[Interview] Lee Jung-jae "Korean Film Market, a Big Rice Pot We All Share"

First Directorial Work 'Hunt' Opens on the 10th
Director's Debut Film Heads to Cannes Film Festival
Strong Emmy Awards Contender in September
"There Should Be No Culture of Winning by Belittling Others..."

Lee Jung-jae / Photo by Megabox Joongang Corp. Plus M

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Iseul] For actor Lee Jung-jae (50), this year will be remembered as an unforgettable year filled with great joy in his life. Having risen to global stardom, he walked the red carpet as a director when his directorial debut, Hunt, was invited to the Midnight Screening at the 75th Cannes Film Festival last May. Being invited to the dream stage of filmmakers with a debut work was a deeply moving experience. Wherever he went, the atmosphere was heated. Fans flocked to the restaurants he visited, and requests for photos continued on the streets. By his side stood his longtime friend and colleague Jung Woo-sung, who has been quietly supporting him for 23 years. It was a shining moment made even brighter by the presence of a longtime friend and film colleague sharing the passionate moment.

When recently meeting Lee Jung-jae at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, he said, "Jung Woo-sung loves films and is someone I can rely on for his warm interactions with people," adding, "During the filming of Hunt, he entrusted me with everything, whether it was 'okay' or not, and helped me."

Lee Jung-jae repeatedly revised the original draft of Hunt, which was initially titled Namsan, over several years. While there were various reasons, the biggest was to work together with Jung Woo-sung. He said, "Many people know that Jung Woo-sung and I have been close friends for a long time, so it was actually a burden. I was worried people might say, 'You’re only doing this together because you’re close?' I want to say that we work together on every project with sincerity and enthusiasm."

"I showed the original Namsan script to Jung Woo-sung and CEO Han Jae-duk. Their reactions were, 'It seems difficult to make,' and 'It looks like a lot needs to be fixed; I’m not sure if it will be an interesting script.' After that, I searched for a director and even tried writing with a screenwriter. Directing in Korea basically means writing the script yourself. I was intimidated by the idea of writing. It’s not like writing a diary. Before the release, just the thought of having to discuss the work with reporters gave me a headache. I lost count of how many times I revised the script."

Recalling the beginning, Lee Jung-jae said he naturally decided to direct. "Until I was young, there was a perception of 'What kind of actor produces films?' But in Hollywood, many actors like Kevin Costner and Clint Eastwood have directed and acted simultaneously. I wondered why only Korea couldn’t cross that line. Jung Woo-sung had a firm desire to direct since The Sun Does Not Shine (1998), but I thought I couldn’t do it. Later, as I worked with Jung Woo-sung running Artist Studio, we steadily produced films and purchased scripts. It happened very naturally."

Jung Woo-sung and Lee Jung-jae started with the management company Artist Company and now co-run Artist Studio, which has grown into a global production company. What is the reason Lee Jung-jae trusts Jung Woo-sung as a fellow actor, friend, and business partner? Lee said, "He loves films and has an extraordinary passion for film work. He treats people warmly. On set, he often buys meals and naturally creates opportunities for drinks after filming, which has led to frequent interactions with people."

Artist Studio received intense attention at this year’s 75th Cannes Film Festival. Since then, interest has focused on the content they plan to produce. With the high attention on K-content, expectations are growing about the role they will play. Lee Jung-jae promised, "Jung Woo-sung and I often discuss related topics, and our thoughts are firmly aligned. We will create K-content that many people in the film industry and many countries will love."

"Some say the film market this summer is competitive, but I don’t think so. Although four films were released, it’s a situation where we are working together to revitalize Korean cinema. Why call it competition? It’s a culture passed down from senior actor Ahn Sung-ki that the Korean film market is like a big rice pot that we all share. For the next person to enjoy delicious food, the rice pot must not be dirty or cold. I say, 'I ate warm rice, so no one should eat cold rice behind me.' There can be healthy competition, but there should be no culture of tearing others down to win. K-content is moving toward the global stage, so how can we compete in overseas markets if we don’t unite? I sincerely hope Artist Studio becomes a company based on this culture of collaboration."

Lee Jung-jae became the first Asian actor of Korean nationality to be nominated for the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series category at the 74th Primetime Emmy Awards, held on the 12th of next month, for the Netflix series Squid Game. Major foreign media have noted his SAG (Screen Actors Guild) Award win and are viewing his Emmy win as highly likely.

When asked about the possibility of winning, Lee Jung-jae smiled and replied, "I always attend events without expectations." He continued, "Honestly, I can’t easily expect it. If I do, it might be greed. It’s such a huge market with strong competitors nominated. It’s one of the long-standing major awards ceremonies, and my biggest thought is, 'Me, there?'"

Regarding rumors of appearing in a Marvel movie, he firmly denied them, saying, "That’s nonsense. It’s not true." About Squid Game 2, he said, "Filming is scheduled to start in the second half of next year, possibly as early as autumn."