‘Mr. Sunshine’ actor Lee Byung-hun: how I missed out on the Hollywood hit ‘Crazy Rich Asians’
We meet the South Korean star in an exclusive interview, where he shares his views about films, Hollywood productions and his return to TV on Netflix
We almost had a chance to see Lee Byung-hun – that’s Mr. Sunshine to Korean drama fans – in a walk-on cameo on Crazy Rich Asians. Unfortunately, a schedule clash took that out of the equation: that’s what happens when you are busy maintaining successful careers on both sides of the Pacific Ocean.
Lee, arguably South Korea’s biggest international star, had worked with Crazy Rich Asians director Jon M. Chu on his first Hollywood outing, G.I. Joe, before and the director had issued an invitation for a cameo when he started filming. “Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to do it,” Lee tells me ruefully in Venice, where he is a guest of luxury watchmaker Jaeger-LeCoultre at the Venice International Film Festival.
Having watched Lee as the unsmiling, hard-nosed, commanding soldier in Mr. Sunshine and seen photos of his sculpted physique, the real-life Lee seemed less imposing, even a little shy as we sit at the hotel poolside. His answers are measured, if sometimes a bit hesitant, possibly because the interview was in English although, by this writer’s standards, he was quite fluent.
When we meet, Lee is still in the last weeks of filming for Mr. Sunshine, his first Korean television drama in almost eight years. Set during the turn of the century, the drama takes place during a time when foreign forces such as the Americans and Japanese were tussling for power during the waning days of the Joseon empire at the end of the 19th century.
The 48-year-old actor plays the titular character, Eugene Choi, who runs away to America as a young child after his parents are killed by ruthless slave-owners. He returns to his homeland 30 years later as an American soldier who has to manoeuvre loyalties and rivalries both for country and love.
The drama, from the same production team who brought viewers the highly successful Goblin: The Lonely and Great God, is now the highest-rated Korean cable drama of all time in terms of average viewership ratings, unseating Goblin from the top spot. The Netflix original has already garnered Drama of the Year and the Daesang award for best actor for Lee at the recent 2018 APAN Star Awards.
