Lee Dong-hwi Discusses the Challenges of Method Acting in New Film

Actor Lee Dong-hwi shared his thoughts on method acting.

On the 13th, a press screening for the film 'Method Acting' was held at Megabox COEX in Gangnam, Seoul. The event was attended by actors Lee Dong-hwi, Yoon Kyung-ho, Kang Chan-hee, and director Lee Ki-hyuk.

The film 'Method Acting' (directed by Lee Ki-hyuk) tells the story of 'funny actor' Lee Dong-hwi, who, despite rising to fame through comedy, seeks recognition for his sincere acting by immersing himself deeply into his roles. This project is an expanded feature based on a short film of the same name, with director Lee Ki-hyuk and Lee Dong-hwi collaborating once again to create an immersive meta-comedy.

In the film, Lee Dong-hwi plays a character named 'Lee Dong-hwi,' offering a unique blend of reality and fiction with a witty twist, providing a fresh sense of entertainment.

Was it daunting to play a method acting role of himself? Lee Dong-hwi stated, "When we first planned this, instead of setting a fictional character or a specific profession, we started from myself as an individual, aiming to unleash creativity from there."

He continued, "It turned out to be a very challenging task." Lee Dong-hwi confessed, "While acting as myself, I struggled with how much to reveal and what to withhold. It made me think I never want to play myself again. After this project, I don't think I'll be acting as myself anymore."

He also discussed the process of creating the character. Lee Dong-hwi explained, "Initially, I thought it would be easy, but I ended up deeply immersed in the character 'Lee Dong-hwi.' Thanks to the influence and help from director Lee and senior actor Yoon Kyung-ho, I believe it became a truly created character."

Finally, Lee Dong-hwi expressed his admiration, "I really wanted to act alongside senior actor Yoon Kyung-ho. After our previous work, I wanted to perform many scenes together again, and he's an actor I want to meet passionately in another project."

The film 'Method Acting' is set to be released on the 18th.

Kim Se-ah, TenAsia Reporter haesmik@tenasia.co.kr