Rain, Bae Doona, Gang Dong-won and 2 other Korean actors who learned English for roles in Hollywood
These Korean celebrities – including Choi Woo-shik and Lee Byung-hun – honed their English speaking skills to portray characters more effectively on the big screen
Film experts say there is common ground among Korean talents who have appeared in American films and series: the ability to speak English fluently. Like many tackling a new language, these celebrities too had their fair share of struggles learning the language. Here are five K-drama veterans who committed themselves to study English.
Gang Dong-won
Gang Dong-won showcased his acting chops in Temptation of Wolves. He then starred in successful commercial films like Maundy Thursday, Voice of a Murderer, The Priests, Master, and A Violent Prosecutor. With extensive acting credentials, he landed a role in Simon West’s Tsunami LA. Since he would be working with an international cast, he admitted that learning English would be difficult but he was determined to persevere.
Lee Byung-hun
When Lee Byung-hun made his Hollywood debut in G.I. Joe: Retaliation, he opened up about the difficulties of acting in a foreign language in a press conference. He noted that “speaking and acting in English” are two different tasks. He practised hard so that he could say his lines.
Lee Byung-hun attended a language centre in Seoul for two years when he was 18. Having English-speaking relatives in Los Angeles and Seattle also helped him to learn. Before his debut, he had won acclaim for his work in multiple films such as A Bittersweet Life and I Saw the Devil.
Bae Doona
Bae Doona’s roles in Sense8, Kingdom, Cloud Atlas, and Jupiter Ascending catapulted her to international stardom. She admitted she had to leave her comfort zone when acting in English. To learn, she immersed herself in English-speaking environments. She went to the United Kingdom to be acquainted with the language, reported The Korea Herald.