[Interview①] Lee Bong-geun "26 Years on the Gugak Path, Fueled My Passion for 'Sorikkun' Acting"

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Isul] Gugak artist Lee Bong-geun shared his feelings on debuting as a film actor.

Lee Bong-geun recently spoke about various aspects of the film Sorikkun (Director Jo Jeong-rae) during an interview held at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu.

Sorikkun is a musical film set in the Joseon Dynasty that portrays the sorrow and humor of the low-class sorikkun (traditional Korean singers) through the beautiful landscapes of the eight provinces of Joseon and the enchanting melodies of folk music. It reinterprets traditional Korean music and reconstructs it using a modern music system. This is the new work by director Jo Jeong-rae, who also directed Homecoming (2016). Jo Jeong-rae, a master of traditional court music, completed the film based on a short screenplay he wrote in 1998.

Lee Bong-geun majored in music at the School of Traditional Arts at Korea National University of Arts and is a seasoned sorikkun in the gugak community. He gained attention by winning two consecutive rounds on KBS2's Immortal Songs. He has received awards such as the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Commendation in 2018 and the KBS Gugak Award for Performance (Ensemble Sinuye) in 2012. In 2019, he collaborated with the jazz band Jeokbyeok, bridging traditional and popular music.

Born in Namwon, Lee Bong-geun naturally encountered pansori and began learning it in middle school. He then entered Namwon Gugak High School, embarking seriously on the path of a gugak artist. Lee recalled, "'Chunhyangga' and 'Heungbuga' originated in Namwon. One of the four National Gugak Centers is located in Namwon. I was naturally exposed to gugak performances. Even if you don't know the songs, if you live in Namwon, you basically know how to do chuiimsae (vocal exclamations). (laughs) I started pansori in the second year of middle school, influenced greatly by my father, who practiced calligraphy. Our family is into calligraphy, but I am left-handed and have poor handwriting. My father took up pansori as a hobby and, since my handwriting was bad, he suggested I try pansori," he reminisced.

Sorikkun is the first authentic pansori musical film produced in 27 years since director Im Kwon-taek's Seopyeonje (1993). Lee Bong-geun shared a special connection, saying, "When I was attending Namwon Gugak High School, the Chunhyangjeon team came to Namwon for filming. We were involved in that. It was fun." He added, "Before filming Sorikkun, I wanted to perform a full pansori piece properly. I felt pride as a musician," reflecting emotionally. He continued, "Seopyeonje is a film I really like and have watched many times. Teacher Oh Jeong-hae is also my mentor. She taught me about the stage and gave me advice. I respect her greatly for her character."

Regarding working with director Jo Jeong-rae, Lee said, "There were many conflicts of opinion between the director and me as musicians. Although I was a newcomer as an actor, I had been doing music for about 26 years. We needed to compromise. The important thing was how to produce sound that would convince the audience. We prepared a lot on set, and the preparation process was long."

In Sorikkun, Lee Bong-geun plays the protagonist Hak-gyu, delivering beautiful Korean melodies. He portrayed Hak-gyu, a devoted and pure-hearted man searching for his kidnapped wife Gannan (played by Lee Yu-ri), who also grows as a singing artist, with his own unique color.

Lee, who acted alongside Lee Yu-ri as a married couple, said, "She feels like an older sister," and added with a smile, "She is lovely. If she weren't married, I might have clung to her." He continued, "We practiced a lot. One day, she said, 'I will only respond to lines you really say.' I said the line 30 times, but she didn't respond. I was almost exhausted, and when I finally said it, she accepted it with 'Okay.' She advised me to remember that moment well. That experience became an important principle for me," he said.

Although Lee Bong-geun has been a pansori performer for 26 years, this is his first time stepping into film acting. He recalled the audition for Sorikkun with an embarrassed smile.

"After hearing the acceptance announcement, I thought, 'Oh no, this is serious.' I auditioned with ambition, but after passing, I wondered, 'Can I do well?' and regrets came. So I practiced a lot. The actors gathered for readings, and one day Kim Kang-hyun asked me, 'Why are you trying to do well alone?' He knew I was feeling pressured and gave me that advice, which became a strength. After that, I trusted the seniors. It felt like the burden on my shoulders disappeared. I still text them every day saying, 'I miss you.'"

Will we see more of actor Lee Bong-geun in the future? He said, "My acting skills are zero, so I think I need various experiences to build them up. I want to start with minor roles that are not too big. If I get a call, I want to run anywhere and do my best. I want to challenge any genre, including theater, short films, and dramas," showing determination.

He added, "Sorikkun felt like pouring oil on a blazing fire. I have changed a lot before and after filming. I am currently going through a growth process. Isn't this the most brilliant period in life?"

At the same time, Lee Bong-geun made it clear that music is his root and center. He said, "I have never let go of music throughout my life. Music is my foundation and root. If that is shaken, everything about me shakes," and expressed his aspiration, "I want to become a versatile multi-entertainer."

Sorikkun will be released on July 1.

Photo = Little Big Pictures

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.