Why Is Lee Je-hoon Wrong? Even Hollywood Actors Use Stunt Doubles [Comprehensive]

Lee Je-hoon 'Model Taxi' Action Double
Excessive Criticism Draws Frowns

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Isul] Even Hollywood action actors use stunt doubles. Whether or not the help of a stunt performer is needed is decided together by the production team and the actor, considering the on-site situation. Regardless of the amount of the appearance fee. Can anyone say who is right or wrong about this?

Actor Lee Je-hoon recently leads the drama as the main character Kim Do-gi, a taxi driver, in the SBS Friday-Saturday drama "Model Taxi" (written by Oh Sang-ho, directed by Park Jun-woo). Based on the popular webtoon of the same name, it has gained popularity with its refreshing storyline of wiping out those who commit evil acts outside the bounds of the law.

The episode of "Model Taxi" aired on the 17th has become a hot topic online. There is a debate about Lee Je-hoon's action scenes. In the drama, Kim Do-gi single-handedly beats down seven members of a criminal organization involved in school violence. Kim Do-gi's exploits are considered refreshing scenes and have received reactions of exhilaration.

There is another reason for the buzz. It was pointed out that the stunt double's appearance is very different from Lee Je-hoon's. Lee Je-hoon sports a short hairstyle with his forehead exposed, but the stunt double had a messy hairstyle covering the forehead. This was prominently noticeable during a spinning kick move and was criticized by viewers as a flaw, leading to comments that the directing details were disappointing.

Of course, that scene may have momentarily broken immersion. But is that the actor's fault? Lee Je-hoon performed some of the action scenes himself and later excellently connected the emotions with tight shots. Judging only by the actor's performance, the fact that the stunt double performed the action scenes is not a major problem.

Photo by SBS, screenshot from 'Mobeom Taeksi'

The problem lies in the directing. The director should have caught the significant difference in the stunt double's hairstyle during the monitoring process, and before that, should have cast a stunt double with a similar appearance. Smoothly connecting the two is also the director's responsibility. Since the director ultimately decides whether to use a stunt double's help in action scenes, blaming the actor is excessive.

What fault does the actor have? The actor cannot precisely predict the completed scene on set. Of course, the scene may have been uncomfortable to watch and can be pointed out as a flaw, but some have gone too far by criticizing Lee Je-hoon for receiving a multi-million won appearance fee.

Lee Je-hoon challenged action acting for the first time through "Model Taxi." The actor's challenge deserves support. He showed his passion for the work by performing car chases himself.

It is also understandable that he might want to protect himself. Lee Je-hoon is the lead of "Model Taxi." If the actor gets injured, the drama filming could come to an immediate halt. Debuting in 2007, Lee Je-hoon is now a 14-year veteran actor. It is expected that the production team anticipated that if he tried to perform all the action with immature enthusiasm and got hurt, it would make things even harder for them.

We want to ask why only Lee Je-hoon is held to such a harsh standard. If he had not even made efforts to attend action school and coordinate with the stunt team, criticism would be justified. However, right after finishing the promotion of the movie "Dogul" in November last year, Lee Je-hoon rushed to action school without rest and trained, then participated in the pre-produced "Model Taxi" production. He fulfilled his duties as the lead actor for four months. What is the problem?

Is receiving a multi-million won appearance fee also the actor's fault? The appropriate appearance fee for the actor is decided by the production team. If one wants to criticize the fee as excessive, it should be done more reasonably.

It is time to stop the excessive criticism of Lee Je-hoon and look at the essence.

Photo = CJ Entertainment