Byun Yo-han Appears in 'Pilgrimage to Gyeongju' Without Pay... Even Wore Discolored Teeth Mouthpiece

Actor Byun Yo-han appeared in the movie 'Pilgrimage to Gyeongju' without receiving any pay.

'Pilgrimage to Gyeongju' is a family revenge drama about four mothers and daughters who, after waiting eight years, go on a "killer" trip for their youngest daughter, Gyeong-ju, who never returned from a school trip. Lee Jung-eun, Gong Hyo-jin, Park So-dam, and Lee Yeon star in the film, while Byun Yo-han contributed to the quality of the movie through a special appearance.

In the film, Byun plays Baek Sang-hyun, a veiled figure who is the target of the four women's revenge. Baek is the person who took the youngest daughter, Gyeong-ju, away from Oksil's family. After serving an eight-year prison sentence, he is kidnapped by the four women while under the influence of anesthetics, before he can even enjoy his freedom.

To complete the chilling aspect of Baek Sang-hyun, Byun completely stripped away his usual visual image by sporting messy hair, a shaggy beard, rough skin, and even wearing a custom mouthpiece to discolor his teeth, while repeatedly studying his gait and anxious eye movements.

This appearance came to fruition out of loyalty, and he reportedly did not take a guarantee. Byun shared the reason for participating without pay, saying, "Because it was a project produced by the producer of 'Will You Be There?', which was my first commercial film, my heart naturally went out to it, and the script was really great. It was also meaningful to be able to work with senior and junior actors, including senior Lee Jung-eun, and I wanted to lend even a little bit of strength."

He added, "Since there is no rationality or sense of pity in this character's actions, I was able to throw myself into the acting all the more boldly." He also expressed his determination for the character, stating, "I thought that the more painful it was for me, the greater the fear and tension the audience would feel."

Director Kim Mi-jo, who had agonized over the casting of Baek Sang-hyun until right before filming, lavished praise on him, saying, "The moment I heard actor Byun Yo-han's name, it felt like a lightbulb went off in my head as if by fate. He is a professional actor who went beyond the script to capture even the hidden contexts that I hadn't thought of and brought them out onto the screen."

'Pilgrimage to Gyeongju', where audiences can meet the passionate performances of the four actresses and Byun Yo-han's shocking transformation, will open in theaters nationwide on August 26.


(SBS Entertainment News, Reporter Kim Ji-hye)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.