[Limelight·Hunt③] The Second Prime: The Fruit of Effort and Patience

As Refined as Smoke: "Learned a Lot from Director Bae Chang-ho"
Challenging Attitude Throughout Life with Voice Tone Changes and Volunteering for Villain Roles Reequips Entire Life

Lee Jung-jae is an actor far from spontaneous expression. He calculates every movement and fills every gap with ideas. Performances such as "How could I be fit to be king? (The Face Reader)" and "Hey Joong-gu, isn't your prank going too far? (New World)"?which are still talked about?were born this way. He is so thorough that he even takes care of small props one by one. Some filmmakers who know his meticulous personality strongly discouraged him when he announced he would direct 'Hunt.' They worried that the broad scope of his focus could lead to nervous breakdown.

The script for 'Namsan' was declined by famous directors like Jung Ji-woo of 'Happy End,' Han Jae-rim of 'The Face Reader,' and Kim Sung-soo of 'Asura.' Lee Jung-jae intended to appear if Han Jae-rim directed it and said he would wait until the script was completed. However, production was repeatedly delayed and eventually canceled. Lee Jung-jae forgot about it for 1-2 years until he happened to get hold of the script, which was looking for a new owner. "I understood why the directors gave up. But I thought if it was properly revised, it could become a good work. I bought the rights with vague expectations. I didn't know it would be a tough road (laughs)."

'Namsan' is a spy thriller centered on Park Pyung-ho. 'Hunt' equally highlights his rival Kim Jung-do, making the story even deeper. Lee Jung-jae invested three years creating plausible situations. He did not simply fill in plausibility or design twists. He wove human characters as the weft thread into the warp of historical events. He also undertook a unique challenge of expressing the characters' psychology through action.

For example, in the first sequence where the presidential assassination attempt is suppressed in Washington, D.C., Kim Jung-do does not just subdue the terrorists. He subtly shows tension and anxiety before and after the incident. The reason is clearly presented later. By organically connecting each element, he expanded the range of acting. Lee Jung-jae said, "There must be a clear and reasonable justification to increase persuasiveness and to empower actors to perform."

"It’s not something that can be solved by just a well-written script. I directed by having many conversations with the actors to stimulate their imagination. I didn’t overlook even simple movements or lines. I waited until they found the right feeling themselves. From experience, good acting comes with natural settings. It’s equally important to decorate the filming locations realistically and create a similar atmosphere."

This is a directing philosophy gained from long experience. Lee Jung-jae debuted in the entertainment industry in 1993 with the drama 'Gongnyong Teacher.' At that time, it was common for sets to be filled with curses and flying water bottles. Directors wielded absolute power, harshly criticizing performances with fierce looks. To avoid accidents, Lee Jung-jae thoroughly prepared his part in everything. He learned acting through many conversations with the production team beforehand. 'Hunt' is no exaggeration to say it is the result of absorbing such nourishment.

Lee Jung-jae said, "When I took the megaphone, I recalled the passion of the directors I had worked with." "I learned the most from director Bae Chang-ho, whom I met as a 'young man.' He taught acting by physically demonstrating it. He always came early to the set and meticulously took care of even small props. Seeing him care for even the youngest staff, I thought, 'I want to be someone like that.' If you set the center of gravity like that, I thought everyone in the production team could work joyfully."

Meticulous professionalism does not always guarantee success. Lee Jung-jae struggled with ups and downs in his 30s. From the 2008 film '1724 Gibang Riot Incident,' his works repeatedly failed at the box office, and offers stopped coming. He even faced the risk of quitting when co-stars refused to work with him. He neglected the set and considered challenges in other fields like interior decoration. He changed his mind after appearing in director Im Sang-soo’s 'The Housemaid (2010).' He rearmed his entire life with a challenging attitude, changing his voice tone and voluntarily taking on villain roles that other actors avoided. The prime time he met with Netflix’s 'Squid Game' is the fruit of such effort and patience.

"You can’t be a youthful star forever. I think it was a problem almost every actor faces when transitioning to adult roles. It was awkward to be cast in young roles, but also too young to take on mature roles. I struggled in that ambiguous position. Waiting endlessly for a train that never came, nothing really happened. At some point, I thought I had to live diligently. I think I have been running steadily with that mindset. People say I reached a second prime with 'Squid Game,' but life never changes due to a single factor. It requires long effort and patience."