Actor Lee Byung-hun from 'The Match' shared his thoughts on collaborating with junior Yoo Ah-in and revealed behind-the-scenes details.

On the morning of the 21st, an interview with the lead actor Lee Byung-hun from 'The Match' was held at a cafe in Sogyeok-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul.

'The Match' (directed by Kim Hyung-joo, distributed by By4M Studio Co., Ltd., produced by Film Company Wolgwang Co., Ltd., co-produced by BH Entertainment) tells the story of Korea's greatest Go legend, Cho Hun-hyun (played by Lee Byung-hun), who challenges to reclaim the top with his innate competitive spirit after losing to his disciple Lee Chang-ho (played by Yoo Ah-in). Set in the 1990s, when Go was revered as the ultimate brain sport, this work is based on the real model of Go legend Cho Hun-hyun, recognized worldwide like today's sports stars Kim Yuna, Park Ji-sung, and Son Heung-min.

Lee Byung-hun passionately portrayed the real-life Go emperor Cho Hun-hyun, showcasing a performance that evoked the image of Cho's youth, as if he had transformed his face. Furthermore, after considerable effort, Lee Byung-hun meticulously depicted the details of placing Go stones down to the joints of his fingers.

The casting of the acting masters Lee Byung-hun and Yoo Ah-in garnered significant attention. However, after finishing filming in April 2021, the release became uncertain due to Yoo Ah-in's drug scandal during the post-production process. In this project, Lee Byung-hun not only stars but also co-produces with his company, BH Entertainment.

Previously, Yoo Ah-in was indicted in October of last year for habitual drug use, allegedly being sedated under the pretext of cosmetic procedures at hospitals in Seoul from September 2020 to March 2022 for a total of 181 occasions. However, the first trial's sentence of one year in prison was overturned, resulting in a reduced sentence, and after five months of detention, Yoo Ah-in was released from the Seoul Detention Center.

According to legal insiders, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office has filed an appeal against the probationary sentence received by Yoo Ah-in, who faces charges of violating drug control laws (psychoactive substances).

Lee Byung-hun collaborated with Yoo Ah-in for the first time, stating, "I saw aspects of him that I hadn't seen before in previous works. I thought it was amazing how he portrayed Lee Chang-ho's character with a deadpan expression and an 'I can't figure out what he's thinking' gaze, speech, and gestures. I found it hard to understand his character as I had no background of him. The filming atmosphere was that quiet. I thought, 'This guy is making an effort to immerse himself.'"

In response to the question, "Weren't you worried that this movie might not be released?" Lee replied, "First of all, I think Yoo Ah-in did an excellent job in this role. A single actor's performance doesn't make the film shine. Everyone must perform well together for it to elevate collectively. In that regard, I think he did incredibly well."

He continued, "Naturally, while waiting in a situation where I didn’t know what would happen to this film, I also felt regret. Honestly, the one I was most worried about was Director Kim Hyung-joo. After several years of preparing and carefully filming post 'The Outlaws,' I wondered, 'Would there be others who suffer as much as Director Kim Hyung-joo if it doesn't reach the audience?' I thought about Director Kim Hyung-joo the most."

Regarding the question, "Have you had any contact or conversation with Yoo Ah-in since that incident?" he added, "Not even once. Honestly, we weren't the type to contact each other over the phone or through messages regularly."

Meanwhile, 'The Match' is set to be released on the 26th.

[Photo] Provided by By4M Studio Co., Ltd.

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