Actor Lee Do-hyun reveals challenges of 'Exhuma' role

Actor Lee Do-hyun plays the role of Bong-gil in the occult movie "Exhuma." Courtesy of Showbox

Actor Lee Do-hyun shared his insights on the challenges and excitement he experienced while making his silver screen debut in the occult movie "Exhuma." The film has swiftly gained recognition as one of the standout Korean films of 2024.

“While shooting ‘Exhuma,’ the director and fellow actors would tell me, ‘You need to keep in mind the fact that this work will be shown on a big screen while acting.’ In a way, it was a significant challenge for me and a bit intimidating since I hadn't experienced it before,” the actor said in a written interview through the film’s distributor, Showbox as he is currently serving his mandatory military service through May 2025.

The horror film, which has been enjoying remarkable success at the box office since its release on Feb. 22, centers on two young shamans, Hwa-rim (played by Kim Go-eun) and Bong-gil (played by Lee), as they undertake a case from a wealthy Korean family in Los Angeles.

As they delve deeper into the case, they uncover that the family's issues originate from their ancestor's gravesite. To address the problem, they suggest an exhumation, enlisting the expertise of veteran geomancer Sang-deok (portrayed by Choi Min-shik) and undertaker Yeong-geun (played by Yoo Hae-jin). However, as they begin the excavation, they come to the unsettling realization that they are confronting something far more sinister and ominous than they had initially anticipated.

The film, led by director Jang Jae-hyun, has been topping the local box office for 17 consecutive days, collecting over 7.5 million ticket sales as of Saturday.

Lee's portrayal of Bong-gil, a Generation Z shaman with a hipster flair, required a complete physical transformation, covering his whole body with tattoos.

“I loved it. That appearance made me realize a side that even I didn’t know. From the start, the director said ‘I want Bong-gil to make a strong first impression. If it’s fine, I'd like you to use a wig and have tattoos tightly wrapping your body.’ And I accepted it, thinking when I would have a chance to try something like that,” he said.

A scene from the movie "Exhuma" shows young shamans Hwa-rim (Kim Go-eun), right, and Bong-gil (Lee Do-hyun). Courtesy of Showbox

“The makeup process was not easy … But I felt there’s significant power that external elements give in forging a strong first impression, which the director was also emphasizing. So we were able to create the ‘authentically hip’ Bong-gil.”

Despite the edgy look, the actor viewed Bong-gil as a deeply humanistic character.

“From a distance, Hwa-rim and I might appear somewhat rebellious and off-putting, but in reality, I thought they are the most humane individuals,” he said.

“I interpreted and portrayed (Bong-gil) as a character with a strong sense of responsibility, rather than as someone solely motivated by money. He also takes care of Hwa-rim as a close confidant, handling various nitty-gritty tasks.”

Lee expressed that portraying a shaman, performing exorcisms, and experiencing possession by spirits was an immensely challenging experience. He mentioned that he extensively studied Jang's previous movie, "The Priests" (2015), for reference.

“For the exorcism scenes and scenes where my character’s possessed, I diligently prepared them with the help of the consulting teachers and actor Kim. I also faced acting challenges like delivering lines in Japanese and memorizing spiritual verses for the first time. Every scene of ‘Exhuma’ was a difficult challenge for me. But thanks to the director and fellow actors’ advice, I was able to deliver what I prepared,” he said.

“I tried to get hints from the director’s previous works. In ‘The Priests,’ actor Park So-dam has a possessed scene, and I watched it over and over to study.”