[On the Record] Lee Sun-kyun Asleep "I Reflect on Myself Through Acting"

Actor Lee Seon-gyun Interview

Film 'Sleep' Husband Hyun-soo, Afraid to Fall Asleep
76th Cannes Invitation "Happy to Receive Good Energy"
20 Years Acting "Still Thirsty... Want to Do a Hero Genre"

Lee Sun-kyun [Photo by Lotte Entertainment]

Actor Lee Sun-kyun (48) received a phone call from director Bong Joon-ho, who elevated the status of Korean cinema by sweeping the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival and the Oscars with 'Parasite' (2019). Director Bong asked Lee to appear in 'Sleep,' the debut film of director Yoo Jae-sun, who had assisted him on the directing team of 'Okja' (2017). Recalling Bong Joon-ho's words, "He's an incredibly talented friend," Lee said, "I was curious and excited." That's how Lee Sun-kyun became immersed in 'Sleep.'

In the film 'Sleep,' which was released on the 6th, Lee Sun-kyun played a pivotal role that firmly supported the storyline. It was a role that could not be sloppy or weak. He accurately understood this and skillfully embodied it. The power of an actor who completed the film with classic acting shone through.

Recently, Lee Sun-kyun was met at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul. Meeting again three months after the 76th Cannes Film Festival, he greeted warmly. He said with a bright smile, "I'm happy to have received good energy at Cannes and to have the film released." He added, "Director Bong Joon-ho enjoyed the film. I'm grateful for the positive reviews."

'Sleep,' invited to the Critics' Week at the 76th Cannes Film Festival this year, was screened on the morning of May 21 (local time) at the Espace Miramar theater in Cannes, France. The Critics' Week selections screened at this theater are mainly attended by journalists from around the world. Moreover, it is not easy to expect a lively response at a morning screening, but 'Sleep' was different. The local reaction was enthusiastic. The clean direction without any excess, satire, and situational irony elicited laughter. While maintaining the genre appeal of horror and thriller, it was praised as a witty film.

Lee Sun-kyun was also satisfied with the on-site reaction. He recalled, "It was screened early around 11 a.m., but the audience all gave a standing ovation." He added, "It felt like they were supporting the emergence of a new director. Although it has elements of horror thriller and mystery, the story of a couple overcoming together also appears comical. I think they viewed Korean shamanism in a unique way."

"'Sleep' has occult and mystery thriller elements and sometimes looks like a melodrama, but doesn't it itself look like a comedy? The signboard saying 'There is nothing a couple cannot overcome' and the fact that they have to overcome so much made me laugh. I think a genre film without any excess that adds genre fun to an everyday story has come out."

Lee Sun-kyun [Photo by Lotte Entertainment]

At Cannes, Lee Sun-kyun was accompanied by his two sons and his wife, actress Jeon Hye-jin. They attended the official screenings of 'Sleep' and 'Escape: Project Silence,' which were invited to Cannes this year, cheering from the side. Lee laughed, saying, "My eldest child, who watched 'Sleep' without knowing the genre, got annoyed. He watched it without any expectations and ended up crying." He said, "The kids didn't really know what the Cannes Film Festival was, but I wanted to give them a good experience. Being invited to Cannes is a rare opportunity. Fortunately, we went with two films, so it felt like a gift."

'Sleep' depicts the story of a happy newlywed couple, Hyun-soo and Su-jin, who are plagued by Hyun-soo's abnormal behavior during sleep, like a nightmare, and their struggle to uncover the terrifying secret that begins the moment he falls asleep. Starting with the Critics' Week at this year's Cannes Film Festival, it has been invited to the 56th Sitges Fantastic Film Festival, the 48th Toronto International Film Festival, and the 18th Fantastic Fest, gaining attention.

Lee Sun-kyun laughed, saying he hesitated when he first received the script because the roles were set as a newlywed couple in their early 30s. He said, "I thought it might be more fitting to play a theater actor who married late in his 40s. I suggested that it might be more comfortable to approach it with that mindset."

Playing Hyun-soo, the husband who is affectionate during the day but becomes a stranger exhibiting abnormal behavior when asleep, Lee said, "The sensitive changing emotions are central. I thought about how to play the role of a catalyst."

In the film, Lee Sun-kyun portrayed a warm and comfortable husband alongside Jung Yu-mi. The couple gradually transforms due to the nightly terror and reaches an extreme point. Lee said, "Jung Yu-mi's strength is that she is bolder and braver than any other actor. I received a lot of help from her." He continued, "I liked the actor's face Jung Yu-mi has. Her deep and hollow gaze is also good."

Still from 'Jam'
[Photo by Lotte Entertainment]

When asked about his actual married life, Lee Sun-kyun, who married in 2009, laughed and said, "A married couple is like military comrades carrying out a mission together." He said, "We've been married for over 10 years, but it's not all sweet and lovely. We live with the same tasks like parenting. We think about how to live happily without discomfort."

Lee Sun-kyun began his acting career in 2001 with the musical 'The Rocky Horror Show' and the MBC sitcom 'Lovers.' Reflecting on those days, he said, "When I was a rookie, I was afraid to monitor the works I appeared in. Even now, I'm not good at monitoring, but back then, I was especially harsh on myself. I remember driving home after filming and rehearsing lines alone."

"It's been over 20 years since I started acting, but I still feel a thirst as an actor. I want to fill in the parts I'm lacking. I shouldn't stagnate; I have to keep flowing. That's my biggest concern. I don't know what changes my acting will bring, but if I flow while breathing with the audience, it fits. If I start to conclude 'this is right,' I become stagnant and careless."

His works such as the dramas 'Coffee Prince' and 'White Tower' (2007), 'My Mister' (2018), and the film 'Parasite' (2019) are considered life works by many audiences. When asked what his life work is, he laughed, saying, "It's hard to answer when asked that."

Lee said, "They are all precious works. I want to praise myself for building a good filmography. The works you mentioned played important roles at different times. They are all precious." He added, "Recently, it's 'My Mister.' It especially means a lot because it represents my 40s."

Lee Sun-kyun [Photo by Lotte Entertainment]

"I love acting. If someone asks me why I act, I would answer, 'Because it makes me reflect on myself.' I continuously experience indirect emotions. When given a task, it makes me look back and move. I want to keep acting like this. I want to be an actor who faces new tasks one by one and steadily accomplishes them. I realized I've never done a superhero role. I think playing a character who seems ordinary but has abilities, like a superpower, would be fun."