‘Seonbi Yi Sun-sin’ Different from ‘Myeongryang’, Sat Cross-Legged Reading the Scenario

Interview with Park Hae-il on the movie 'Hansan: The Emergence of the Dragon'
Character study through researching books and materials about General Yi Sun-sin
Strives to convey emotions more through eyes and posture than lines

Actor Park Hae-il, who played General Yi Sun-sin in the movie 'Hansan: Rising Dragon'. Photo by Lotte Entertainment

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heeyoon] "If Admiral Yi Sun-sin in Myeongryang was portrayed as brave and intense, I thought that in today's era, the image of Admiral Yi Sun-sin from Hansan?a thoughtful and cultivated scholar-like figure rather than a man of few words?was needed."

In the film Hansan: Rising Dragon, Admiral Yi Sun-sin is depicted as a wise and gentle yet resolute military strategist. Park Hae-il said, "The image of Admiral Yi Sun-sin I knew was like the statue in Gwanghwamun, standing tall with a sword, someone you look up to from below. But I was a boy who never even heard myself called a general during my childhood."

Park Hae-il explained, "However, the director said he proposed this role keeping my temperament in mind. When I looked into books and materials about the admiral, I understood the meaning from passages describing him as a man of few words who showed less emotion and had a strong scholar-like disposition."

Although the film centers on Admiral Yi Sun-sin, Park Hae-il’s lines in the movie are limited. Due to the emphasis on the general’s serious and calm struggles and the support from those around him, Park Hae-il explained, "I had to constantly strive to convey emotions through just my eyes, breathing, and even the way I stood."

He smiled, saying that even after filming, to maintain that calm energy, he sat cross-legged?unlike usual?at his lodging, reading the script and sipping coffee as if drinking tea, living with the mindset of ‘cultivating oneself.’

Actor Park Hae-il, who played General Yi Sun-sin in the movie 'Hansan: Rising Dragon'. Photo by Lotte Entertainment

Was there any pressure from the predecessor Myeongryang, which attracted 17.61 million viewers and recorded the highest box office ever? Park Hae-il calmly said, "At the time of filming, I didn’t think about that at all. The burden of playing Admiral Yi Sun-sin himself was so great that I wasn’t in a state of mind to consider box office success."

Nevertheless, Hansan recorded first place at the box office during its opening weekend, signaling a smooth run. According to the Korea Film Council’s integrated computer network for movie ticket sales, Hansan: Rising Dragon attracted 1,632,159 viewers over the weekend (July 29?31), reaching a cumulative audience of 2,270,216 and ranking first at the box office. About 60% of the total 2,731,087 viewers who visited theaters during the weekend chose Hansan.

So why Hansan now? Park Hae-il said, "In fact, wars are happening somewhere on Earth even now, but we are so accustomed to it that we don’t feel it, and wars can always break out. Historical stories like Admiral Yi Sun-sin’s, which the entire nation knows, will continue to be told endlessly. Perhaps they are made for a reason."

Then Park Hae-il added, "This summer at the theaters, since major films are being presented to audiences week by week, I hope people enjoy works of various colors. And if the audience supports us, (reaching 10 million viewers) might be possible... Though I’m cautious even to say that."

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