faces that made me love Asia (4): Lee Byung Hun-이병헌

 

Wanting to know more about Korean culture, I drawned myself into Korean cinema and I must admit that, when I started to watch them a few years ago, Lee Byung Hun didn’t really made a strong effect on me. I guess it’s because I hated the first movies I saw with him ( won’t tell the names of those movies I disliked, as it is not the subject , and, as the few times I told my point of view I got yelled at for my lack of appreciation of those movies…so the mystery will remain…).

This non affection for that actor actually lasted until I saw the movies he made with the very interesting and talented directors Park Chan Wook (박찬욱) and Kim Ji Hoon (김지훈).  Here I was sitting on my constantly extending bottom, on my way too comfortable couch being blown away by his acting which was far away from the cheesy image I had of him because of the previous movies I saw. It’s first in “JSA” that I started getting interested in him. Then the segment “cut” in “three extremes” confirmed the change in my perception of him…that guy is brilliant and -which doesn’t ruin anything- terribly handsome. The movies “ A bittersweet life” and “The good, the bad and the crazy” proved that he was there to stay and that we could be really grateful that Korea brought such an amazing actor in the cinema world.

In addition, after having my “european movies from the 60′s marathon”, I noticed that he shares a strong resemblance to the French cinema icon Alain Delon (like the Asian son Delon never had): like him, Lee Byung Hun knows how to find some of the best directors of his country and repeatedly work with them on some interesting projects (movies mentionned above among others…). Like him, Lee Byung Hun has this intense look in his eyes and the presence in front of the camera  that makes you believe that it’s so easy to act and that he was born to be an actor. And finally, like him, Lee Byung Hun devastating handsomeness comes with a reputation for having a difficult temper (nobody’s perfect I guess!).

Alain Delon

Well, I can’t deny that Lee Byung Hun has, in a way something to do with my appreciation of Asian culture and beauty. And it’s not my dear Korean better half who caught me crying like an ajumma in front of one of Lee’s drama ( not my proudest moment, I must admit)  that will contradict it. I am not a fan of Korean TV dramas but I am ready to undergo the most violent drama torture just to hear Lee Byung Hun deep voice saying “사랑해”.

Hey, I get it where I find it, so don’t judge!!!