Key Takeaways:
- Lee Byung-hun is a South Korean actor who has gained international recognition for his roles in films like "Squid Game," "KPop Demon Hunters," and "No Other Choice."
- He has experienced a career 180, with US audiences coming to him through his work in Korean content, rather than him trying to fit into Hollywood.
- Lee’s success is part of a larger trend of Korean culture gaining global popularity, with streaming services playing a key role in breaking down language and cultural barriers.
- The actor believes that South Korea’s turbulent modern history has given the country a unique energy that has filtered into the arts, and that the nation should continue to develop and showcase its own voice and storytelling methods.
- Lee’s upcoming projects, including the CNN Original Series "K-Everything," will continue to explore the global impact of Korean culture and his own experiences as a Korean actor in the international spotlight.
Introduction to Lee Byung-hun’s Career
Lee Byung-hun’s body was in a hotel in Seoul, but his mind was somewhere over the Pacific. The actor had been hopping around the planet on promotional duties for about a year, bouncing between South Korea, New York, Los Angeles, Toronto, London, and Venice. He was horribly jetlagged, he confessed to actor Daniel Dae Kim, host of the upcoming CNN Original Series "K-Everything." Despite his exhaustion, Lee was mentally happy, having just experienced a career 180 with US audiences coming to him through his work in Korean content.
Early Life and Career
Lee never intended to become an actor. He was a college freshman studying French literature in 1991 when his mother’s friend slipped him an audition flyer as a joke. He went and caught the bug, and his parents were open-minded as he booked jobs on TV series and films. His big break came in 2000 with the thriller "Joint Security Area," directed by Park Chan-wook. The film was a massive critical and commercial hit, offering a blueprint for a generation of Korean filmmakers. Lee’s success in Korea led to opportunities in Hollywood, where he made his English-language debut in "G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra" in 2009.
Breaking into Hollywood
Acting in English was a challenge for Lee, who felt like he was swimming in the middle of the ocean without knowing the direction. However, he persevered and went on to appear in films like "Terminator Genisys," "The Magnificent Seven," and "Red 2." Despite his success in Hollywood, Lee never fully committed to the industry, continuing to act in Korean hits like "The Age of Shadows" and "Emergency Declaration." He still has a home in LA, but it’s often empty, and he prefers to work in Korea where he can be closer to his family.
Career 180
In the past year or so, Lee has experienced a career 180, with US audiences coming to him through his work in Korean content. He appeared in the global phenomenon "Squid Game," the animated film "KPop Demon Hunters," and the Oscar contender "No Other Choice." These projects have been hugely successful, with "Squid Game" becoming Netflix’s most popular show of all time and "KPop Demon Hunters" becoming the streamer’s most popular movie. Lee’s success is part of a larger trend of Korean culture gaining global popularity, with streaming services playing a key role in breaking down language and cultural barriers.
Collaboration with Park Chan-wook
Lee’s long-awaited reunion with Park Chan-wook, "No Other Choice," premiered at the Venice Film Festival and has been navigating the festival circuit and award season machine. The film is based on American Donald Westlake’s novel "The Ax" and tells the story of an unemployed middle manager who hatches a plan to kill his competition as he tries to land a new job. Lee plays the lead role of Man-su, a hilariously terrible and terribly hilarious serial killer. The film is a commentary on the competitive society of Korea and the impact of AI on the job market.
The Power of Korean Culture
Lee believes that South Korea’s turbulent modern history has given the country a unique energy that has filtered into the arts. He suggests that the nation nearly fumbled its hard-won cultural cache in a creative ebb along the K-wave, but has since learned from its mistakes. The unapologetic, undiluted voice of the K-wave today across film, television, and music speaks to a nation doubling down on itself. Lee believes that the key to maintaining interest in Korean culture is to continue to develop and showcase its own voice and storytelling methods, rather than trying to cater to international audiences.
Conclusion
Lee Byung-hun’s success is a testament to the global impact of Korean culture. His career 180, from trying to fit into Hollywood to having US audiences come to him through his work in Korean content, is a sign of the changing times. With streaming services breaking down language and cultural barriers, Korean culture is more accessible than ever. Lee’s upcoming projects, including the CNN Original Series "K-Everything," will continue to explore the global impact of Korean culture and his own experiences as a Korean actor in the international spotlight. As Lee said, "We should continue to develop that same energy, the same method, the same storytelling. If we stubbornly continue to do what we do, we’ll eventually be able to maintain that ongoing interest."
