Lee Byung-hun 'focused on posture, not the game’ in new film ‘The Match’

Lee Byung-hun says the subtle emotions that emerge as Cho Hun-hyun returns home after facing his protégé Lee Chang-ho are at the heart of “The Match.” Courtesy of By4M Studio

Lee Byung-hun said he focused on capturing the posture of a professional go, known as baduk in Korea, player rather than mastering the rules of the game in his latest film, “The Match,” which dramatizes the iconic rivalry between legendary go players Cho Hun-hyun and Lee Chang-ho.

“I practiced placing the stones while playing omok [or five in a row] with my son. I was surprised a story like this hadn’t been made into a movie before," Lee said Friday in an interview in Seoul’s Samcheong-dong. “The Match” opened in theaters Wednesday, nearly four years after filming was completed in April 2021.

Lee Byung-hun says he focused more on “practicing how to place the go stones” than studying the game itself. Courtesy of By4M Studio

The film depicts the dramatic real-life relationship between go master Cho Hun-hyun and his protégé Lee Chang-ho, set in late 20th-century Korea. Living under the same roof, the mentor-mentee duo formed a bond resembling a father and son. But as Lee grows, he begins to threaten Cho’s dominance, shaking the go world.

Despite go's importance in the story, Lee emphasized that “The Match” is not a film about go per se. “Director Kim Hyung-joo and I, along with the lead actors, don’t really know how to play go,” he said. “It’s more about the tension of competition and the human connection between teacher and student.”

A scene from “The Match,” left, shows Cho Hun-hyun during a game, alongside a real-life image of the go master. Courtesy of By4M Studio

Instead of focusing on the game’s strategies, Lee concentrated on his character’s physicality. “I paid special attention to the posture of placing stones,” he said. “Cho Hun-hyun told me not to place stones carelessly and to look like a pro.”

Lee practiced using a go board at home with his son and said, “I tried to make it look like the stone clings to the board.” He added with a laugh, “I don’t think I have a knack for games like go or chess.”

The film follows Cho discovering the talent of 10-year-old Lee Chang-ho, played by child actor Kim Kang-hoon, and mentoring him to become a world-class player.

As Lee builds his own approach to the game, tension rises, culminating in a symbolic passing of the torch. “I spent a lot of time thinking about how to express Cho’s emotions delicately,” Lee said, recalling one of the film’s most emotionally charged scenes. “There’s a moment where he grabs a cigarette pack after sensing his first loss — I wanted to get that exactly right and even asked the director several times if we could reshoot it.”

Cho and Lee had opposite personalities and play styles. Cho was known for his aggressive, almost threatening tactics, while Lee was quiet and defensive, frustrating his opponents with his slow and precise moves. Their contrasting characters are brought to life through detailed performances by Lee and co-star Yoo Ah-in.

World champion Cho Hun-hyun recognizes the talent of 10-year-old Lee Chang-ho and brings him into his home to teach him go. Courtesy of By4M Studio

The film’s release was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and further complicated by Yoo’s drug scandal in 2022. At one point, rumors spread that the movie would be released only via social media.

“It feels like we were stuck in a long tunnel and are finally seeing the light," Kim said during a press screening on March 19.

When asked about acting alongside Yoo Ah-in, Lee was reserved. “It was our first time working together, and he remained quiet on set,” he said. “I thought he was deeply immersed in his character — Lee Chang-ho, who’s often called a stone Buddha.”

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.