Lee Sun-Kyun 이선균

[sweetroad]

Paste Magazine has a fun review that highlights LSK's acting:

 

Dr. Brain Conducts Big Thrills with Sleek Imagery and Nimble Storytelling

By Nguyen Le

 

If society resembles a puzzle, Dr. Se-won (Lee Sun-kyun), the lead of the first South Korean show made for Apple TV+ (itself the lead-in to the platform’s debut in the country), is the piece that won’t fit. At work, he’s warm to his research but frozen to his peers. When he was young he saw his mother perish, but there were no screams or tears.

 

In lieu of emotional expressions, Se-won gives either a “fast version” or a “slow version” of the incident to others, either the sharpest Occam’s Razor-ed summary or a perfect detail-by-detail recall. It is not an everyday ability; it is a cursed blessing. It is also, even with the specter of oversimplification in depicting people on the spectrum, a functional starting point for one heady and twisty roller-coaster of a series.

 

Dr. Brain is an adaptation of a webtoon of the same name from Hongjacga, with Season 1 comprising of six hourlong episodes all directed and co-written by Kim Jee-woon (with Kim Jin-A, Koh Young-jae, and Lee Mu-so). Don’t fret if the unfamiliarity of South Korea’s digital comic frontier sets in; you can still get the gist of the series by seeing it as a handshake between Inception and Flatliners—or a mukbang of many narrative bites in Kim’s past works, including resonating horror, sweet action, atypical procedurals, and heated dilemmas. Re-manifesting itself most vividly here is perhaps the latter, which Kim once used as the foundation of his segment The Heavenly Creature in the 2012 sci-fi omnibus Doomsday Book. But there is no enlightened robot or an argument to either venerate or deactivate here, only a scientist with new tech that connects people’s fleshy headquarters—called “brain sync”—and the case as to whether it’s beneficial or detrimental. This new version is less religious and not as serious, though it now has more room and more time to present its stimulating points. (The Heavenly Creature didn’t have these luxuries, so in attempting to ignite neurons it could be too verbose in delivery and hasty in pacing.)

 

r. Brain, in using “brain sync” to frame Se-won’s pursuit of the truth about the tragedy that affected his wife Jae-yi (Lee Yoo-young) and son Do-yoon (On Jeong-si), wows with variety. It isn’t always the sci-fi thriller as promoted—at one point it’s a nightmare, at another a domestic drama, and at another an ethical debate. The switches present light-bulb moments from Kim and company, chiefly director of photography Kim Cheon-seok, composer Mowg (a frequent collaborator), and editors Yang Jin-mo and Han Mi-yeon (both from Parasite), as they relish in the idea of causing the brain to doubt its deductions. Can what is seen be believed? Is there any truth in the sounds heard? Is that minor thing really as presented, or is it just pretending to be? These questions could make the series stagnant, but Kim’s signature propulsive visual storytelling and other choice spices bring big-screen sensibilities to small-screen material. Even when the action takes a pause, Kim and the editors will introduce something new into the scene, be it a novel angle or a saturation change, to further highlight what is being spoken and prevent interest from waning. When a scene’s mobility is limited, Kim sees it less as a restriction and more a chance to make choices that are modest but still creative, recalling his theatrical beginnings.

 

“Modest but still creative” is also a fitting descriptor for actor Lee’s approach to embodying Se-won. It’s certainly better than “inhuman,” which is what the character’s colleagues would say—except for the kind Dr. Na-mil (Lee Jae-won). Or “insane,” which is more what the eagle-eyed Lt. Ji-un (Seo Ji-hye) would think. Or perhaps a mix between the two, which is something the sardonic private investigator Kang-mu (Park Hee-soon) might express—but doesn’t bother to. Being arresting while understated has been the brand of the baritonic Paju and Parasite star, and to fuse it with Se-won as a character makes the scientist’s unsociability sympathetic, or at the least intriguing, rather than something that repels. From there, we find an enticing base for Se-won’s emotional evolution to happen, since after every brain-syncing episode he will acquire the memories and characteristics of others. Whether “more” does mean “better” for a person, a worker, and a father content with being so icy is Dr. Brain’s other big mystery to solve (besides the main “uncover-the-truth” one, of course). Rest assured, the answer will be just as wholesome and playful.

 

Set an appointment, if you haven’t already.

 

Source: https://www.pastemagazine.com/tv/apple-tv-plus/dr-brain-review/

[sadiesmith]

This is super funny. Apparently there is a scene in Oki's Movie in which LSK's character, who is a movie student, has to answer questions about directing. But the scene is shot so realistically that if taken out of context one would think LSK has made his directorial debut, and plenty of people have been fooled. Here's one example:

https://www.fmkorea.com/best/4061925653

[sweetroad]

14 hours ago, sadiesmith said:

This is super funny. Apparently there is a scene in Oki's Movie in which LSK's character, who is a movie student, has to answer questions about directing. But the scene is shot so realistically that if taken out of context one would think LSK has made his directorial debut, and plenty of people have been fooled. Here's one example:

https://www.fmkorea.com/best/4061925653

 

The photos of him answering the questions do look so real. Comments were great.

 

Reminded me of when Bridget Jones interviews Colin Firth....just a weird, awkward, and hilarious mash-up. Since LSK is Park Dong Hoon and PDH has been compared to Mark Darcy and all. Interview starts at 1:06.

 

 

 

[Helena]

https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20211110009600315
(Yonhap Interview) Actor Lee Sun-kyun scores many 'firsts' for Korean entertainment industry

 

By Kim Boram (brk@yna.co.kr) | November 10, 2021

SEOUL, Nov. 10 (Yonhap) -- About two years ago, actor Lee Sun-kyun participated in a project that has earned a number of "first" titles in Korean film history.

Bong Joon-ho's sensational black comedy "Parasite" became the first Korean film to win an Oscar at the 92nd Academy Awards, while it also earned him, as a member of the cast, the first ever top ensemble prize for any South Korean actor at the U.S. Screen Actors Guild Awards.

This time, he again joined a new project with some "first" labels: "Dr. Brain," the first Korean-language original of Apple TV+, which surprisingly launched its Korean service last week, and the first TV series by renowned film director Kim Jee-woon.

"I think 'Dr. Brain' is the first Korean TV series on brain connection or memory sharing," Lee said in an online interview with local media Wednesday. "I joined this project because of director Kim, who I'd wanted to work with for a long time."

 

This image provided by Apple TV+ shows a scene from "Dr. Brain." (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

The project has drawn attention for the union of "Parasite" star Lee and director Kim, one of the most sought-after filmmakers in Korea, who has made a number of critically and commercially acclaimed films, including the horror film "A Tale of Two Sisters" (2003), the action thriller "I Saw The Devil" (2010) and the period thriller "The Age of Shadows" (2016).

Based on the popular namesake webtoon, "Dr. Brain" revolves around Sewon, played by Lee, a genius cerebral scientist who is obsessed with figuring out new technologies to access the consciousness and memories of the brain.

After losing his wife and son in mysterious circumstances, the cold-hearted and impassive scientist tries to link the brains of people and even a cat involved in the events and collects their memories to get closer to the truth.

While the show swings from science fiction to crime thriller, suspense and horror, Sewon gradually becomes sympathetic and learns how to communicate with his friends.

"Sewon lacks an innate sense of emotional interacting or sympathy for others," he said. "But after rounds of brain sync process, he feels his emotional deficiency, which has hurt his friends and family."

So he tried to portray the emotional journey of the scientist in a more sophisticated way as the brain connection pours not only memories of other people into Sewon but also their feelings and sentiment.

"I haven't experienced this kind of genre-bending piece in the past," said the 46-year-old actor, who is famous for his good acting skills and manly low voice in his number of hit shows, like "Coffee Prince" (2007) and "My Mister" (2018). "I was a bit uncomfortable in the beginning, but as time went by, I felt I was in sync with Sewon."

A teaser image of "Dr. Brain" by Apple TV+ (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

"Dr. Brain" is his first project to be released since "Parasite" two years ago, as the COVID-19 pandemic has put his subsequent projects on hold.

"Accidentally, right after I came back from the Academy Awards, the pandemic got into full swing," he said. "I've finished two to three film projects since then, but all of them are shelved. I'm not the only one who is struggling."

But Lee said the nearly two-yearlong pandemic has opened a new way for Korean content to gain access to global audiences on new platforms, and Netflix's "Squid Game" is one example.

"Online video streaming services are filling the vacancy, and we now have an extraordinary variety of content through new platforms," he said. "It is desirable that Korean content leads the global cultural trend sparked by 'Parasite,'"

"Dr. Brain" is released on a weekly basis starting last week on Apple TV+, with its second episode slated for this Saturday.

 

This photo provided by Apple TV+ shows South Korean actor Lee Sun-kyun. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

(END)

 

—

 

https://k-odyssey.com/news/newsview.php?ncode=1065580766513358
Actors Lee Jae-won and Seo Ji-hye emphasize the importance of character development in 'Dr. Brain'

[Helena]

https://k-odyssey.com/news/newsview.php?ncode=179557809529849
(Yonhap Interview) Renowned director Kim Jee-woon keeps motivated with fresh challenges

By Kim Boram / 2021-11-11 14:01:18

 

▲ This photo provided by Apple TV+ shows director Kim Jee-woon of "Dr. Brain." (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

 


SEOUL, Nov. 11 (Yonhap) -- Throughout the more than two decades of his filmmaking career, director Kim Jee-woon has boasted of his chameleonic cinematic talents in making genre-hybrid pieces since his directorial debut, "The Quiet Family" (1998).



Kim has chosen different eras, styles and genres, along with his signature visual storytelling based on smooth camerawork and rich set designs in the psychological horror-drama "A Tale of Two Sisters" (2003), the Western action film "The Good, the Bad, the Weird" (2010), the period action thriller "The Age of Shadows" (2016) and the sci-fi action film "Illang: The Wolf Brigade" (2018). 



He even went to Hollywood and directed an English language film, working with famous American star Arnold Schwarzenegger in the action thriller "The Last Stand" (2013).



This time, the 57-year old director took on a completely new challenge for his first project in three years. Instead of directing a two-hour film for a theatrical release, he took the helm of a six-episode TV series on an online streaming platform: "Dr. Brain," the first Korean-language original of Apple TV+.


 


"When I was younger, I thought films and TV series are quite opposite, as there were some limitations on TV for creators," Kim said in a media interview held online Wednesday. "But the situation has changed a lot, and we are facing a big new room."



Based on the popular namesake webtoon, "Dr. Brain" revolves around Sewon (Lee Sun-kyun), a genius cerebral scientist who is obsessed with figuring out new technologies to access the consciousness and memories of the brain.



After losing his family in mysterious circumstances, the cold-hearted and impassive scientist tries to link the brains of people involved in the events and collects their memories to get closer to the truth.



The prolific director said he was so impressed and excited by the brain sync in the original he thought it was the right time to cross the line drawn between film and TV.



"When I first got the offer for this project, I wanted to make a film," he said. "But to tell a deeper and richer story of the creative idea, I decided to produce a TV series."



Kim said he wanted to expand the story of the scientist's brain experiments and investigations to his emotional journey and growth as a husband and a father.



"To adapt this web comic into a six-hour TV series, I added more layers of Sewon's relationship and his efforts to fill the emotional deficiency," he said. "This process of building a longer narrative is quite different from making a film."



Still, it was not easy for the veteran film director to adjust the tight shooting schedule of a TV series in South Korea, where the so-called "live-shot" dramas had prevailed, with filming, editing and airing taking place on a real-time basis.



"In the past I had to make a two-hour film within a given time span," he said. "Now, I have the same time frame, but I have to make a six-hour series. What pressure."



And for Kim, a rookie TV production director, making the cliffhanger ending to keep an audience hooked for the next episode is also unheard of. "Dr. Brain" is released one episode at a time on a weekly basis, like a conventional TV show.



"I had to complete a full story for each episode, and at the same time, I had to focus on the last scenes of each episode to maintain the tension," he said. "Many things were different from filmmaking procedures. But it was fresh and interesting, as difficult and strange as I felt during this project."



He hoped his first TV series will contribute to the recent global boom of Korean content stemming from the Oscar-winning "Parasite," the Netflix phenomenon "Squid Game" and K-pop sensation BTS.



"All first things become worthwhile when they survive for a long time," he said. "I want to hear others saying they are curious to know more about Korean content because of 'Dr. Brain.'"



The first episode of "Dr. Brain" was unveiled last week on Apple TV+, with its next episode slated for this Saturday.(END)


 

(C) Yonhap News Agency. All Rights Reserved

 

—

 

https://k-odyssey.com/news/newsview.php?ncode=1065575134804629
Director Kim Jee-woon attempts first drama production 'Dr. Brain' ..."OTT platform is a new room for creators"

연합뉴스 / 2021-11-11 10:05:42

 

▲ This photo, provided by Apple TV+, shows director Kim Jee-woon. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

SEOUL, Nov. 11 (Yonhap) -- Director Kim Jee-woon, producer of multiple films such as “A Tale of Two Sisters,” “The Good, the Bad, the Weird” and “The Age of Shadows,” has presented his first drama “Dr. Brain” through Apple TV+.

 


Director Kim shared his feelings about having directed Apple TV+’s first Korean original series during an online interview on the 10th.

 


“There were several difficulties and unfamiliar parts as dramas are slightly different from films in plotting stories or outlines. But it was fun and a fresh experience as well.”

 


Based on a Korean webtoon, the SF thriller series is about a genius brain scientist (Lee Sun-kyun) collecting memories by scanning others’ brains to solve a tragic mystery that happened to his family.

 


The director thought at first that it would be okay to make it into a film, but as he began production, he decided to make it into a drama to portray the story more deeply and widely.

 


The 6-part series is divided into 3 stages, Kim said. The first and second are a build-up stage, the third and fourth rapidly spread out the main story and the fifth and sixth episodes are a wrap-up phase.

 

Spoiler

▲ This photo provided by Apple TV+, shows Apple TV+'s original series "Dr. Brain." (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

 



“Looking into another’s brain sounded interesting. I thought maybe this could turn into a growth-story if we make the character spot his weakness looking into another’s memory, and accept, make up for and overcome his own deficiency,” said Kim.

 


“There have been productions about brain synchronization and peeking into others’ minds. I found hints from them. Also, I tried to focus on what ‘Dr. Brain’’s unique point is,” added the director.

 


Kim said that there is a difference between a 2-hour film and a 6-hour series when it comes to directing. Unlike filming a film where even the smallest light setting has to be arranged carefully, shooting dramas required instant and prompt decisions. The director said, that “Dr. Brain”’s shooting site went busy and lively.

 


“As we had to shoot roughly three times more than movie in a day, there was amount and time pressure. I tried to put only the necessary parts into the drama, so there are disappointments of having had to restrain myself from adding extra works.”

 


“Instead, the series felt more compact than a movie as watchers would have to concentrate in every moment. We needed to make a so-called ‘bait’ at the end of a series to make the watchers look forward to the next. That needed a lot of thoughts but was fun at the same time,” said Kim.

 

Spoiler

▲ This photo, provided by Apple TV+, shows Apple TV+'s original series "Dr. Brain." (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

 


Also, the director regarded the emerging OTT platform as the opening of a new room for creators to produce their works.

 


“Before OTT, there were many boundaries around dramas producing, but things have changed a lot. Genres have become dynamic and OTT platforms can be provided with films’ uniqueness,” said the director.

 


When asked about Apple TV+’s releasing “Dr. Brain” as the platform’s first K-series, Kim answered, “I thought that I would have to come up with a result that is fundamentally not shameful. While K-contents have caused a global boom, I wish for my production to be in that list to exert another taste.” (END)
 

(C) Yonhap News Agency. All Rights Reserved

[sadiesmith]

@Helena Thanks so much for putting so many informative Dr. Brain articles here. Really appreciate them. Since there is a dedicated thread for Dr. Brain on Soompi, do you mind posting future articles there also? I think viewers of that show will appreciate them, but they don't necessarily come to this thread. Thank you.

[sadiesmith]

Another one-act drama from many years ago:

 

 

[Helena]

https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/art/2021/11/398_318698.html
Lee Sun-kyun, Seol Kyung-gu team up in political thriller 'Kingmaker'

By Kwak Yeon-soo (yeons.kwak@koreatimes.co.kr) | 2021-11-13

 

The poster for "Kingmaker" / Courtesy of Megabox Plus M

 

"Parasite" star Lee Sun-kyun is joining forces with Seol Kyung-gu, the recipient of the Best Actor Award at the 41st Korean Film Critics Association Awards, to star in the political thriller, "Kingmaker."

The feature is directed by Byun Sung-hyun, whose 2017 film "The Merciless" was invited for a midnight screening at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival.

"Kingmaker" follows politician Kim Woon-beom (Seol) who teams up with "kingmaker" Seo Chang-dae (Lee) to run for president. The cast also includes Yoo Jae-myung, Jo Woo-jin and Kim Sung-oh.

Alongside "Parasite," Lee is known for the Apple Original series, "Dr. Brain" while Seol appeared recently in director Lee Joon-ik's black-and-white film, "The Book of Fish."

In a recent press interview, Lee said that he is glad to be able to present the long-delayed "Kingmaker" at the end of this year.

"I actually have more films under my belt that are waiting to get released. Silence is in the post-production stage, and I'm currently filming The Land of Happiness (tentative title) with Cho Jung-seok," he said.

Meanwhile, Seol has appeared in various films, including "The Merciless," the 2017 thriller "Memoir of a Murderer" and the 2019 crime comedy "Man of Men."

"Kingmaker" will hit local theaters in December.

Spoiler

https://zapzee.net/2021/11/12/lee-sun-kyuns-new-movie-kingmaker-unveils-its-poster-and-confirms-premiere-date/
Lee Sun Kyun’s New Movie ‘Kingmaker’ Unveils Its Poster and Confirms Premiere Date

by Esther Lee

 

(poster)
Credit: Megabox Plus M

One of the most-anticipated films, Kingmaker, has announced its premiere date and revealed its first movie poster.

Kingmaker revolves around two politicians – Kim Woon Beom (Sol Kyung Gu) who dreams of changing the world by becoming a president and Seo Chang Dae (Lee Sun Kyun) who works behind the curtain of the vast Korean political machine.

Kingmaker is exec produced by The Merciless director Byun Sung Hyun and his team. In 2017, the director was invited to the 70th Cannes International Film Festival Midnight Screening for his work The Merciless.

The released poster gives a clear contrast between Kim Woon Beom and Seo Chang Dae using bright light and dramatic shadows. The text reads, “Two men who want to change the world now begins the fierce political battle,” hints at the wild presidential election they are about to face.

Source: Megabox Plus M
Translator Esther Lee: I’ll be providing you with up-to-date, reliable Korean entertainment news. Enjoy!

 

[sadiesmith]

[Interview] Synchronized with Lee Sun-kyun

 

 

Photo courtesy of Apple TV Plus

The prerequisite for an actor who is constantly loved, not Han-cheol, is his acting ability. We say that we 'believe and see' actors who attract the public with immersion in each work. You will become an actor who can be trusted just by having a name. This trust does not come from the success of one or two works. It can be achieved only by constantly repeating filmography and showing a presence that never gets tired of each work.

 

Because it's a 'job where you learn for a lifetime', the way you show each work must be different to the extent that there are jokes that you are called an actor. However, it is not as easy as it sounds to play dozens or hundreds of characters with one self. The human mind is easily shaken by even a small lie, but how easy is it to portray a false character? Nevertheless, it is their job for actors to make multiple selves appear to be their own. Therefore, it is something that no one can do, and it is even more difficult to become an actor who 'trusts and sees'.

 

Lee Seon-gyun of the Apple TV+ original series 'Dr Brain' (director Kim Ji-woon), which has been well received after its release, shows the state of acting by mixing not one person but several people in the difficult formation of a new self. The work tells the story of Dr. Go Se-won (Lee Sun-kyun), a genius brain scientist who is obsessively obsessed with brain synchronization technology that accesses other people's brains and reads memories. The change in Lee Seon-gyun, as if seeing a different person, is impressive as the episodes repeat.

 

“Sewon is a person who doesn’t feel emotions by nature. So, at first, I was worried about setting the tone. I worried a lot because I thought that if I focus on things without emotions, it would feel dry. When I saw that it was installed, I set the tone depressingly. The tone and manners were dark, so the scene and atmosphere were a little different. I was looking for someone who could refer to Se-won with less talk, but I felt that director Kim Ji-woon was like Se-won. So like a joke I even said that I could do it like the director.”

Photo courtesy of Apple TV Plus

Born with a brain deformity, Se-won never forgets what he saw once, but he cannot feel the emotions that accompany memories or empathize with other people's emotions. The story depicts the process of chasing down the truth of this tragedy using the brain synchronization technology he was researching when he lost his son and even his wife went into a coma. What's interesting is that the more brains Sewon synchronizes to find clues, the more emotional changes are mixed with other people's memories. If his emotion value started with 1 in episode 1, it shows 10 in the second half. 

 

"When you scan other characters, the behavior comes out as a point, but I also asked the director if he should keep his voice in mind. If you stick to the script, that's just information. I acted like that because I said it was okay to give. I really liked the cold feeling of this work. It is a crime thriller, but it ends later as a family story, so I think that is the biggest gap and charm of this work."

 

'Doctor Brain' is a sci-fi thriller, so there are many CGs in it. The tone and manner itself is also dark, but the CGs in the process of implementing it do not feel directly touching the skin to the extent that it sometimes feels bizarre. Of course, I was overwhelmed by the intense scale, but I thought that it would not have been easy to move in from the perspective of an actor.

 

"Even though the first episode has a strong sci-fi element, it's still a lot easier than the first draft. I went back and forth between time and space, but the adaptation was comfortable. I think you'll find it difficult and unfamiliar when you only see the first episode. The brain sync scene was edited by the director in a fantasy fashion, so about the changes after that, I followed the natural expression of my emotions according to the script. There was a sense of alienation.”

Photo courtesy of Apple TV Plus

Being able to synchronize the brain and peek into other people's memories is quite intriguing. Reading other people's thoughts is the realm of God, sometimes given with superpowers in his works. 'Doctor Brain' makes this fantasy science-fiction immersive with a sense of realism that seems feasible. Lee Seon-gyun, who directly played this role, said, "If given the opportunity to assimilate the brain like Sewon, I want to synchronize and store my own memories. I did." He smiled.

 

The reason 'Doctor Brain' was highly anticipated even before its release was that it was the follow-up to Lee Sun-kyun's film 'Parasite', which swept international film awards, and that it was the first Korean series of Apple TV Plus. Lee Seon-gyun had to bear the burden of being the first title role of Apple TV Plus in addition to the heavy crown of 'parasite'. However, he has been well-received and proved his ability as an actor to 'trust and see' once again.

 

"I didn't feel burdened by the fact that it was the next work of 'Parasite'. I am just grateful. It was good because 'Parasite' was able to enjoy the glory with unexpected results. It's even more of an honor. I had higher expectations because I was able to release Korean content to many people. These days, 'Doctor Brain' doesn't open all episodes at once like other OTTs, so it's like, 'Why do you only show the taste and finish it?' I'm hearing some grudges."

 

Lee Sun-kyun is an actor who can trust and see each work with a wide spectrum. He is also a prolific actor in various media, going back and forth between movies and dramas. Movies such as 'Silence' and 'Kingmaker' are about to be released, and now director Choo Chang-min's 'Land of Happiness' is filming. After filming is finished, we will start filming for director Yoo Jae-sun's 'Sleep'. It's a forced march where I want to take a break, but I'm really glad that I can continue to see his acting.

 

“I just like the setting. There are hardships and ups and downs, but the fact that I have homework in itself is the driving force of my life. And I think the big driving force is that the work is a process of working together, not alone, but together, creating results. There is also the fact that I have to work hard as a father of . I've never been seriously burned out because of a lot of work. I just try to live happily every day. I just relieve stress with alcohol. (Laughs)"

 

Copyright holder © ize Unauthorized reproduction and redistribution prohibited

[sweetroad]

4 hours ago, Helena said:

Lee Sun Kyun’s New Movie ‘Kingmaker’ Unveils Its Poster and Confirms Premiere Date

 

Good news! Been waiting for this one.

 

1 hour ago, sadiesmith said:

"I didn't feel burdened by the fact that it was the next work of 'Parasite'. I am just grateful. It was good because 'Parasite' was able to enjoy the glory with unexpected results. It's even more of an honor. I had higher expectations because I was able to release Korean content to many people. These days, 'Doctor Brain' doesn't open all episodes at once like other OTTs, so it's like, 'Why do you only show the taste and finish it?' I'm hearing some grudges."

 

He filmed Parasite right after My Mister, right? I remember in an interview for MM that he said he was so sad it was over, that he was about to start filming a new movie and he didn't feel ready for the shift. And that movie ended up being such a huge turning point for him in opening him up to international audiences. The last few years have been huge for LSK, built on a foundation of steady, hard work.

 

1 hour ago, sadiesmith said:

I've never been seriously burned out because of a lot of work. I just try to live happily every day. I just relieve stress with alcohol.

 

Uh oh. This remains a recurring theme in his interviews. His wife is a saint  

[sweetroad]

Lee Sun-Kyun's interview with a reporter regarding Dr Brain, extracted from a longer article:

 

Dr. Brain’ Exclusive Interviews with Lee Sun-hyun, Park Hee-soon, and more!

 

Tiffany

November 12, 2021

 

...........

Our Exclusive Dr. Brain Cast Interview

During exclusive interviews with the cast Lee Sun-hyun, Lee You-young, Park Hee-soon, Seo Ji-hye, Lee Jae-won, and executive producer, creator, writer, and director Kim Jee-woon shared their thoughts on the “brain hacking” capabilities explored in Dr. Brain and explained how their characters fit into this mystery-box tale.

Lee Sun-Kyun

Could you talk a little bit about your character Sewon’s journey. It seems like he starts off in one place and then goes through an extraordinary journey and adventure by the end of the series.

LEE SUN-KYUN: Sewon [brain scientist] is a character who is left emotionless because he has a brain anomaly. So he cannot feel emotions and he cannot empathize with others. Then this tragedy befalls on his family.

 

So I think the whole story starts off with his curiosity about why this tragedy happened. And then he uses his brain-sync technology to track down what has been happening and he tries to unravel the mystery behind his family tragedy. Through that process, the feelings of those people that he brain-synced with kind of smears into him. So I think this is kind of like a coming of age story for Sewon. It’s also kind of an atonement for him — for not being there for his family and for not being able to love his family beforehand.

I found this story very similar to a classic story we have around Christmas time, called “A Christmas Carol”, in which the main character gets visited by ghosts of the past, present and future.

It seemed like that is similar to your character Sewon’s journey as he discovers things that he did not know in the past or even the present that affect his future, and how it is also a story of the discovery of love along the way. How would you describe it? Would you describe the show “Dr. Brain” as more of a thriller, or is there something else going on?

LEE SUN-KYUN: Actually, that was a very good point. I never thought about the show being similar to “A Christmas Carol”, but hearing you explain it, I think it is quite similar — especially regarding Sewon’s atonement. About the genre, while the show is cloaked in [science fiction] and has a heavy dose of thriller, I think it is really a human drama . . . a journey of a man who finally realizes what family is and what love is.

Sewon also has quite a lot to learn about hacking people’s brains and whether that is a good idea or not. How do you feel about it now that you have worked this show?

LEE SUN-KYUN: I feel very bad about this technology — this brain-sync technology. I think I am kind of scared about the technology. The whole concept of being able to look into people’s brains just kind of freaks me out.

What would you say is the kind of love connection that your character Sewon is in search of at this point? He seems very lonely.

LEE SUN-KYUN: I definitely agree that he is a very lonely character. He is lonely himself, and he also makes people around him lonely too. But he does not realize that he is lonely because he does not feel emotions. He only knows about himself and he does not have any emotions.

So I think he is a very lonely character and he makes it hard for people to really get along with him. He gives a hard time to his family and people around him.

I also noticed that there are some similarities between your character Sewon in “Dr. Brain” and your character in your prior series “My Mister” as they are both characters that had to learn to fight for the things that they wanted, loved, and appreciated in their lives.

How would you describe your current character Sewon and how he learns to fight and how anger becomes a part of his love journey? That he has to learn to fight for things.

LEE SUN-KYUN: I totally agree with you that they do have some similarities. Sewon looks very dry and monotonous. But the difference between Sewon and my character in “My Mister” is that Sewon actually does not feel anything. He does not know that he is feeling less.

 

But my character in “My Mister”, on the other hand, knows about these feelings, but he just kind of takes it in and tries not to reveal his emotions. So I think that is the big difference between the two characters. I think it is a good thing with these characters, who are not really expressive, that when they do have this anger — when they do find this chance to really express their emotions — there is this big catharsis. That is what I really like about these characters. I like that Sewon learned anger.

 

.........

 

Source: https://www.fanbolt.com/116834/dr-brain-cast-exclusive-interviews-with-lee-sun-hyun-park-hee-soon-and-more/

[Helena]

https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2021/11/15/entertainment/television/Lee-Sunkyun-interview-Dr-Brain/20211115160503502.html
Lee Sun-kyun again finds himself on the forefront of K-content

BY PARK JUNG-SUN [kjdculture@joongang.co.kr] | November 15, 2021

 

In Apple TV+'s first Korean original series "Dr. Brain," actor Lee Sun-kyun portrays a neuroscientist who is devoid any emotions. [APPLE TV+]

When Korean content gained international acclaim in 2019, actor Lee Sun-kyun was one of the people at the forefront thanks to his role in director Bong Joon-ho's film "Parasite," which won the Plame d’Or at the Canne Film Festival that same year.

Two years have passed, and the actor is again on the frontline — this time for the launch of the first Korean-language original series “Dr. Brain” for Apple TV+, now available on the streaming platform.

Based on the Kakao Webtoon of the same title, the sci-fi series centers around a brilliant neuroscientist Go Se-won (played by Lee) who accesses the memories of people who have died. His journey is prompted by the death of his five-year-old son.

Kim Jee-woon, an iconic director in the realm of contemporary Korean films widely recognized for his works “A Tale of Two Sisters” (2003), “A Bittersweet Life” (2005), “The Good, The Bad, The Weird” (2008), “I Saw The Devil” (2010) and “The Age of Shadows” (2016), tried his hand at an original series for a global streaming platform for the first time with "Dr. Brain."

 

Lee Sun-kyun [APPLE TV+]

At an online press interview last week, Lee said that he was drawn to the project not just because of the backing by Apple TV+, but for a chance to work with director Kim.

“I chose this project not because of the genre but because I trusted Kim,” the actor said. “I respect him, and I wanted to work with him.”

His character Se-won, although brilliant, lacks emotion, which becomes a communicative barrier with others as he isn’t able to relate to his co-workers or even his own family.

“I deliberated over how I would approach this character with no emotions,” Lee said. “I didn’t know how to adjust the tone and manner of Se-won because it may drag if a character with no emotions needs to haul the entire narrative of the story. Like the setting of the story, Se-won started off as gloomy character. But he changes as he 'discovers' a certain emotion or memory. There is a turning point in the narrative when he realizes his love for his family. [From then on] I acted thinking that Se-won can finally feel [...] Kim guided me well throughout the production, so I was able to adjust easily without any problems.

 

Spoiler

Top and above: Actors Park Hee-soon, top right, and Seo Ji-hye, above right, feature as investigators looking into Se-won's family. [APPLE TV+]

“Kim isn’t really the talkative type, nor does he have a sweet character, so I thought Sae-won was a bit similar to him,” Lee said. “Kim is cool. His directions were simple yet precise, so the overall mood of the filming was very nice. I saw the first episode and I was already immersed in the story.”

Lee also gave his thoughts on working with Apple TV+ for the first time.

“It is an honor to be part of a global project of a global platform and open up the series for the entire world to see,” Lee said. “Due to the Covid-19 pandemic and due to the fact that none of the workers from Apple were here, we only communicated online. That was definitely new for me, but I believe this type of working environment is here to stay.

“I’m very much aware that ‘K-content’ is being recognized through streaming services like Netflix,” Lee continued. “It’s such a proud moment for us but it is true that I feel more pressured [as the main protagonist of ‘Dr. Brain’]. If I think about the advantages of Apple TV+, if Netflix distributes a variety of content through its platform, Apple has good products and technology. It feels like the platform is simultaneously releasing its technology with the content.”

 

Lee Sun-kyun [APPLE TV+]

Lee mentioned the soft power that local content has nowadays.

“I believe that ‘Parasite’ hit the jackpot of our centennial of Korean cinematic history,” Lee said. “We [the cast of ‘Parasite’] had a close call as Covid-19 began to actively spread right after we came back from the Oscars. I know that not only those in the entertainment industry, but all of us are suffering, and that it’s leading to a lot of changes. As for me, there are three films that I’ve finished filming but the theatrical premieres have been delayed. Over-The-Top (OTT) platforms took the place of cinemas and this has led to the vitalization of a variety of content and drama genres. This phenomenon is very encouraging. Nonetheless, I hope Covid-19 disappears soon so films that are created to be watched in cinemas and content from OTT services can co-exist.

“'Squid Game’ was one of the highly-anticipated series that I wanted to watch because I heard so many behind-the-scenes stories from production staff and the cast,” he said. “It was as satisfactory as I’d anticipated. It is very encouraging to see Korean culture take off so well globally since ‘Parasite.’ I thought about why Korean culture such as BTS as well as ‘Parasite’ resonates so well with audiences — director Bong once described our country as ‘Dynamic Korea,’ and I think the same — that the power of our content lies in its vitality. Moreover, the top-notch responsibility that Korean crew and actors have for their projects should also be given credited. They all have this desire and responsibility to make good content. I think that more beloved content such as ‘Parasite’ and ‘Squid Game will continue to be released in the future.”

"Dr. Brain," consisting of 6 episodes, is being released on the Apple TV+ one episode per week every Friday until Dec. 10.

[sweetroad]

A recently-released video covering LSK's entire career in TV and film so far. Most performances are just mentioned but there are short clips from some.

 

 

[sadiesmith]

So excited for Kingmaker although it may be hard to get used to the period styling. 

 

http://www.isnews.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=238744

 

Lee Seon-gyun returns as an election strategist whose existence and name are hidden!

•  By Oh Eun-jung

---

 

“Seochangdae is a smart strategist who pushes and pulls people’s minds” In a fierce election war, 'Seochangdae', an election strategist who shakes the board, perfectly digests!

 

Actor Lee Seon-gyun, who has been loved by the audience for his sincere acting, is scheduled to meet with the audience as 'Seo Chang-dae' in <Kingmaker>.

 

Actor Lee Seon-gyun, who showed a strong presence in the movie <Parasite>, which won four awards at the 92nd American Academy Awards, is ready to prove his potential once again with <Kingmaker>, a comeback to the screen. The movie <Kingmaker> depicts a drama that begins when politician 'Kim Woon-beom' who has been defeated four times to challenge the world and 'Seo Chang-dae', an election strategist whose existence and name are hidden, jump into a fierce election. captured the story.

 

Films such as <PMC: The Bunker>, <Going to the End>, <All About My Wife> and [Dr. Actor Lee Seon-gyun, who has established himself as a trusted actor in dramas such as [Brain] and [My Mister], plays the role of 'Seo Chang-dae', an election strategist who implements detailed strategies for victory in <Kingmaker>. He believes in and follows the politician 'Kim Woon-beom' who challenges to change the world, but places more importance on the result than the process, and depicts the aspect of 'Seochangdae' that clashes with the beliefs of 'Kim Woon-beom'. In this process, he plans to not only express the personal dilemma and dramatic narrative of 'Seo Chang-dae' with excellent acting skills, but also add depth to the play by showing perfect chemistry with Seol Kyung-gu as 'Kim Woon-beom'.

 

In particular, Lee Seon-gyun, referring to various speech videos and interviews to improve the perfection of the character 'Seo Chang-dae', instilled a vivid three-dimensional effect by understanding how they appeal to the public and how they persuade the public. Director Byun Seong-hyeon, who first collaborated with Lee Seon-gyun through this work, said, “Thanks to Lee Seon-kyun, ‘Seochangdae’ was able to be born as a more sophisticated and neat character. Thanks to this, the parts that could have been heavy in the movie became lighter.” Not only that, he said, “I was moved to the point of flinching when I saw Lee Sun-kyun’s acting on the set.”

 

Copyright © Issue and News Unauthorized reproduction and redistribution prohibited

[sweetroad]

 

35 minutes ago, sadiesmith said:

In particular, Lee Seon-gyun, referring to various speech videos and interviews to improve the perfection of the character 'Seo Chang-dae', instilled a vivid three-dimensional effect by understanding how they appeal to the public and how they persuade the public. Director Byun Seong-hyeon, who first collaborated with Lee Seon-gyun through this work, said, “Thanks to Lee Seon-kyun, ‘Seochangdae’ was able to be born as a more sophisticated and neat character. Thanks to this, the parts that could have been heavy in the movie became lighter.” Not only that, he said, “I was moved to the point of flinching when I saw Lee Sun-kyun’s acting on the set.”

 

 

Excited here, too! I imagine LSK's character will be a "striker" in this one?

 

Seems like all the directors he works with just love having him on set. LSK has truly come into his own.

[sadiesmith]

23 hours ago, the_sweetroad said:

Excited here, too! I imagine LSK's character will be a "striker" in this one?

 

That's what I think, but he doesn't get the top bill in this movie. Will be interesting to see if the focus is on the "king" or the "maker." It's kind of like My Mister, which is the perfect name for that drama as it gives equal weight to both the person behind the pronoun "my" and the "mister" himself.

[sweetroad]

‘Parasite’ star on his show ‘Dr. Brain’ and why America loves Korean drama

By

Lauren Sarner

 

Lee Sun-Kyun stars as a scientist who develops a way to sync brains and view other people's memories in Apple TV's first Korean show, "Dr. Brain."

 

Lee Sun-kyun, who appeared in 2019 Oscar winner “Parasite” and now stars in Apple’s first Korean show, “Dr. Brain,” said he’s not surprised that the world is embracing Korean drama right now.

 

“Recently with the rise of [boy band sensation] BTS and the show ‘Squid Game’ and film ‘Parasite,’ this really sparked the curiosity and the global audience for Korean culture,” Sun-kyun, 46, told The Post through a translator. 

 

“There are many platforms that provide easy access to Korean content, so I think it seems fresh and new to people who haven’t been acquainted with the culture — and we have common grounds despite the differences. And now Korean creators know that their content will be shown to the global audience, they feel more pressure to really live up to those standards. So, I think it’s a virtuous cycle.”

 

Lee Sun-kyun stars as an obsessed scientist in “Dr. Brain,” AppleTV’s first Korean show.

 

Now streaming on AppleTV+ (new episodes premiere each Friday), “Dr. Brain” (which is in Korean with English subtitles) is a sci-fil thriller about Sewon Koh, (Sun-kyun), a brain scientist with an unspecified neural condition who experiences a tragedy when he loses his family in a mysterious accident. He tries to probe into what happened  by developing a process to do “brain syncs” with the deceased — in order to comb through their memories and search for clues. 

 

Soon, however, he begins losing sense of his own memories and sense of self as he starts taking on traits of people he syncs his brain to. Along the way, he’s helped by a police officer, Lt. Choi (Seo Ji-hye).

 

Spoiler

Lee Sun-kyon as Sewon, a doctor who develops a technology to “sync” minds and memories, in “Dr. Brain.”

 

“Sewon is a character who doesn’t feel emotions or empathize with others [because of his unlabeled condition]. But through these brain scan technologies, he finally understands the emotions that people feel, and he finally understands love for his family. So, I think it’s also a coming-of-age story for Sewon, which I really like,” said Sun-kyun. 

 

He wanted to get the role to work with director/screenwriter Kim Jee Woon (“A Bittersweet Life,”) who ended up providing inspiration in more than one way.

 

“I’m a big fan of director Kim, and the fact that this is his first series ever really caught my attention,” he said. “He’s a cool guy but doesn’t speak that much, so he reminded me of Sewon to some extent. So, he was one of the role models that I used.”

 

Lee Sun-kyun (left) and Cho Yeo-jeong in “Parasite.”

 

He said he thinks he landed the role in part because of his prominence from “Parasite,” which became the first non-English-language film to win the Oscar for Best Picture. 

 

“It was a total honor for me to be part of such a global hit,” he said. “It also still feels surreal to me that it was such a big hit. I think the reason I was cast in this series in the first place was part of the global fame that ‘Parasite’ brought me, but this is something that happened in the past. I don’t want to be stuck in the glory of the past, I want to go on with my life.

 

“So, I think of it as a really nice adventure that I had.”

 

Source: https://nypost.com/2021/11/12/parasite-star-on-his-show-dr-brain-and-why-america-loves-korean-drama/

 

 

[sweetroad]

A trailer for "Kingmaker" is out!

 

(The two below are the same, just slightly different packaging)

 

 

 

[Helena]

[2021-11-22] Kingmaker Production Presentation

 

https://www.breaknews.com/sub_read.html?uid=849757
Seol Kyung-gu X Lee Seon-gyun's 'Kingmaker', a new historical drama that we have never seen before

 

▲ Seol Kyung-gu, director Byun Sung-hyun, Lee Sun-kyun <PhotoSource=MegaboxPlusM> © Yonhap

Spoiler

▲ Seol Kyung-gu X Lee Sun-kyun ‘Kingmaker’ <PhotoSource=MegaboxPlusM> © BreakNews

 

 

 

https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20211122007600315
Political film 'Kingmaker' set to be released next month ahead of presidential election

 

By Kim Boram (brk@yna.co.kr) | November 22, 2021

 

▲ This photo provided by Megabox Plus M shows actors Seol Kyung-gu (L) and Lee Sun-kyun participating in a press conference on "Kingmaker" streamed online on Nov. 22, 2021. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

 

▲ A poster of "Kingmaker" by Megabox Plus M (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)


SEOUL, Nov. 22 (Yonhap) -- With the South Korean quinquennial presidential election about four months away, a fact-based straight-ahead political satire is set to hit local screens next month: "Kingmaker."



It is motivated by a famous but mysterious election strategist in the 1960-70s, Eom Chang-rok, who worked for Kim Dae-jung, who became the country's president in 1998 after a decadeslong political career.



Director-writer Byun Sung-hyun said Monday his latest film looks at the question of whether the end justifies the means in the past and in the present.



"It's about two men who are trying to achieve the same goal in a series of elections in the 1960-70s," he said in a press conference streamed online. "I want to ask whether any unjust methods can be justified to achieve a just goal. I think this question also matters nowadays."



Veteran actor Seol Kyung-gu takes the role of Kim Woon-beom, an opposition party candidate who dreams of becoming the president, while "Parasite" star Lee Sun-kyun plays Seo Chang-dae, a capable election strategist who leads behind-the-scenes election campaigns for Kim.



Seol said he had first turned down the director's offer to take the title role, citing the pressure of playing a real-life politician.



"It is a story about the past, but I thought it is deeply related with current issues," said Seol, who had starred in director Byun's previous project "The Merciless" (2017), which was first screened at the Cannes Film Festival that year. "But I trusted director Byun. I expected he would create a new type of movie if he unfolds the fact-based political story in a stylish way."



But he had tried not to mimic every gesture or the voice tone of the former president, who was well known for being a good public speaker, although he had learned some southwestern accents and tones for the film.



"It was hard to shoot speech scenes," he said. "One day, I had to make a public speech in front of a blue screen without audience. I had to incite people, who were not there, in a more appealing and enthusiastic way."



Lee Sun-kyun said he had posted an election poster of Woon-beom on the wall of his room and looked at it every morning in a bid to feel as if he was a real election strategist who wants to make his boss become the president of the country.



"My character is also motivated by a real-life figure in the past, but there's not much information about him," he said. "I tried to keep asking myself why Chang-dae had to stand behind Woon-beom and achieve his goal through his boss."



"Kingmaker" will hit local screens next month. (END)


 

(C) Yonhap News Agency. All Rights Reserved

[sadiesmith]

The press conference was held online just like the one for Dr. Brain. Didn't know this was so widespread. Here's one video, and it includes LOTS of new scenes and some BTS. I don't know why they would reveal so many scenes already.