A director who failed twice and an actor who failed four times. But now they are two people who cannot be left out when talking about Korean cinema. Director Park Chan-wook and actor Lee Byung-hun appeared on "You Quiz on the Block."
On the 24th broadcast of tvN's "You Quiz on the Block," director Park Chan-wook said to Lee Byung-hun, "He's a superstar but neither picky nor sensitive. Actually, if a star is sensitive, people around them tend to struggle, but Lee Byung-hun rather makes the atmosphere on set more pleasant. So I'm always grateful and also amazed," praising him without restraint.
He also recalled a past episode. "A fellow actor was several hours late once, and everyone was tense. But Lee Byung-hun joked, 'Go to the back, raise your hand and kneel,' and everyone laughed it off," conveying his humane side. Lee Byung-hun quipped, "There could be better compliments than that," and the set erupted in laughter.
Director Park also pointed out Lee Byung-hun's acting strengths. "No matter who the co-star is, when he is with them he makes that actor shine like the lead. At the same time, he doesn't disappear into the shadows himself. Few actors perform ensemble acting of give-and-take this well. Lee Byung-hun is the best," he said, giving him a thumbs-up.
Lee Byung-hun also did not hide his respect for the director. He confessed, "The director always has a dignified, smiling face, and when I was young I wondered how he could make such cruel and strange films. But the director said, 'I'm too tranquil, so I want to pour the imaginations in my head into film.' That remark still stays with me."
He also recalled an art film award ceremony in the United States. "The director was selected as a winner and I was in charge of presenting the award. I introduced the director for nearly 10 minutes, and at the moment he went on stage amid the cheers of artists, the time we had spent together flashed by like film. It was an unforgettable scene," he said emotionally.
Although the label "a director who failed twice, an actor who failed four times" stuck to them, in reality the two are remarkable artists and artistic partners who used even failures as stepping stones to achieve global accomplishments. The meeting of the two masters who put Korean film on the world stage was, in itself, a "masterpiece."
[Photo] You Quiz
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