"I Didn't Like That Outfit": Lee Byung hun Explains Why He Almost Turned Down Joint Security Area

Welcome back, everybody. Our next guest is a Golden Globe-nominated actor you know best from his work on Squid Game and movies such as K-Pop, Demon Hunters, and The Magnificent Seven. He stars in No Other Choice, which is in theaters now. Let's take a look. Please welcome to the show, Lee Byung-hun, everybody! Welcome to the show! Thank you for having me. I'm very happy to have you. And you were at the Golden Globes. Oh, yeah. I just flew from L.A. and I couldn't have time to stop by the hotel. You came straight? Yeah. And I just brushed my teeth here. Wow! I mean, it means the world to us. Yeah. I'm okay. I'm still handsome. Very much so. You were nominated for two different films, K-Pop, Demon Hunters? K-Pop, Demon Hunters. Yeah. I think people maybe have heard of K-Pop, Demon Hunters. And also, No Other Choice, which is very exciting. And this movie, No Other Choice, is a very dark film, but a very funny film. And I'm wondering, when you read the script, did you see the comedy when you were reading it? Yes, of course. Not like former Park Chan-wook's movie, it was very humorous and it's a black comedy. So I asked him, did you do it on purpose? And he said, yes, acting-wise, the funnier, the better. So okay, okay. But I'm trying to follow the emotions of the character. If I try to make people laugh, then it's going to be so awkward. So I just follow the emotions. Because you're not playing a person who is funny, but the situations are funny. And so I understand how that is a very different way to approach the acting. So Park Chan-wook, your director, you worked together the first time 25 years ago on a film I haven't seen, but it was, at the time, the highest-grossing South Korean film ever made, right? When I first met him was actually right before JSA. It was a joint security area? Joint security area. That was the first time we worked together. But a couple of years ago, I was actually having a screen test with my other crew with the other movie. And the assistant director came over to me and he said, somebody's waiting out for me. So I said, OK. And then I went out, and there was a guy with a script. And he was doing a ponytail and wearing a weird jacket. And I didn't like that outfit. So I instantly thought, maybe I'm not going to join that project. So I didn't. And then a couple of years later, he sent me a new script. That's JSA. But at the time, it was not that hopeful for the project because he just flopped two of his movies. And for me, too. I just flopped four of my movies. So it was a failed actor and failed director. It was kind of miserable. But after it released, it broke all the Korean cinema records, the box office records. And then, actually, we've been very close friends. We eat together. We drink together. And then 25 years later, we finally reunite new project, No Other Choice. Is it true that he has a nickname for you? Yes. I normally ask a lot of questions about stories and about my character so that I could express to the audience right way. So I asked a lot. So he calls me Mr. Nag. Maybe I was very annoying. How do you say it in Korean, Mr. Nag? Kkochi Kkochi. Yeah. I like the sound of that. I know some of them. Yeah, Kkochi Kkochi. I think it's really hard to change to in English. Do you think that's why he waited 25 years to work with you again? Yeah, probably. I ask a lot of questions. So maybe he didn't tell me that, but he gets a lot of ideas from that. Oh, that's good. But a long time ago, when we were shooting JSA, if I say 10 ideas, then he didn't use that much, like one. But in this movie, No Other Choice, maybe nine out of 10, he used all of them. So I was happy, but at the same time, I was worried about that. Because if this movie is failed, then I can take all the responsibilities. So one day, I stopped making ideas. I didn't say anything. It's a trap. Yeah. You ask a lot of questions. When you first heard about K-pop Demon Hunters, did you have a lot of questions about that? Yes, of course. Because four or five years ago, they asked me to come to have a meeting. So I went to Sony, and we started meeting a few times. At the time, they didn't have any references and any drawing. So I only had to listen to the stories. And I was confused if I have to do it or not. But some moment, oh, I think I should do it. Because I have a kid, but they couldn't see most of my movies. Because all the movies I did was so violent. Yeah. Yeah, it's very violent. So I couldn't show my movies to my kids. So OK, this is the one I can watch and enjoy with my kid. So I did it. And then when it opened, I watched it with my 10-year-old boy. Because I have a two-year-old girl, but she cannot watch that. So I only watched it with my son. And in the middle of the movie, he said, OK, what's your character? So I said, I'm invisible. You cannot see me. And he said, what? But still, how can I see your character? Do you see the fire? Yeah, here you go. That's the way you tried to tell your son that was you. Yeah, that's me. And then he said, OK, you're Damon? Yes, I'm Damon King. And then, OK, then I hate hunters. I'm your side, OK? So I was so happy with that. But at the end of the movie, he said, dad, I cannot vote for you. That's just a fake story. Just watch it. I think it's very strong. He has strong character that, in the end, he had to root for Huntrix. Hey, congrats on both films. Thank you for being here. What a wonderful conversation. Thank you very much. No other choices in theaters now. Stick around. Be right back with James.