Actress Lee Hwi-hyang appears on MBN Kim Ju-ha's Day and Night to confess the bittersweet troubles she endured because of her glamorous looks and distinctive "villain image," and she shares behind-the-scenes stories of the film "Family Trip."
The 39th episode of MBN's newsmaker talk show Kim Ju-ha's Day and Night, airing on the 22nd at 9:40 p.m., features Lee Hwi-hyang as a guest, where she showcases hidden behind-the-scenes stories and her wit.
On the broadcast that day, MC Kim Ju-ha asks Lee Hwi-hyang, "Have you ever been unable to take a role you wanted because of your appearance?" In response, Lee Hwi-hyang unexpectedly answers, "Compared with other actors, I actually played a very wide variety of roles." In the released stills, Lee Hwi-hyang surprised viewers by exuding the same femme fatale charm despite not dyeing her white hair.
Appearing with snowy white hair, Lee Hwi-hyang said, "It's my natural hair color. This hair appears in the movie as is," surprising everyone. She went on, "I thought, 'Let's strip away all the flashy makeup and play a natural, primal Lee Hwi-hyang; if it's a work that can contribute to someone, I'll do it even if it's my last,'" explaining her reason for starring in the film "Family Trip," which drew sympathy.
Lee Hwi-hyang confides, "I tried my best to play roles like a poor mother, but viewers' reactions were not great." She said, "Viewers would watch expecting, 'She'll surely do something bad,' 'She'll slap someone,' or 'Someday she'll reveal her true colors,' and when the character didn't change until the end, they were rather disappointed," causing laughter with the unfair and unfunny episodes in which her intense image led audiences to suspect her even when she played good roles.
Meanwhile, Lee Hwi-hyang drops a bombshell by telling Kim Ju-ha, "I once confessed to you a long time ago." Lee Hwi-hyang recalled visiting Kim Ju-ha's dressing room during the time Kim Ju-ha worked at MBC and sincerely expressing her fandom, saying, "I'm really a fan. How can you be so pretty, smart and speak so well?"
Hearing this, Kim Ju-ha also recalled, "I used to really like Lee Hwi-hyang's unique femme fatale charm, and I was surprised when she came and told me that in person." But Kim Ju-ha added, "After she made the confession, she vanished like the wind before I could even answer. It felt like a man had been confessed to and then left, while only my heart was pounding," exposing Lee Hwi-hyang's sudden action that made her yearn and once again turning the set into a sea of laughter. Curiosity mounts about the real reason Lee Hwi-hyang had no choice but to disappear like the wind right after the confession.
She also shares various behind-the-scenes stories about the film "Family Trip," in which she took her first leading screen role after debut. "Family Trip" tells the story of a family of five who take an impromptu trip to Busan to celebrate Sun-im's birthday, who is suffering from dementia. Playing Sun-im, who has dementia, Lee Hwi-hyang completely sheds her glamorous and intense image to take on a radical transformation.
In particular, Lee Hwi-hyang stayed in Busan for a month to properly understand the life of a dementia patient, living with dementia patients at a nursing home and attending singing classes for dementia patients. Above all, Lee Hwi-hyang said, "I wore a diaper while filming. The crew didn't even know," explaining her exceptional passion for portraying a dementia patient and bringing a solemn atmosphere to the set.
Lee Hwi-hyang also shocked everyone with the confession, "I thought about quitting acting." She said that about five or six years ago she began to feel a change in her heart, explaining, "Doing too many villain roles in a row became mentally and physically exhausting." Having portrayed chilling villain images in numerous works, Lee Hwi-hyang said, "I had to keep creating anger inside me that didn't exist, so it was very hard," voicing the hardships caused by long-term villain roles.
However, Lee Hwi-hyang said that while talking with fellow actors about "when was the happiest moment in life," she realized, "I'm happiest when I act," and added, "The euphoria that comes when you digest emotions you never expected is incomparable." Eventually, after much deliberation and saying, "I have to be an actor," Lee Hwi-hyang returned to acting. [Photo]
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