The 'My Mister' Team Pays Tribute to the Late Lee Sun-kyun with Unwavering Faith
The team behind the drama 'My Mister' has shown strong faith in the late Lee Sun-kyun.

On the afternoon of the 4th, a special program titled 'A Kind Person, Lee Sun-kyun' was held at Lotte Cinema Centum City in Haeundae-gu, Busan. After the screening of the drama 'My Mister', a guest visit (GV) was conducted with director Kim Won-seok, and actors Park Ho-san and Song Sae-byeok in attendance.

'My Mister', which aired in 2018, is a drama that tells the story of three middle-aged brothers enduring the weight of life and a woman who has lived a rough life, healing each other through their interactions. It is considered one of Lee Sun-kyun's representative works.

Director Kim Won-seok expressed, "Due to post-production work on the drama, I couldn't attend Lee Sun-kyun's funeral. I believe this is just the beginning of events to commemorate Lee Sun-kyun. There should be ongoing events to remember why Lee Sun-kyun passed away and what kind of person he was, in various ways."

Park Ho-san shared, "I watched it without realizing Lee Sun-kyun wasn't there. After it ended, I thought the character in the drama was just like actor Lee Sun-kyun. I miss him." Song Sae-byeok added, "It still doesn't feel real. I visited the funeral hall, and even though time has passed, it still feels like a nightmare."

The 'My Mister' Team Pays Tribute to the Late Lee Sun-kyun with Unwavering Faith
Regarding the reason for screening the fifth episode out of the 16-episode series, director Kim Won-seok explained, "Initially, we thought of screening the fourth episode. At the beginning of our drama's broadcast, it wasn't just some people who gave it bad reviews; everyone did. It was almost treated like a crime drama. Sun-kyun once asked, 'Are we criminals?' After the fourth episode, more people began to understand. I think it was the first episode where our drama started to be loved."

Director Kim Won-seok described Lee Sun-kyun as a person similar to the character Park Dong-hoon in the drama. He said, "I cast Lee Sun-kyun and worked with him, but he is like Park Dong-hoon. Saying this is cautious because they are similar but different people."

He continued, "The character Park Dong-hoon is one that can exist in reality but is difficult to find. There is a fantasy aspect to it. Saying that someone is exactly like a fantasy character can be burdensome. Even in heaven, it can be burdensome. I prefer the real Lee Sun-kyun over a fantasy character."

The difference he noted was in the walking style. Director Kim said, "I didn't like his walking style. Manager Park Dong-hoon should walk with his shoulders slumped, but sometimes Lee Sun-kyun had his unique swagger. We actually reshot many scenes because of it."

The 'My Mister' Team Pays Tribute to the Late Lee Sun-kyun with Unwavering Faith
The 'My Mister' Team Pays Tribute to the Late Lee Sun-kyun with Unwavering Faith
Director Kim Won-seok expressed regret over the suspicions and controversies surrounding Lee Sun-kyun. He said, "I personally think that the media outlets, police, and prosecutors who published nonsensical articles did so because the public allowed it. If they were criticized, they wouldn't have published such articles. The public seems to know they are the strong ones in the media industry era. I wish they had given a little more opportunity before cutting ties. Even if a crime was committed, I think it's okay to give a chance, but there was no evidence of a crime in this situation. It was a situation that the public found offensive."

He added, "I just wish people were more cautious. The absolute strong ones are you. Actors are very vulnerable people. Their livelihood doesn't exist without your support and encouragement. So shouldn't we punish those who published such articles and leaked nonsensical false investigation details?"

In conclusion, he conveyed a message to Lee Sun-kyun, "Sun-kyun, I know you, and I believe in you no matter what you did." Song Sae-byeok said, "I went to the burial site to say goodbye, but I believe he is resting peacefully. I think he is just watching over today's event." Park Ho-san added, "Dong-hoon, have you reached peace? We believe in you. There's nothing to be ashamed of."

Busan Kim Seo-yoon, Ten Asia Reporter seogugu@tenasia.co.kr
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