Actor Lee Dong-wook revealed that while filming the hit film ‘Harbin’, currently showing in theaters, he did not ad-lib at all, which he usually enjoys when acting. This is because he was worried that his acting ambitions would tarnish the fighting spirit of the independence fighter in the play, even a little.

He played Lee Chang-seop, an independence fighter who shares the same belief in protecting his country but harbors resentment and confrontation toward Ahn Jung-geun, who released Japanese prisoners of war rather than executing them in accordance with international law. He said, “I acted, but I can‘t even imagine how those in their early 20s felt when they risked their lives fighting for independence.” ‘I looked back on what I was doing in my early 20s,”“ he said.

○“My new side, more meaningful”

Lee Dong-wook, who showed a rough and serious charm completely different from the ‘romance male lead’ image he had shown so far through this film, drew attention by saying, “This work will be an important point in my filmography.””>“It was my first time acting with a beard, so I was worried that the beard would look too fake. In particular, since it overlapped with the final filming of the drama ‘Gumiho Side Story’, where I acted with red-brown hair, I dyed my hair three times in three weeks, alternating between the two filming sets.”

‘Harbin’, which depicts the story of those who protected the country, is receiving even more attention as it overlaps with the current impeachment situation. In relation to this, Lee Dong-wook mentioned the line from the play, “We will overcome this with the power of the people, not a foolish leader.”

“The events in the movie happened 150 years ago, but it’s sad that similar history is repeating itself even now. These days, it feels like the world has changed a lot, but it hasn’t. It may be a sad story, but I think our people have the DNA to overcome national crises.”
○“Reason for supporting impeachment and donating to the Jeju Air disaster…”

He recently garnered attention by sending messages of support to fans attending the impeachment rally for President Yoon Seok-yeol through the fan communication platform Bubble, and he emphasized, “I don’t feel burdened about speaking up as a celebrity.”

“I just wanted to go out in the cold and cheer on my fans who are having a hard time. It would have been better if I could have been there with you, but since that’s not possible, I wanted to say, “Cheer up.” I think all the people in the country felt the same way.”

On the 4th, he donated 50 million won to help victims of the Jeju Air disaster.

“I donated on purpose on the last day of the national mourning period. I wanted to make sure that everything doesn’t fade away after the mourning period ends. In fact, there are many people who donate larger amounts than I do, so I’m embarrassed that this donation is getting so much attention. Still, I hope my donation can be passed on to other people as well.”


Reporter Seungmi Lee smlee@donga.com