Actor Lee Byung-hun shared the challenges of portraying the emotions of defeat without changing his facial expressions.
On the afternoon of the 19th, Lee Byung-hun attended a press screening and conference for the film 'The Match' at CGV Yongsan in Seoul. He remarked, "When I first read the script and reviewed various related materials, I didn't realize there was such a dramatic story between the two characters," reflecting on his initial reaction to the true story.
He continued, "During filming, I focused on expressing the character's emotions without changing my facial expressions in front of the Go board. In a static atmosphere, I paid the most attention to conveying feelings of explosion and despair without showing them on my face."
In the film, Lee Byung-hun skillfully portrays a range of emotions such as anger and frustration during a match with his student, all without significant facial changes. His ability to convey the character's inner turmoil through subtle details like eye movements and hand gestures is remarkable.
Lee Byung-hun explained, "Cho Hun-hyun, a 9-dan Go master, was the first in our country to win a world championship and holds numerous records. After losing to his student, whom he had trained, he continued to face defeat. The feeling of returning to his roots and climbing back to the top step by step is expressed in a single line in the film, but I thought it was a feeling hard to imagine. So, I focused on understanding and internalizing that emotion for my performance."
'The Match' is a film about South Korea's legendary Go player Cho Hun-hyun (played by Lee Byung-hun) who, after losing to his student Lee Chang-ho (played by Yoo Ah-in), challenges himself to reach the top once again with his innate competitive spirit. Directed by Kim Hyung-joo, known for 'The Sheriff in Town,' this is his second directorial work and marks the first collaboration between Lee Byung-hun and Yoo Ah-in.
The film is set to hit theaters on the 26th.
ebada@sbs.co.kr
(SBS Entertainment News | Kim Ji-hye)