Lee Byung-hun shared insights into his involvement with 'K-Pop Demon Hunters' and his son's reaction to the show.
On the 24th, at a café in Sogyeok-dong, Seoul, Lee Byung-hun, who stars in the film 'No Other Choice', was interviewed.
'No Other Choice' tells the story of Mansoo, a satisfied company employee played by Lee Byung-hun, who suddenly gets laid off. To protect his family and home, he embarks on a personal battle for reemployment. Lee Byung-hun plays Yoo Mansoo, a job seeker who starts a reemployment war after being fired from a paper company he dedicated 25 years to.
In the much-talked-about Netflix animation 'K-Pop Demon Hunters', Lee Byung-hun voices the character of Gwi-ma, the king of demons. He shared, "I encountered 'K-Pop Demon Hunters' about 4-5 years ago during a meeting with Sony Pictures in the U.S. It was in the very early stages, without even a basic outline." He added, "The title 'K-Pop Demon Hunters' didn't appeal to me much, and I hoped it might change later," he laughed.
He continued, "I was told the role was the king of demons. I wondered if I could do it well. Although I had done voice acting in Korea before, doing it in English in the U.S. seemed challenging. I thought, 'It's not a big role, but why not try it? It's not bad to gain experience.' I planned to share good ideas in the next meeting, and time passed."
Lee Byung-hun took on both the English and Korean dubbing. He explained, "After deciding to do it, I recorded about three times. Director Chris was helpful. I asked him to point out any awkward parts for an American audience, and he guided me well, so it went smoothly."
Lee Byung-hun shared a moment when he realized the popularity of 'K-Pop Demon Hunters'. He recalled, "Not many people globally might know that I am Gwi-ma, as they know me as the Front Man. But recently, there was a K-pop event in LA. When the Gwi-ma video played and I was introduced as the voice, the cheers surprised me." He added, "I wondered if they mistook me for the Front Man, but I think they knew it was me as Gwi-ma that day."
Lee Byung-hun also shared his son's reaction to 'K-Pop Demon Hunters'. He said, "Gwi-ma appears only as fire. I watched it with my son, telling him I did the voice, but he asked, 'Where is dad?' I explained, 'Dad has no form.' I tried to make it sound cool, but saying there's no form made it seem less impressive," he laughed.
Kim Ji-won, TenAsia Reporter bella@tenasia.co.kr