(Interview ③ continued) Actor Lee Hoon revealed his future YouTube activity plans.
Recently Lee Hoon held an interview at the OSEN office located in Hapjeong-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul.
That day, when asked whether he planned YouTube activities such as web variety shows in addition to acting and broadcasting activities, he said, "I plan to do web variety shows too. I couldn't for three years because of projects, but I told my manager, 'Let's do something now,'" and "And I am going to start a YouTube channel now" revealing plans to open a channel.
He said, "Four years ago I did YouTube with a director I was close to. Back then it wasn't about money; he was a producer I liked and we were like brothers, so we said, 'Let's have fun' and did it for about a year, but then there was a problem between the manager and the director. It was about YouTube revenue and such. I was the younger one so I just wanted to do it, but from the manager's point of view that wasn't possible, right? Talking about that caused conflict and I couldn't continue YouTube. It's also difficult if YouTube goes into a production company and is produced together. Even if it does well there's an issue with revenue sharing, and if it doesn't there are losses. So I plan to run a personal channel where I film and edit alone. I would be very grateful if I made money through YouTube, but even if not, I want to leave a record of Lee Hoon. My unexaggerated true self," he explained.
He continued, "I'm in my 50s, so there are things like, 'People in their 50s exercise like that?' Right? Our men in their 40s, 50s and 60s may find some YouTube content appropriate, but there seem to be too many overly professional exercise YouTubers. The same goes for golf. I want to swing like a pro, but at our age that's not possible. Pros have been doing it since they were young, so they can do that swing. If we try to do it like that because we want to, we get injured; golf is a hobby, but it becomes stressful rather than relaxing. So I want to show 'don't do it like that' or 'this also works' type things. I have my own golf swing. Because I had cartilage surgery on both my left and right knees, I don't have cartilage. So I found what works for me. I want to show that," he said.
Lee Hoon said, "People in their 50s and 60s probably have many ailments like mine. I started this work at a young age so I have many injuries. From mild cognitive impairment to cataracts, glaucoma, rhinitis, dental implants, a thyroid nodule under follow-up observation, I had a cervical disc, gastroesophageal reflux disease, a stomach ulcer, lumbar discs at L4 and L5, cartilage removal surgeries on both left and right knees, and tendinitis in my right shoulder. The cartilage in my left forearm is worn but I just use it. Because I did judo I have carpal tunnel syndrome so my hands go numb at night; I live with all these pains. Still, I exercise. I stabilize my body and avoid strain. Even without cartilage I do lower-body exercises that don't overload my knee joints. I found my own know-how. I want to share these things. At times like this these exercises help the lower body and don't hurt the knees; I plan to show the results of having used my body as a living experiment on YouTube," he said.
He also addressed belly fat, a major concern for middle-aged people, saying, "Belly fat is the will of God. You don't have to forcefully overcome it. Instead, you can do things to reduce it a bit compared with before. But people in their 40s, 50s and 60s watch videos of 20-somethings with six-packs on YouTube and think, 'I should make a six-pack too,' and that's excessive. If someone over 60 shows, 'I made a six-pack like this,' people get motivated and exercise, but that person probably spent their life doing only that. To make that YouTube they'd have exercised and dieted all day. We can't do that, right? At most we exercise twice a week—how can we build abs and make a six-pack? That's unrealistic. But you can lose belly fat while still eating what you want. I always say the greatest desire in the world is appetite. How do you overcome that? You must control appetite. If you receive various medical aids for a short time and then stop and lose your goal, yo-yo effect comes immediately and you gain more than before. So you have to trick your appetite. If you trick your appetite and exercise, you get less stress and your body changes. There are an enormous number of such know-hows," he emphasized, increasing curiosity.
He went on, "Also, since I like motorcycles and camping, there are things like, 'You can camp reasonably with this' or 'How a man in his 50s dresses.' People in their 50s and 60s worry a lot about how to dress. If you wear jeans you might be criticized as trying to imitate people in their 20s or 30s, and if you dress up you'll be asked if the owner came; many people worry how to dress. But I have 30 years of experience in the entertainment industry, so although I'm 50 I can teach how not to look frivolously too young and not to look like the owner. I want to leave records of things like diets that are good for the body and how to do them," he confessed.
Asked why he was trying so hard, Lee Hoon explained, "If I stay still I feel like I'm being left behind." He also said the reason he exercises daily even when he has no projects is, "If I stay still I feel like I'm being left behind; then I slump and get depressed, so I have to do something. Others go fishing or hiking, but I exercise," and he added, "The things I had prepared for three years were all delayed and went wrong, so I felt I should do my own work," showing determination.
He continued, "I've heard that many people who succeed on YouTube later come to broadcasting, but getting greedy about that causes stress. I have a main job, right? I tell my managers, 'Bring any work, don't hesitate, if it's okay grab it. If the response isn't good that's still experience. Keep recommending things.' It became simple. Still, in my remaining time I'll exercise or do my YouTube. Whether it makes money or not, it gets me moving. If I stay still I get depressed. Success or failure, it's something to experience," he said, announcing proactive movement.
[Photo] OSEN reporter Park Joonhyung
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