[On the Record] Lee Gyu-hyung "10kg Weight Loss with Dyed Hair... It Had to Be 'Noryang'"

Actor Lee Gyu-hyung Interview

Film 'Noryang' Japanese General Arima Role
Musical and Variety Show Activities... "I Can Roll Gimbap with My Eyes Closed"

Actor Lee Gyu-hyung (40) has a diverse face. For an actor, the face is important. It is a window to express emotions and a channel to reflect the heart. He dominated the screen fiercely with an unpredictable face. His strengths lie in delicate emotional expression and momentarily shifting cold gazes. He became known to many audiences as Haerongi (Hanyang-i), a drug addict in "Prison Playbook." Although he slurs his words when intoxicated, he sparkled with eyes full of love and charm when sober. This time, he challenged a traditional historical drama. In the film "Noryang: Sea of Death," where he transformed into a Japanese soldier, he expressed confidence, saying, "The amount of screen time for the role was not important."

Actor Lee Kyu-hyung [Photo by Ace Maker Movie Works·Lotte Entertainment]

Recently, ahead of the release of the film "Noryang: Sea of Death" (directed by Kim Han-min), we met actor Lee Gyu-hyung at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul. In the film, he played Arima, the deputy to the Japanese vanguard commander Konishi (played by Lee Moo-saeng). He is a loyal retainer and a Japanese military commander skilled in rhetoric. In crisis situations, he moves between the Japanese camps, risking his life to request support from General Shimazu (Baek Yoon-sik). He demonstrates his strategist qualities and conveys the tension embedded in the final battle.

Lee Gyu-hyung described it as a "historical drama among historical dramas" and said, "I really wanted to do it." He added, "I was impressed by masterpieces such as director Kim Han-min’s 'The Admiral: Roaring Currents' (2014), 'War of the Arrows' (2011), and 'The Divine Weapon' (2007). It was even more attractive as the film marks the finale of the 10-year journey of the Yi Sun-sin trilogy. Before even reading the script, I decided I had to do it."

Japanese Language, Topknot Wig, 10kg Weight Loss... Journey as a Japanese Commander

Movie 'Noryang: Sea of Death' stills
[Photo by Ace Maker Movie Works·Lotte Entertainment]

Lee Gyu-hyung performed the role of the Japanese commander Arima in Japanese. He said, "I studied the script with four Japanese language teachers. The goal was to make it so that even Japanese viewers would not feel any discomfort. I wanted to avoid the need for dubbing later. I worked hard as if my life depended on it. Fortunately, there was little dubbing work, so only breathing and sighs were edited."

The topknot wig makeup was also a challenge. He just turned forty this year. For a handsome young actor, hairstyle is important. Of course, it is part of the acting, but appearing with half of his hair missing was not easy. Lee Gyu-hyung recalled the first time he had the makeup and did a test shoot.

"When I looked in the mirror after the makeup, I surprisingly thought, 'It suits me better than I expected.' I looked at Lee Moo-saeng next to me, and his M-shaped hairline looked cool. It was like Vegeta from Dragon Ball. Since Konishi is a higher-ranking commander than Arima, he put more effort into his hair. (laughs) He had sharp eyes and it suited him well. The character designs were well done, so the characters really came alive."

The scene where Arima kneels and persuades Shimazu (Baek Yoon-sik), the notorious commander of the Salma army, is depicted like a play. Lee Gyu-hyung laughed, saying, "That was the first scene we shot."

"It was the most emotionally important scene. Also, it was a scene with senior actor Baek Yoon-sik. I joked, 'Director, why are you doing this to me?' (laughs) It would be a lie to say I wasn’t burdened, but I felt good. I thought it would be fun and I wanted to get on set quickly to act. Although it was stressful, it was an honor to play in a big production. I was excited too. After filming, the director said, 'Let's go have a drink.' I worried whether he liked me or wanted to pull me aside for a word. (laughs) Fortunately, he gave me good advice and guided me well. After that, I felt more relaxed. It was better to get the hard part over first."

Actor Lee Kyu-hyung
Photo by Ace Maker Movie Works·Lotte Entertainment

The moment he first met the eyes of senior actor Baek Yoon-sik in front of the camera remained strongly etched in his memory. He described him as "like a tiger." He recalled, "When he burst through the door, I felt an overwhelming presence and intimidation. Receiving that power, I was able to express more desperate and servile emotions."

Lee Gyu-hyung lost more than 10kg during the process of becoming a Japanese soldier who moves nimbly between both camps. He laughed, saying, "I am maintaining it well now." He added, "I have often lost weight for roles, but dieting gets harder every year." He said, "Recently, while performing in the musical 'Monte Cristo,' I naturally lost weight because I didn’t drink alcohol."

23 Years Since Debut: "The Stage is My Driving Force"

He debuted in 2001 with the film "Night of the Shooting Star" and appeared in dramas such as "Stranger" (2017), "Prison Playbook" (2017?2018), "Life" (2018), "Voice Season 4" (2021), and films like "The Table" (2015), "The Witness" (2019), and "Stellar" (2022).

He is an actor who originated on stage. Starting with the musical "Laundry" (2009), he captivated audiences with powerful performances in plays such as "Beastie Boys" (2014), "The Goddess is Watching" (2015), "Death Song" (2017), "Fan Letter" (2021), "Sweeney Todd," and "Crash Landing on You" (2022). While steadily establishing himself as a lead in dramas and films, he continues to perform on stage.

"When filming in front of the camera, I miss the stage, and when on stage, I miss the filming set. (laughs) Films give the director editing rights, but on stage, the actor holds that power, which is attractive. The energy I receive from the audience on stage becomes my acting motivation. I always perform one or two productions every year. People ask if it’s hard, but since I’ve done it since I was young, it’s tough but fun. It feels familiar and comfortable."

While talking, he suddenly recalled the time when he first stood in front of the camera after leaving the stage. Lee Gyu-hyung reflected on the special meaning of "Stranger" and "Prison Playbook." He said, "At that time, I was performing in the play 'Come See Me,' based on the film 'Memories of Murder,' and luckily PD Shin Won-ho saw the performance and cast me in 'Prison Playbook.'"

Actor Lee Kyu-hyung
[Photo by Ace Maker Movie Works·Lotte Entertainment]

He will also appear on stage in the musical "Monte Cristo" until the 25th of next month. Lee Gyu-hyung laughed, saying, "This schedule is possible because I am currently single."

"I wrapped up 2023 with 'Noryang' and 'Monte Cristo.' On the last day of December, I did both a film greeting and a performance. Performing on special days is even better. When the audience fills the seats, it gives me energy. I performed on my birthday (November 29) and also on Christmas Eve (December 24). Married actors sometimes ask to skip performances on such days, but I’m still living alone. (laughs)"

Lee Gyu-hyung recently revealed unexpected charm on a variety show. Through tvN's "Business Genius Baek Manager 2," he challenged running a restaurant in San Sebasti?n, Spain. Starting as a bartender making various drinks, he became a "Gimbap Genius," rolling hundreds of gimbap rolls, bringing laughter. He laughed, saying, "I can now make gimbap with my eyes closed."

"'Banjoo' split into two branches, and at first, I worked as a bartender, then moved to kitchen assistant making steamed eggs and fried chicken. When it got busy, I was in charge of dishwashing and then joined the gimbap team, becoming a gimbap warrior. When ingredients ran out, Chef Baek Jong-won took out ingredients from the fridge to make gimbap, which was really delicious. Lee Jang-woo did really well as the manager. Our teamwork was great, so after this interview, we plan to gather at the restaurant Lee Jang-woo runs. Running a business is not for just anyone. I plan to focus only on acting. (laughs) My journey is just beginning."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.