Lee Byung Hun 이병헌 Byunghun Lee

[rubie]

Super thanks to the twitter highlight by @jinny_lovey, a worthy review of Lee Byung Hun & Masquerade. 

Section TV Ep972: Let's Enjoy Movie segment

TV transcript: Discussing historical movies about kings

 

Masquerade (45:24 time-mark)

And we must talk about 'Masquerade'.
I think I watched it three times.
("Masquerade", as the fear of getting assassinated...)
(drives King Gwanghae insane, he finds his double,)
(Ha Seon, to replace him.)
Lee Byung Hun's acting is just overwhelming.
He had never been in a historical work before.
Was it his first? -"Masquerade? was the first.
And he had to play a double.
He had to act the real king and the fake king...
in the same movie.
It must have been very hard to maintain the character's emotions.
It's not even easy to act one character properly, 
and he had to do two.
And the two have completely opposite personalities.
Right, they do.
When the producer of this movie went to cast Byung Hun...
Back then he was in the US,
filming "G.I. Joe".
So the producer went to the States,
met with Byung Hun,
and asked him to star... in the movie.
But Byung Hun said he wasn't confident about the roles.
It was his first time on a historical work.
He was okay with the king but he wasn't confident about Ha Seon.
Because Ha Seon is a clown,
he had to express waggishness,
but he had never done such acting before.
Is that so? - Yes.
That's why he wasn't confident.
What the producer told him to persuade him was...
"It's time you become more down-to-earth."
"Until when will you act cool guys only?"
That's what he said.
They managed to persuade him to take part in this movie...
and it became a mega-hit.
While I watched this movie,
I couldn't help but marvel at his acting skills.
He's a genius.
I think he's the one and only actor who could be (Song) Kang Ho's match.
Right.

 

[rubie]

September 27, 2019

 

Industry Reps Vote On Top “Power People” Of Past 50 Years In Korean Entertainment

Source: Soompi by J. K

 

Spoiler

 

As the news outlet Ilgan Sports celebrates its 50th anniversary, it looked back on the history of Korean entertainment by putting together a list of “Power People” in the industry from the past half century.

 

Ilgan Sports conducted a survey of 100 insiders who are currently active in the entertainment industry, including producing directors, directors, representatives from agencies and production companies, and more. Each respondent chose five “Power People” that lit up the entertainment industry over the past 50 years, and the list was put together using their results.

 

Check out the Top 20 below!

 

1. (Tie) Cho Yong Pil, Bong Joon Ho — 46 points
3. (Tie) Seo Tae Ji, BTS — 40 points
5. Lee Soo Man — 35 points
6. (Tie) Kim Soo Hyun (writer), Na Young Suk — 23 points
8. (Tie) Kim Eun Sook, Song Kang Ho — 22 points
10. Yoo Jae Suk — 19 points
11. Ahn Sung Ki — 17 points
12. Im Kwon Taek — 16 points
13. Park Chan Wook — 15 points
14. Kim Tae Ho — 11 points
15. Kim Jong Hak — 10 points
16. Kim Hye Ja — 9 points
17. (Tie) Lee Mi Kyung, Lee Ju Il — 7 points
19. Lee Byung Hun — 6 points
20. Bae Yong Joon – 5 points

 

Source (1) (2) (3)

Top Photo Credit: Xportsnews

[rubie]

27/9 New IG post from Byunghun, a throwback from Mag7

 

Updating the BH throwback trail.. thus far.. 

 

Mr.Sunshine 

Terminator Genisys 

I Come With The Rain 

IRIS 

The Good The Bad The Weird 

A Bittersweet Life 

All In 

The Magnificent 7 

 

Source: BillyRocks_13

 

[rubie]

 From the variety show Happy Together episode 612 (aired 26/9) // media article // EverythingLBH

 

Jazz artist Danny Jung turns out to be the saxophone teacher for Lee Byung Hun.

On KBS2 entertainment program 'Happy Together 4', which aired on the afternoon of 26th, Danny Jung said, "Lee Byung Hun wanted to present a sweet surprise to Lee Min Jung at their wedding reception."

 

 Related transcript from the show

Danny (Jung) is actually a celebrity of celebrities.
Host: Did you know that.. 
He gave Lee Byung Hun saxophone lessons?
Danny: As a wedding gift, he wanted to prepare something sweet.
"Could it be possible to play"...
- "the saxophone like you?" - Like you.
He took a few classes and he practiced a lot.
At the reception after the ceremony,
he played the saxophone to "Love Theme"...
of "Cinema Paradiso".
I'm not kidding when I say that it only took him three months.
Host: Even though he was a complete beginner?
It all comes down to who you learn from.
He's a good teacher.

 

[closetserialaddict]

I just watched a 2003 movie or mini series that LBH starred in. It;s called Road. 
Does anyone know about it? I can't find much info about it, except that it's actually listed as a mini series.

I found it in a very old two-disc format, so i am not sure if it's a movie or a 2-episode series.

If it's a series, are there just two episodes to it?

[rubie]

Hi @closetserialaddict, welcome to LBH thread. Good to see you here! 

 

So, you found and watched Road or Journey.. that is a nice treat. Such a simple sweet story and Lee Byung Hun not playing the cool suave guy (like he usually does) but just an ordinary warm-hearted man with a good ending. It's actually a television special or rather tv movie for the new year holidays. Just 2 parts and no more. I guess, it's more like an open-ending but a good one, we hope they will have a happy ending eventually seeing all of them going back to the city with the father.

 

There's another 2-part tv series he did around the same time (for the holidays) called 'Sunflower'.. however, it's nothing like what's being promoted.. they called it the Romance series or something to that effect. That one.. is no happy ending. Sorry for the spoiler. This probably what triggered his tragic-hero personas. But do watch it if you happen to find the drama. 

 

Anyway, we did a little compilation to highlight Road at our website HERE. Nothing much but there's a few snippets of memorable LBH scenes and link to the image gallery, hope the link still works though..

[closetserialaddict]

Thanks @rubie the link still works!

 

I tried to look for the Sunflower series.. but cannot find any trace of it.

 

Tell you something laughable, I don't download movies. I don't like all the extra stuff that comes with it. My laptop is my livelihood. I cannot take any risk with it, and I am a tech idiot. I wont know what to do if it crashes.  So I buy my DVDs. 

 

Are there any safe and reliable websites where i can stream old movies and series? I am not a fan of watching them on the small screen tho.

 

Anyway, i am now looking to buy Masquerade and Master.  I can't wait for LBH's new projects to be released. Having said this, I must admit that reading about all the negative stuff  between 2009 to 2013 has marred my impression of him. They sound very true and i asked a friend who is an entertainment reporter if she believed them, she said yes. So yes, i think he's a great actor, but seems to have a "dark" side in real life! IMO he's one of the best actors in Korea. He is able to play such a range of characters, and his acting is so natural. 

 

 

[rubie]

@closetserialaddict, glad to know that the link works.. *phew*. Hopefully they will still work for awhile longer. Our website had been hit with a severe problem, it's unlikely to be updated anymore but hopefully whatever content left unaffected can still be shared among fans.

 

Sunflower is a pretty old series, some dvd sites might still have it.. or not. Looks like Yesasia doesn't have it anymore (no longer available) (out of stock). Perhaps on Youtube if one is keen to search for it in various languages. Sometimes previous work of LBH might appear easily.. sometimes it remains missing. Totally understand about not downloading movies.. it is very risky. Over the years I've had my HD completely wiped out by virus and malicious softwares. Those days, we used to download all about LBH, clips and stuff.. all the time. But nowadays, there's more sharing on Youtube and Instagram particularly, ardent fans will stream some of these clips instead. So, less downloading and just watch it streaming instead. Let me check the links and I'll PM you soon. Can't share them on the thread, against the soompi forum rules.

 

Spoiler

Admittedly I've downloaded movies from time to time and I watched some Kdramas as well, and especially variety shows, the only way to watch is on streaming sites. Unfortunately, there is no 100% safe site, each of them comes with something.. especially excessive ads and annoying popups (I'd clicked them off each time, can't be helped). 

 

As fans, many of us were hurt and affected by the stuff happening to LBH the past years. But eventually those most hurt would be he himself & his loved ones as well as family/staff/agency. Nonetheless, the bad events happening were also warning bells just as they're blessings in a way. Whatever mistakes done were reflected on, quickly rectified and taken as bitter pills to change and be better. Unfortunately Korean entertainment industry isn't as pristine as their dramas would like to portray. Many of the celebrities (many so unexpectedly) have their own dark secrets they keep. If they're lucky and careful, they feel they won't get caught. Because LBH is a bigger star than most celebs, the impact and exposure would be greater.. and this sells the news.

 

Thank you for being truthful and straightforward, we appreciate that you still think he's a great actor and continue to watch his work. We hope he will continue to show amazing work performances in the upcoming new movies and many more. We also hope that he'll be a better person for the sake of his family, friends and fans.

[rubie]

This was highlighted by fans on twitter yesterday. Hope the Google gist is correct. Considering the movie genre of Baekdusam and the huge budget, the BEP number appear credible. Please let me know if the numbers are incorrect.

 

Frankly, the high 6.8 million BEP is quite a risk factor for the production. Acting-wise, it should be no problem based on the 3 male leads' box office record. Hopefully the movie plot, action and VFX & CGI will make it easier to reach and cross the break-even point.

 

October 1, 2019

 

Film Talk: Baekdusan Break-even Point
 

Source: Naver via Extreme Movie

 

The estimated BEP (break-even point) audience number for Mount Baekdu which cost a total of 26 billion won, is about 6.8 million admission. (₩26 Billion =  USD 21 Million ??)

 

 

Although it is not official, such break even point is possible if the production cost is 26 billion won. CJE & M will be all out promoting the movie at the end of this year.

[rubie]

Doesn't seem like BH attended the Opening Ceremony of the 24th BIFF tonight.  Perhaps we'll see him during the weekend events.

 

Anyway, here's a cool capture of LBH drawn by the artist at ANDAZ

 

Highlight by awesome_hyeminee

 

[rubie]

Related LBH excerpt from a very long article in Forbes, the link HERE

 

October 2, 2019

 

Hallyu Influence Is Merely One Trend Making Korean Actors More Desirable In Hollywood

by Joan MacDonald

As the manager of several Korean actors who appear in U.S. productions, Chris S. Lee, CEO of B&C Group, has an interesting perspective on why the time is right for more Korean talent to cross over to Hollywood. 

 

According to Lee, a few entertainment trends are converging. As Hollywood makes progress toward becoming more diverse and inclusive, entertainment industries are also becoming increasingly globalized and borderless. At the same time, audiences are expressing more interest in relatable multicultural viewing experiences. There’s also the Hallyu, aka the Korean wave of exportable entertainment, and its mushrooming influence on global pop culture.

 

“Korea has been well-positioned throughout the last decade to capitalize on these shifts, with the growing popularity and cultural influence from the export of k-pop music, k-dramas, and internationally acclaimed Korean films,” said Lee. “Basically, anything with a "k" attached to it these days is considered sexy, as the Korean entertainment industry is having an unprecedented global moment this year.”

Hollywood has recruited Korean talent for a while. Actress Bae Doona appeared in a few Wachowski films, including Cloud Atlas, and in the sci-fi TV series Sense 8, before returning to Korea for film and drama roles. Lee Byung-hun, already a major star in Korea, played Storm Shadow in G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra and its sequel G.I. Joe: Retaliation,  as well as roles in Red 2, Terminator Genisys and The Magnificent Seven. Singer-actor Rain appeared in the Hollywood film Speed Racer and starred in Ninja Assassin, for which he won an MTV award.

.

.

. more at link above

[rubie]

 

October 4, 2019

 

Showbox Launches ‘Sinkhole’ Sales at Busan Market (EXCLUSIVE)

By SONIA KIL Variety.com

 

Showbox is selling "The Man Standing Next" CREDIT: COURTESY OF SHOWBOX

Showbox, one of South Korea’s leading studios, is launching sales of disaster comedy “Sinkhole” at the Busan International Film Festival’s Asian Film Market. Helmed by “The Tower” director Kim Ji-hoon, the film is the story of the events that follow the appearance of an urban sinkhole that swallows an entire apartment building.

 

It stars fashion model-turned-actor Cha Seung-won (“Cheer Up, Mr. Lee”), Kim Sung-kyun (“Fengshui”) and Lee Kwang-soo (“Tazza: One Eyed Jack”). Aiming for a 2020 release, “Sinkhole” started shooting in August and is currently in production.

 

Showbox is also handling international sales of “The Man Standing Next,” a film by “Inside Men” director Woo Min-ho. Based on the fact-based novel of the same title, “Man Standing Next” tells an untold story of Korean Central Intelligence Agency and its political maneuvering in the 1970s. With a star-studded cast that includes Lee Byung-hun (“Inside Men”), Lee Sung-min (“Spy Gone North”), and Kwak Do-won (“Steel Rain”), the political drama is in post-production now and is set for a local release later in the year.

Other titles that Showbox is selling at the Busan market include “Man of Men,” and “The Golden Holiday.”

 

“Men,” which opened in local cinemas ahead of the Busan festival, is Yong Soo’s directorial feature debut. It features star actors Sul Kyung-gu (“Birthday”) and Cho Jin-woong (“Intimate Strangers”). The comedy drama is the story of a lawyer who is diagnosed with a terminal illness and asks a low-level hoodlum doing community service to help him complete his bucket list, in return for a large part of his life insurance settlement.

 

“Ordinary Person” director Kim Bong-han’s action comedy “Holiday” revolves around a laid-back countryside detective who takes his family to The Philippines for an anniversary, but does so with a hidden purpose of tracking down an old friend who scammed him and disappeared. Currently in post-production, “Holiday” stars Kwak Do-won, Kim Dae-myeung (“Drug King”), Kim Sang-ho (“The Negotiation”) and Kim Hie-won (“Missing”).

[closetserialaddict]

I just finished watching JSA. It's actually my second time watching the movie.

 

the first time i watched it was in 2007-9. I was very impressed with it.

 

Of course the second time is not as good, but i still find it a very good movie that makes a very deep impression.

 

I didn't understand why LBH's character have to kill himself tho? Was his guilt so powerful that it drove him to kill himself? The matter looked like it would blow over for everyone alive.

 

Also, this is a trivia but I am wondering if LBH had plastic surgery.. very minor alteration to his jaw and cheekbones,,,did he file them down for a slightly less boxy look? I thought initially that maybe it's just cos he lost his baby fat as he grew older. but the more i looked, the more i think his chin and jaw looked a bit more filed in, and so does his cheekbones.. the changes could be skeletal and muscular, not just fat. 

 

[rubie]

JSA is simply special and forever a classic. If the Korean cinema ever needs any introduction, Joint Security Area is the most perfect 101. It's a real situation as the story touches the Koreans at heart and showed the best of brotherhood no matter what. My take is that LBH's character could not bear finally realizing the truth, he's too much into the relationship with the North Koreans. The fact that SKH's character also tried to protect him, just too much for him to handle.. it's their unspoken bond, so much closer that they thought. Could it be that he may felt that he had to do something to balance the tragedy.. on both sides? Dir. Park Chan Wook has directed many masterpieces since but JSA remains the most outstanding & realistic, plot-wise.

 

Regarding plastic surgery.. I don't think so but frankly, I'm not sure. From earlier on, in 2001 he was pretty bulky in built (especially when he did Beautiful Days) but there's also past mentions that he loses weight quickly when filming a movie, particularly when his character carries 90% of the story. Particularly the case when he filmed A Bittersweet Life, The Good The Bad The Weird, I Saw the Devil and IRIS.

 

It's not to say that he hasn't done anything to improve his appearance, just not necessarily involving surgeries. One thing for sure, over the years he had removed the tiny moles on his face, very likely done with a laser treatment. There's been sighting of LBH and his wife visited the skin specialist(?) but I believe a whole lot of Korean celebs also doing the same. It could be because he's getting older with different hairstyles, facial hair and make-up effect as well. Cosmetic enhancement or not.. it could be just 'something' simple. While obviously he's older now, he still looks quite the same but leaner, fit & attractive.

 

Could be a bit here and there, who knows. Could be that life is really good, healthier & happier these days. 

 

Eugene Choi art by Minu

 

[rubie]

 

CONGRATULATIONS TO MR.SUNSHINE! 

 

Thanks to BillyRocks_13 for the highlight on twitter

 

Source: Soompi

 

On October 6, the very first Asia Contents Awards (ACA) were held at Dongseo University’s Sohyang Theater in Centum City, Busan.

 

The Asia Contents Awards celebrate TV dramas from Asian regions like South Korea, Japan, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and the ASEAN countries. The nominees were chosen from dramas that aired within the past five years.

 

2018’s “Mr. Sunshine” won the Best Creative Award, the top award given at ACA. Chief producer (CP) Kim Yong Gyu accepted the trophy and said, “The Korean drama industry is changing. We are working towards that change. I think that ‘Mr. Sunshine’ is a production that represents that change. If people show it a lot of love, then we can return with an even better production next time.”

 

[rubie]

  If this is confirmed.. we will see Lee Byung Hun in another drama! 

 

From the fans' highlight on twitter 

 

 

[peonie]

October 7, 2019

 

Thank you @rubie for posting this wonderful news!   What a treat that would be if Byung Hun -ssi confirms his participation in Noh Hee Kyung's new drama! 

 

[irilight]

Hi everyone! 
Thank you all for updates, and @rubie for keeping this thread so alive!

I am so looking forward to seeing LBH with HJW.. Great to  see their picture together.

@closetserialaddict,  @rubie  - I have never even heard of "The Road."  I am not seeing it even listed in many places.
 Thank you for letting us know about it.


I was so thrilled to hear about Mr. Sunshine winning at the 1st Asia Content Awards. 
                                   Congratulations! 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Below is an article about the new Drama proposal.  How do you all feel about this offer?

Lee Byung Hun In Talks For New Drama + Jo In Sung Reportedly Turns Down Offer

Lee Byung Hun is looking to make a drama comeback!

On October 7, BH Entertainment revealed, “Lee Byung Hun was cast in an upcoming drama by screenwriter Noh Hee Kyung, and he is positively reviewing the offer.”

The upcoming drama will reportedly tell the story of an international NGO’s (non-governmental organization) work. As the drama is being developed in secret, neither the detailed plot nor its title have been revealed publicly. It was previously announced that top actors including Han Ji Min, Shin Min Ah, and Nam Joo Hyuk are in talks to star in the drama. Jo In Sung was also mentioned on the list, but he has reportedly turned down the offer due to schedule conflicts.

Screenwriter Noh Hee Kyung is responsible for numerous hit dramas including the 2018 drama “Live,” the 2014 drama “It’s Okay, That’s Love,” the 2013 drama “That Winter, The Wind Blows,” and more.

The drama aims to premiere next year.

source

[Niko21]

@rubieHello! Nice to meet you!

I just want to thank you for this thread!) I am a long-time fan of Lee Byung Hun (his performance's in I Saw the Devil, Masquerade, Inside Man and Mr. Sunshine is absolutely phenomenal). And i am very happy to read your posts and news about this gorgeous actor!

Thank you so much!

Edited October 7, 2019 by Niko21

[rubie]

7 hours ago, peonie said:

October 7, 2019

 

Thank you @rubie for posting this wonderful news!   What a treat that would be if Byung Hun -ssi confirms his participation in Noh Hee Kyung's new drama! 

 

 

@peonie Good to see you back at the thread. LOL, what a great timing too.. with a surprise news from BH. The latest news definitely brought a lot of excitement just like when we found out about Mr. Sunshine in 2017. Though this is still not confirmed, it seems like a good response by BH Ent especially. Remember how we talked that fans are missing him so much after Mr.Sunshine.. with the ending that made us so sad as well. Hope this will happen.. then we will have 3 movies and 1 drama to look forward to. Looks like BH is busy preparing the treats for his fans in 2020. 

 

5 hours ago, irilight said:

Hi everyone! 
Thank you all for updates, and @rubie for keeping this thread so alive!

I am so looking forward to seeing LBH with HJW.. Great to  see their picture together.

@closetserialaddict,  @rubie  - I have never even heard of "The Road."  I am not seeing it even listed in many places.
 Thank you for letting us know about it.

I was so thrilled to hear about Mr. Sunshine winning at the 1st Asia Content Awards. 
                                   Congratulations! 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Below is an article about the new Drama proposal.  How do you all feel about this offer?

Lee Byung Hun In Talks For New Drama + Jo In Sung Reportedly Turns Down Offer

Spoiler

 

Lee Byung Hun is looking to make a drama comeback!

On October 7, BH Entertainment revealed, “Lee Byung Hun was cast in an upcoming drama by screenwriter Noh Hee Kyung, and he is positively reviewing the offer.”

The upcoming drama will reportedly tell the story of an international NGO’s (non-governmental organization) work. As the drama is being developed in secret, neither the detailed plot nor its title have been revealed publicly. It was previously announced that top actors including Han Ji Min, Shin Min Ah, and Nam Joo Hyuk are in talks to star in the drama. Jo In Sung was also mentioned on the list, but he has reportedly turned down the offer due to schedule conflicts.

Screenwriter Noh Hee Kyung is responsible for numerous hit dramas including the 2018 drama “Live,” the 2014 drama “It’s Okay, That’s Love,” the 2013 drama “That Winter, The Wind Blows,” and more.

The drama aims to premiere next year.
source

 

 

 

@irilight Welcome back to the thread! We're still waiting for more updates from Mount Baekdu.. so far, that photo of HJW & LBH together is all that we have for now. The movie thread is ready but so far, the news there are about coffee trucks... nothing wrong with that, of course  .. because it great to see so much support from fans and friends for the filming. But it's currently in post-production.. making two LBH movies are yet to make any promotion. And more waiting.

 

I hope you can find and watch 'Road' because it's really a sweet drama. It's simple but very heart-warming. The kind of show that we watch on holidays that will remind us of families and loved ones.

 

I don't really watch a lot of writer' Noh's dramas although I did watch Live (a good, realistic and serious drama) and My Dear Friends, which I love. It'll be great if BH could be in the drama because it'll be something really different.. from the usual blockbuster action drama (IRIS) and epic historical romance (Mr.Sunshine).

 

4 hours ago, Niko21 said:

@rubieHello! Nice to meet you!

I just want to thank you for this thread!) I am a long-time fan of Lee Byung Hun (his performance's in I Saw the Devil, Masquerade, Inside Man and Mr. Sunshine is absolutely phenomenal). And i am very happy to read your posts and news about this gorgeous actor!

Thank you so much!

 

Hello @Niko21, nice to meet you, too! Welcome, welcome to LBH@soompi.

 

Thank you so much for the warm words. I'm just glad that we're able to share all about Lee Byung Hun here and will continue to do so.

 

Having another long-time fan at the thread, this is indeed a great day. With news of BH's possible return to the small screen in 2020, such a wonderful surprise for all fans.

 

Hope you will continue to share thoughts on LBH, his movies and everything with us here. Don't be shy, ok.