≪Choi Ji-ye’s Cinema Talk≫

Honey Lee, transformation into a cold character in ‘Ghost’
Growing into an action actor, including bare-body fighting and gun action

The turning point in the actor's life was the movies 'Tazza: Hand of God' and 'Silence'.
Highest career among former Miss Korea actresses
Lee Ha-nui wears the K-movie true crown

≪Choi Ji-ye’s Cinema Talk≫
TenAsia reporter Choi Ji-ye tells the story of the movie. We analyze every aspect of movies through live on-site reporting and write fun articles with sharp perspectives. “I needed Honey Lee. I thought I could start the story if I had Lee Honey. So I stamped Honey Lee on a blank piece of paper and it became a ‘ghost.’” (Director Lee Hae-young)

Lee Ha-nui's face in the movie 'Ghost' was mysterious. Expressionless before freezing. However, there were tears in his eyes that looked like they were about to burst out at any moment. Inside, there seemed to be a never-ending whirlpool of emotions whose depth was difficult to estimate.

Lee Ha-nui wore completely different clothes through 'Ghost'. The lively and cheerful Lee Ha-nui, who was imprinted in the public's mind through the dramas 'Wonder Woman', 'The Fierce Priest', and the movie 'Extreme Job', is everywhere. All we see is Park Cha-kyung, enduring a harsh winter with no end in sight, trying hard to suppress the magma bubbling in her heart. This is the face of Joseon, which sought to fulfill the wishes of its loved ones in the face of harsh times.

Lee Ha-nui wears the K-movie true crown
Lee Ha-nui in ‘Ghost’ exudes unfamiliar charm and intense action. In addition to showing the face of a new atmosphere, the action acting, including fighting and firearms, was completed more upgraded than before. In the form of a female warrior, she covered everything from hand-to-hand combat to various gun actions. In particular, he took on the role of leading the story from the front, expressing detailed and wide-ranging emotions, and was ready to meet the audience with his powerful acting.

Lee Ha-nui, who debuted 15 years ago this year, is making rapid progress as an actress. For Lee Ha-nui, becoming an actor was not a specific dream from the beginning. For him, who devoted most of his time in school and at Seoul National University to playing Korean traditional music and gayageum, the realm of acting was an unknown world. Lee Ha-nui, who entered the entertainment industry after being crowned Miss Korea in 2006, was closer to a gem in the rough than a prepared actress. When Lee Ha-nui made her acting debut in the 2009 drama 'Partner', I think becoming an actor was one of many options she could try.

Lee Ha-nui wears the K-movie true crown
It was through the movie ‘Tazza: Hand of God’ (director Kang Hyeong-cheol, 2014) that I began to learn the true taste of acting. Lee Ha-nui broke ground as an actor by playing the character Chief Cow, a character with a high level of exposure and great emotional amplitude. It was also at this time that the label ‘former Miss Korea actress’ was removed. In an interview at the time, Lee Ha-nui said, "I feel like I'm finally ready to act as an actor," and "I feel like I can do it stably no matter what kind of acting I do now."

Lee Ha-nui wears the K-movie true crown
Following 'Tazza: Hand of God', the movie 'Silence' (Director Jeong Ji-woo, 2017), in which she collaborated with actor Choi Min-sik, is a work that brought a turning point in Lee Ha-nui's acting spectrum. Lee Ha-nui mentioned ‘Silence’ as a meaningful work in every interview and reflected on its value several times, saying, “I am who I am today thanks to ‘Silence’.” In this work, Lee Ha-nui played the role of Yuna, who is murdered by her lover's daughter, and played a complex character in a three-dimensional way. I remember watching Lee Ha-nui's acting at the time and being surprised, 'Did she act that well?'

Lee Ha-nui, who worked tirelessly, soared to career highs in movies and dramas. In the movie 'Extreme Job' (directed by Lee Byung-hun, 2019), she rose to the ranks of 10 million actors, and the drama 'One the Woman' (written by Kim Yoon, directed by Choi Young-hoon, 2021) broke everyone's concerns about being the 'top female lead' and won 17% of the votes. It was a thrilling success in terms of viewership ratings. Lee Ha-nui has proven that her value as an actress is solid through the success of her works. It is the product of blood, sweat and tears that drove me to think, ‘I will definitely lose this savings someday’ while practicing acting, taking care of myself, and exercising.

Lee Ha-nui has already become Chungmuro's wannabe. He became a ‘coveted’ actor who came to mind when planning a new movie and became an inspiration to the director. The title 'Miss Korea', which Lee Ha-nui must have wanted to get rid of at some point in the past, has instead become a decoration that reminds us that she has become a real actor who has risen to the top, the best among former Miss Korea actors with both intelligence and beauty.

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