Pachinko Star Lee Minho Calls His Character a “Tragic Villain”

[Warning: This story contains spoilers for the Pachinko episode “Chapter Seven.”]

Adaptation for Apple TV+ pachinko There have been significant departures from Min Jin Lee’s bestselling novel of the same name, as well as the final episode of its first season, which develops and in many ways creates a new story for Hansu, the mysterious and powerful character played by the superstar. Read. Minho.

While the rest of the series alternates between protagonist Sunja’s life as a young Korean girl (Minha Kim) who lived under Japanese imperial rule in the 1930s and her final days as a grandmother (Yuh-yong Yun). the 1980s. japan Chapter seven takes place entirely in 1923, in Yokohama. A sign from that era might point some audience members to the catastrophic event that occurred during the episode: actual 7.9 earthquakes, which killed over 100,000 people, including Koreans living in this part of the country. As shown in the episode and described in its epilogue, in addition to the fact that the earthquake itself killed the victims, many Koreans were also accused of fainting after the earthquake and killed by Japanese vigilantes afterwards.

As viewers learn, dealing with these traumas and his testimony has transformed Hansu from a humble tutor who was loyal to his lonely father into a patient, cold-blooded businessman who seduces Sunja ten years later. Lee, 34, spoke the hollywood reporter On the episode’s importance in shaping his character and how Hansu compares leading roles, which made him one of the most beloved celebrities in all of Asia.

This interview was conducted with a Korean translator and edited for length and clarity..

This episode, which explores Hansu’s past, is completely original to the series. Did you already know that this would be an addition to a character’s backstory when you auditioned? How did you feel having the whole episode?

I didn’t know at first that I was going to audition. I think I read the script before the fourth episode. It was like he was dropping pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, feeling as if Hansu’s adult character was being completed. I managed to resonate with him about why he was so realistic and lived without looking back. These thoughts helped me add more dimension to the character.

And I had pressure to continue because the episode deviated from the main story.

Did you manage to film the show chronologically? In other words, you played Hansu Jr. first? How does the shooting rule affect your character’s training as an actor, if at all?

We couldn’t shoot the scenes in sequence because we were shooting in two different countries, Canada and Korea. Then we took turns photographing the younger Hansu and the older Hansu. It was difficult to portray Hansu at different ages, but he had very different personalities in each era, so it helped me lay a solid foundation for his character.

What kind of research did you do for this role, especially the Yokohama earthquake of 1923 and the lives of Koreans living there at the time?

I did my own research based on the script and the novel. I’ve watched a lot of clips showing the historical context of the time, documentaries about earthquakes, and I’ve read a lot of articles about Koreans living at that time.

In this episode, Hansu speaks three languages, suffers emotional trauma, and also performs a series of actions with the practical effects of many dangerous apparitions. What was the hardest thing about filming this episode?

The hardest part was the portrait of the energetic young man. I wanted to portray this young man whose eyes sparkle with curiosity and aspiration, but it was no easy task. Speaking different languages ​​was certainly quite difficult, but I noticed that Hansu wasn’t fluent either, as he was in the early stages of learning these languages, so it wasn’t a lot of pressure.

He’s been a main character, which means that even when his characters are flawed, they’re still the ones the viewer supports. Hansu plays a different role in the story. He doesn’t have to be a hero, so do you approach him differently than other characters?

I don’t think there’s a big difference between the other characters I’ve played before. I always try to be loyal to every character I play and be authentic with my audience. After all, I consider Hansu a villain born out of the tragedy of a desperate age. So I tried to create a character who lives his life true to his own logic and value.

With so much long-term success in Asia, why were you interested in investigating this particular Hollywood project?

This project had a very different impact. It tells the stories of Asians, but I think that story applies to anyone living in this era, regardless of race, ethnicity, and nationality. This is a powerful story that anyone can relate to. Hansu’s character attracted me a lot. Fortunately, I was offered an audition for the role and I am grateful that I was able to do my first television series in Hollywood.

In addition to Korean film and television experience, he has also filmed Sino-Korean co-productions (Bounty Hunter). How does filming an American pachinko compare to your past experience?

No matter where the filming takes place, what happens on set should be no different from where you are. But given the size of the budget, I find new experiences and opportunities that are exciting. Also, I often think about how best to express the scenes. And being with Hughes, the showroom, was really important to me in that sense. Normally, writers don’t come to the studio in Korea, but for this particular show, I had a lot of conversations with him and transferred his energy into great synergy.