INTERVIEW 'Forever young' actress focuses on role, not looks in new movie
Actress Lee Young-ae returns to the silver screen in the thriller “Bring Me Home.” Courtesy of Warner Bros. Korea, Good People
By Dong Sun-hwa
Getting older is one of the toughest challenges for actresses and only a chosen few are privileged to overcome it, get adjusted and remain in people's hearts.
Now at 48, Lee Young-ae, who has been adored as the “beauty who never ages,” is taking her chance to be one of them as she returns to the big screen in the thriller “Bring Me Home” after a 14-year hiatus.
And the actress from “Dae Jang Geum” (Jewel in the palace) that triggered the hallyu (the Korean culture) craze in the early 2000s, appears cool about her return.
“I lose some, but win some as I grow older,” Lee told The Korea Times at a hotel in downtown Seoul. “I believe aging is more of a benefit for my career, because my experience is reflected in my acting. If my performance in 'Bring Me Home' garners good reviews, I think age would be a contributing factor.”
After “Bring Me Home” was screened for the press ― before its official release on Nov. 27 ― many praised Lee for her subtle acting as heartbroken but emotionally restrained mother Jung-yeon.
Jung-yeon searches for her son who has been missing for six years. She heads to a strange fishing village after a call from an unknown man, who claims he has seen her son there. Although the village residents seem mysterious, Jung-yeon tries to find the truth and her son.
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“Nobody can be spared from the passing of time,” Lee said. “I also agonized over it.”
In fact, she recalled that many people had focused on her first movie in 14 years, with her age topping the list of Naver's rankings of real-time searched words.
“But I tried to I concentrate on how best to present my role to the best of my ability,” she said. “The looks were less of a concern to me during filming.”
A poster for “Bring Me Home.” Courtesy Warner Bros. Korea
“Bring Me Home” had sold more than 460,000 tickets as of Sunday, according to the Korean Film Council. It ranked second in the last week's box office, behind Disney's animated “Frozen 2.”
Asked why she did not choose a blockbuster, but a small-budget movie made by rookie filmmaker Kim Seung-woo, Lee said her choice she made on her first impression.
“The film is a good reflection of our reality fraught with irrationalities,” she said, adding that the director was fresh and skillful and that the scenario grabbed her attention.
The high-profile actress, who debuted in 1990, has starred in dozens of hits. Among them are the pan-Asian drama “Dae Jang Geum” in 2003-04 and the film “Lady Vengeance” in 2005. She also featured in numerous TV commercials, usually as a mystical and unapproachable woman. This led many people to believe that her public image mirrored the real person.
Therefore, Lee's recent appearance on the SBS variety show “Master in the House” and her creation of an Instagram account came as a surprise for many. Asked if she was trying to ditch her existing image, the actress denied this.
“I didn't aim to shed a certain image, but I'm just feeling more relaxed and comfortable after my marriage,” she said. “I also have become more communicative and try to make the most of my life.”
Lee married businessman Jung Ho-young in 2009. The couple has a twin son and daughter.
She said marriage had allowed her to feel less pressure about whether a film or show was a success.
“I am still engrossed in my work, but now I know there is nothing more I can do about my performance or the success of a film (once it is released,)” Lee said. “It would be a lie if I say I feel zero pressure, but I can handle myself better these days.”
Lee rounded off the interview by disclosing her hopes.
“My goal is to play dual roles ― mother and actress ― in a balanced way,” she said.