[Can Interview③] Lee Byung-hun "Life Changed After Becoming a Father, World Revolves Around Children"

74th Cannes Film Festival On-site Coverage
Interview with Actor Lee Byung-hun

attends EMERGENCY DECLARATION PHOTO SHOOT during the 74th annual Cannes Film Festival at Palais des Festivals on July 15, 2021 in Cannes, France.
attends the photo session of the film EMERGENCY DECLARATION during the 74th edition of the Cannes Film Festival at Palais des Festivals on July 15, 2021 in Cannes, France.

[Cannes (France) = Asia Economy Reporter Lee Isul] Actor Lee Byung-hun said that his life changed after having a son, giving it a special meaning.

On the 17th (local time), Lee Byung-hun met with Asia Economy at a hotel restaurant in the southern French city of Cannes and shared his thoughts on attending the 74th Cannes International Film Festival and his determination as the first Korean actor to appear as a presenter at the closing ceremony.

This year's Cannes Film Festival is special in many ways. Song Kang-ho, the lead actor of 'Parasite,' which won the Palme d'Or for the first time for a Korean film at the 72nd Cannes International Film Festival in 2019, is serving as the first male actor juror, and Lee Byung-hun will take the stage as a presenter at the closing ceremony. Although director Park Chan-wook has presented awards before, this is a first for a domestic actor. This year's festival will be remembered as a historic event where director Bong Joon-ho declared the opening in Korean at the opening ceremony, and Lee Byung-hun closed the festival at the closing ceremony.

The country's first aviation disaster film, 'Emergency Declaration,' was unveiled at Cannes through a press screening. After watching the film locally, worries about flying back home flooded in. When he complained, "I'm worried about how I will board a plane again," Lee Byung-hun said, "I also felt that way when I flew here. I was a bit nervous," adding, "Among the filmmakers gathered in Cannes, I felt afraid to board a plane to go home."

He then recommended, "How about watching it in 4DX after its domestic release? It might really be scary. The feelings of the people on the plane might resonate strongly."

'Emergency Declaration' features Lee Byung-hun, Song Kang-ho, Jeon Do-yeon, and many other actors filling the plane, all of whom are protagonists. He credited, "Director Han Jae-rim auditioned and selected all the actors who played passengers on the plane. They are all actors who perform in theater, TV, and film. The situations are very realistic, and because all the actors are skilled, those emotions probably came alive strongly."

In 'Emergency Declaration,' Lee Byung-hun plays a passenger boarding the plane with a child. He said, "My son is seven years old, so I understand the feelings of people with children well. However, I worried that if I showed that aspect excessively, it might cause rejection. At some moments, I felt like my daughter was protecting me," adding, "As a father of a son, it was hard to fully understand the feelings toward a daughter."

He continued, "My life as a (father) is also changing. The world revolves around that child (my son), and that is the biggest difference."

Song Kang-ho and Lee Byung-hun previously attended the Cannes Film Festival together with 'The Good, the Bad, the Weird' (2008). After 13 years, the two met again at Cannes as colleagues appearing in the same film, and as the first juror and presenter, respectively.

Lee Byung-hun said, "I was happy to be with Song Kang-ho after a long time. I was also looking forward to how fun our movie would be," sharing his thoughts on working together through 'Emergency Declaration.'

Both are staying at the Cannes Film Festival with a heavy burden. However, just being together is a great support. Lee Byung-hun expressed special affection, saying, "It really gives me great strength." He added, "He told me a lot of stories about various situations he experienced as a juror. Isn't it his first time too? I learned many new things while listening to new stories." Then, with a cheerful tone, he said, "It might sound like bragging," and congratulated him warmly.

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