Peninsula has hit the theaters. This is an encouraging achievement in the COVID-19 situation. The actors will feel different for sure. Lee Jung Hyun, who conducted a media interview, said, “I was worried that not many viewers would come, but I’m grateful and proud that the theater seems to have gained vitality. I hope the film industry will regain the spirit starting with Peninsula.“
In Peninsula, Lee Jung Hyun played the role of Min Jung, a survivor in the ruined land, and showed strong charisma.
“After reading the script, I sympathized a lot with the role of Min Jung, who gained a strong fighting power from being a mother. I thought that any ordinary mothers would change if they have to live in the peninsula with Unit 631, just like Min Jung. I could easily relate to it, and I think the audience would feel the same way.“
Director Yeon Sang Ho and Lee Jung Hyun first met as judges at a film festival. This is the first time the two have met in a project. She said that director Yeon Sang Ho personally offered the role to her.
“One day, I got a call from director Yeon Sang Ho. He sent me the script and I really enjoyed it. The keywords like fighting and motherly love came to me.”
After calling director Yeon Sang Ho a “genius,” Lee Jung Hyun continued to express her admirations for the way he worked.
“From the planning stage, all the images of the movie are in his head. Director Yeon Sang Ho didn’t shoot the action scenes for a long time. He would connect few-seconds footage with the footage filmed the next day, and the result would be amazing. He films easily, quickly, safely, and just the amount he needs. How he calculates all the cuts are ingenious.”
Lee Jung Hyun, who made her debut in 1996 with A Petal, is now in her 25th year.
“I put down what I’ve learned in my 30s and do my best when one thing happens. I am grateful for being able to work and I try to concentrate on that.”
She lavished praise on her co-star, Kang Dong Won.
“He excels in actions. Because he fully understood his character as he entered the scene, I was able to focus more on my character. We really worked well together that he nearly had no bloopers.”
“Dong Won is so polite and kind. It feels like he doesn’t chat that much, but sometimes he seems like a naughty boy,” she added, referring to Kang Dong Won’s real personality.
Last year, Lee Jung Hyun got married to a doctor three years younger than her. How is she balancing work and marriage?
“Since a few months before the wedding, I’ve been receiving too many offers. I haven’t had a good rest yet. I’m still filming for the movie Reboot. I’m taking two days off a week, so I’m going to clean up and enjoy my honeymoon. I’m trying my best to balance my life well.”
