face seemed to come and go on screen (laughs). If I had lost a lot of weight as I usually do when filming a drama, I think I would have looked too polished. I deliberately tried not to focus too much on my appearance. On days when I moved less and was less tired, my face looked swollen, while when I was running around, I lost weight and looked slimmer."
Ahn So-yoon, reporter antahn22@sportschosun.com
This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.
