Lee Moo-saeng “I’m happy to hear that people didn’t recognize me because of my M-shaped pigtail makeup. It took 3 hours to complete.”
When actor Lee Moo-saeng (43) heard that people did not recognize him due to his M-shaped pigtail makeup, he smiled and said, “I felt good.”

On the morning of the 14th, Lee Moo-saeng was interviewed about the movie 'Noryang: Sea of Death' (directed by Kim Han-min, hereinafter referred to as 'Noryang') at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul.

On this day, Lee Moo-saeng was told, "I didn't recognize him," referring to his M-shaped pigtail, and he laughed, saying, "I wasn't the only one who felt that way. As an actor, I feel good." “It took over 3 hours just to put on the makeup. They did it in great detail, from the makeup to the wig, and even though I didn’t shave my head, they made it look awkward with the wig. I feel so happy and relieved to be told that I didn’t look like me.”

Lee Moo-saeng said about his M-shaped pigtail, "There were many different styles. Some were completely removed, and there were various shapes, but the director chose it." "He prepared a pigtail makeup that matched my face shape, head shape, etc. He made a sketch exactly like mine, substituted the hair naturally, and drew a picture in advance to contrast it. From there, the hair that looked the most realistic and looked like Konishi was chosen. . Moreover, instead of all the Japanese soldiers wearing the same pigtails, they wore them in distinctive styles.”

The armor worn was also verified by the costume team. Lee Moo-saeng said, "It's not just regular armor. The details are different. Generals wear different gloves depending on their rank, and the armor material is also different. We've gone through a lot of historical research on these details," and added, "People like these parts and are interested in them." “I think it will approach viewers with a different charm,” he said.

'Noryang' is the story of Admiral Yi Sun-sin's plan to completely annihilate the Japanese army trying to retreat from Joseon, seven years after the outbreak of the Japanese Invasion of Korea.
Lee Moo-saeng “I’m happy to hear that people didn’t recognize me because of my M-shaped pigtail makeup. It took 3 hours to complete.”
It depicts the final battle. Lee Moo-saeng played the role of Konishi Yukinaga, the leader of the Japanese army. This is director Kim's last film following 'Roaring Currents' (2014) and 'Hansan: Emergence of the Dragon' (2022). It will be released on the 20th.

Choi Ji-ye, Ten Asia Reporter wisdomart@tenasia.co.kr