[Interview] Lee Byung-hun "Emergency Declaration" Touching the Pandemic, Reality Surpasses the Movie

Movie 'Emergency Declaration' Jae-hyeok role Lee Byung-hun
Panic and sense of duty erupt amid disaster horror
"Screening at Cannes Film Festival, an exciting and proud moment"

Lee Byung-hun/Photo by BH Entertainment

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Isul] 'Emergency Declaration' is an aviation disaster film that director Han Jae-rim has been preparing for years. The scenario was completed before the COVID-19 pandemic. After pre-production, the pandemic struck just as filming was about to begin. At this perfect timing, as if by fate, the film started shooting. The lead actors also had special feelings. The actors, caught in a disaster involving a mysterious virus, said they empathized more deeply with the situation.

Actor Lee Byung-hun (52) said in an interview on the 28th ahead of the release of the film 'Emergency Declaration' (directed by Han Jae-rim), "The pandemic situation the world has gone through and the film strangely coincide," adding, "I think a deep sense of empathy will form among everyone." He continued, "Reality seems to be ahead of the film," and said, "I hope this becomes a time for us, who have gone through the pandemic, to deeply reflect on and question humanity."

He said, "There are many scenes where various human types appear, and you find yourself imagining how you would judge and act in those situations. I'm sure people will have a lot to think about after watching the film."

'Emergency Declaration,' which opens on the 3rd of next month, is a film depicting a plane that declares an unconditional landing due to an unprecedented aviation terror and the people facing the disaster. It is directed by Han Jae-rim, who also directed 'The Face Reader' (2013) and 'The King' (2019).

The film was invited to the non-competitive section of the 74th Cannes Film Festival in July last year. Recalling that time, Lee Byung-hun smiled and said, "There were several moments when the audience clapped excitedly. They were so immersed in the film as if they were passengers on a real plane. It was a proud moment as an actor."

Lee Byung-hun said he was immediately captivated when he first read the 'Emergency Declaration' script. He said, "I read it all at once, feeling like I was on a rollercoaster. The film ends as you are swept away by the disaster situation at lightning speed, with continuous tension and bewilderment."

"When I read the script, I felt the setting where people block the airport and protest was exaggerated. I thought it was included for cinematic effect. But similar things have happened recently. I think it makes us reflect on humanity and also on myself."

Lee Byung-hun / Photo by BH Entertainment

How was the first collaboration with director Han Jae-rim? Lee Byung-hun said, "Among the directors I've worked with, I think director Kim Ji-woon is the most persistent, but Han Jae-rim surpasses that." He added, "He is persistent and meticulous, obsessed with details. That's why the actors deliver great performances. He is very persistent."

Lee Byung-hun, who plays Jae-hyuk, a passenger with aviophobia who must protect his young daughter on board, did not interpret the character as a simple 'hero.' The phobia setting became a device that made him more alert to the situation than anyone else.

"I thought the setting where a hero suddenly appears was the worst. I was cautious that the idea of suddenly becoming a hero might be the wrong direction. I wanted to portray an ordinary-looking person who has trauma and struggles desperately to overcome it and navigate the situation. Someone who takes trembling breaths and moves forward reluctantly. I thought the hero's image would emerge from there."

Lee Byung-hun, who plays a father with a daughter, is a father of a son in real life. He said, "Direct experience gave me great conviction and confidence." He continued, "Fathers of sons and fathers of daughters are very different. I kept observing fathers with daughters around me. Even the way they play is different."

He added, "I feel more confident when acting as a character who seems like someone who could be around us, rather than characters we rarely encounter like spies or chaebols that rely on imagination."

'Emergency Declaration' was filmed using a 360-degree gimbal set imported from Hollywood. The realistic airplane rotation scene is so impressive that it is considered an iconic image of the film. Lee Byung-hun said, "Even in Hollywood, they said they have never rotated a plane this large. I was scared to enter the set and shoot. Although we did dozens of tests, I was afraid it would be different when rotating with about 100 people on board. I wondered what would happen if the belts suddenly snapped, but that fear helped with the acting."

"After filming several times on the gimbal, I was able to ride it as if on an amusement ride with ease. It was an amazing shoot. Building and successfully operating such a large plane-rotating gimbal. The scene where the passengers' hair stands up in the air became the signature scene of 'Emergency Declaration.'"

Lee Byung-hun revealed that he experienced terrible fear on a plane at the age of 25. He felt extreme tension on board just like his character Jae-hyuk. Recalling that time, he said, "I can talk about it with a smile now, but it was a painful memory I cannot forget."

"After finishing the drama 'Beautiful Woman,' I boarded a plane to go to the U.S. and experienced a panic attack for the first time. It was shocking, thinking 'I'm going to die here.' The memory is still vivid. They announced if there was a doctor on board and I even asked to stop the plane for a while. But they said they couldn't stop in the middle. I couldn't breathe and felt suffocated."

When asked about virtues in disaster situations, Lee Byung-hun said, "I don't know the right answer, but if you try to think from the other person's perspective, if you develop the habit of fully putting yourself in their shoes, wouldn't you live while keeping the basic things as a human being?"

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