The Korean Film Council launched a campaign ‘KOREAN ACTORS 200: The Actor is Present!’ to introduce the emblematic 200 actors that best represent the present and future of Korean cinema to the people in the film industry all over the world. Visit the website (https://theactorispresent.kr) to meet 200 actors and get information about a photo exhibition which will be at New York this September.
Among the actors, Los Angeles Times Asia Journal had an interview with Jung-eun Lee who recently came under the international spotlight. In this interview, which you can watch a lightly edited video clip on The Asia Journal Youtube Channel, she spoke about her career and the global stance of South Korean movies based on experience in the Oscar race.
On career: how she built her own character and identity
Jung-eun Lee’s reputation as one of the most compelling presences in Korean cinema has risen exponentially. She is best known internationally for her role as the housekeeper, Moon-gwang, in the Oscar-awarded film, <Parasite>. Lee, whose commanding, emotional performances made her one of Korea’s most in-demand actors, took a big leap westward by starring in the <Parasite>.
Since her debut in a play of <A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1991)>, she had been very active in play and musical scenes throughout the rest of 1990s and the following decade. After a small role in Bong Joon-ho’s <Mother (2009)>, Lee played more than 60 roles in Korean dramas and films. Watching her career from afar, it seems as if she was on a different track than other established actors.
She is such a versatile actor who has played a wide variety of parts. She played the foil to the plot and main characters by acting extraordinary roles – from ‘Grandmother who takes care of her disabled daughter’ in musical <Laundry (2008)>, ‘Go Ae-shin’s loyal maid’ in the TV drama <Mr. Sunshine> and ‘Jung-sook Jo who showed multifaceted aspects of mother’s love’ in the TV Drama <When the Camellia Blooms (2019)>, to ‘Moon-gwang, a mysterious housekeeper’ in <Parasite (2019). She starred in three movies directed by Joon-ho Bong including a small role in <Mother(2009)> and her voice acting as ‘Okja’ in <Okja (2017)>.
When asked if the uncommonness of the role captivates her to decide to take the role, she replied, surprisingly, that she considers the plot rather than a particular role.
When choosing a work, she is interested in what the author wants to talk about. “What the author wants to talk about through the role affects my decision,” she explained. There are far more unusual families than those we think are normal, so she chose a plot that brings up a conversation topic of thought through the story, which naturally led to acting many different round characters.
In addition to her resourceful acting, it is notable that she brings her big personality and charm to every role she takes. “If there is a featured character, there are several actors who can do it. But I’m the only actor who has my own style and identity,” she explained. Lee devotes herself to getting into the skin of her role, keeping her own personality. She also talks about really getting inside of the character’s head and finding a touchpoint between herself and the role.
In that sense, it is expected that the upward trend of recognizing women in South Korean media would let her show off her unlimited spectrum of acting. Female protagonists are more featured in Korean dramas or movies these days (of course, there are still gaps to be narrowed) and even female supporting roles are getting round too. Lee said she was glad that boundaries of female supporting roles became blurred these days. This unstoppable trend will provide her wider selection and help her entrenched herself as a multifaceted actor.
“I’m still willing to try out as many characters as possible,” Lee replied when asked if there’s any dream character she wants. A role that fleshes out a substantial backdrop of the story is the one she wants. “It would be preferable if it’s a series covering diverse characters with overlapped subplots,” she added. “I would love to act as a detective because I love mysterious stories. But I have not yet had the opportunity to work in one. One day, I would love to,” Lee also added, laughing.
“I feel much more energy when I’m in a story as an actor.” Lee even did not imagine that she could have been in the shooting scene for quite a long time. She felt rewarding that she could give sympathy and thoughts to the audience with her work. Above all, an unquenchable thirst was a powerful spur to sticking to her challenge for better acting . “When I could look close to a peak, it was when I thought I was the least. I couldn’t stop because I felt the thirst and lack,” said Lee.
On global stance of South Korean movies: how Korean films and actors are thought of globally
Lee obtained the long-coveted honor of participating in Academy Membership. She was given to experience the global film market, which gave her some influential impressions. She felt that the global film-makers and actors tend to be casual and open to their own expression, saying that “It was really full of wonted frankness of expressions.” She also said that it was such a great opportunity to appreciate films made in other countries, even in conflict areas which would be struggling and complicated. Narratives and discourses in the movies were unconventional. This tumultuous experience instilled confidence into her that Asian film market is inevitable to receive the limelight. And she could see that there were so many promising and talented but hidden Asian actors. As the global audience will no longer hesitate to watch films without subtitles than before, much more Asian films will be enjoyed globally.
“Korean actors are, particularly, good at developing delicate and subtle acting,” explained Lee. “They skillfully evokes the here and now reality of their characters and are astute in dealing with the emotions of the characters. It feels as if the character is alive right next to the audience.” Lee showed her thoughts that those actors are competitive enough in a global market.
According to her explanation, Korean actors don’t hesitate to take the chance. They used to stick to staring at traditional TV dramas on the public channels, however, they try an array of approaches to get connected with their fans and viewers. It must bring about positive changes. “In that sense, I think we need our own platform which can produce and distribute Korean dramas or films targeted to the global population,” added Lee.
Lee also repeated encouragement for her colleagues not to stop challenging. She believes that if Korean actors feel free to express their emotions and act themselves, they can all gain strength from each other. She said she is always open to casting in global movies or series. She thought trailblazing actors with Asian backgrounds, such as Steven Yeon and Sandra Oh, allowed upcoming asian actors to make a breakthrough into the western media.
Replying to a request to give advice to actors aspiring to be like her, she dropped pearls of wisdom on them. “There is no wasted time. For actors, living every single day would become the basis for expressing the character of the entire period,” said Lee. She concluded her interview that if you want to be an artist who expresses people’s lives, you should live as if each day is a special moment.
Kayla Hong
Asia Journal
