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'Singles' Paves Road for Actor Lee Beom-su
review by Kim Hee-sun
October 07, 2003
Read: 628
Whether it’s performing on stage or in the movies, actor Lee Beom-su(a.k.a Lee Bum-su) has always dished out a spectacular presentation of fire and heart which ultimately received domestic recognition riding on the success of the feminist comedy, Singles.
Despite admonition from his parents to choose a more ``reliable’’ profession, the strong-willed Lee began his love affair with the screen when he enrolled in the Department of Theater at Chung-ang University in Seoul back in the early 1980s. ``I chose my career path because I wanted to shun the ordinary while challenging myself to do something unique and creative’’ Lee says.
Following his 1990 debut film, ``Kurae, Kakkumun Hanulul Boja (Yes, Let’s Look Up At the Sky Now and Again),” Lee appeared in films including The Gingko Bed, City of the Rising Sun, The Anarchists, Jungle Juice and ``Wet Dreams.’’ Although he worked alongside widely popular performers such as Lee Byeong-heon and Song Seung-heon, Lee was unable to join their ranks until the successful turnout of the domestic version of HBO’s ``Sex in the City,’’ befittingly titled ``Singles.’’
Centered around two 29-year-old single, working women, ``Singles’’ dealt seriously with the topic of gender discrimination in the workplace and sex or procreation outside marriage, as an institution whereby women are forced to seek social and legal dependence on men. By properly seasoning the movie with a good dose of humor and an all-too-happy ending, producers were able to draw in a large audience of single, working women and their boyfriends. ``It’s ironic, but I originally didn’t want to do this movie. I only decided to participate because of a personal request from a friend,’’ Lee says.
``Singles’’ may have provided the foreground to his overnight stardom, but behind his success lie years of perseverance, tireless effort and charisma.
``I hold with high regard the works of Al Pachino, Robert De Niro, Edward Norton and Benicio Del Toro because they have charisma. Charisma is the element that gives performers the power to captivate and entice viewers, thereby confirming their existence,’’ Lee hesitated slightly before continuing, ``I believe that I too encompass this quality.’’
Whether it’s his ``charisma,’’ bright disposition, or a combination of both, it seems as if the once obscure actor is on his way to becoming a household name. His next movie with actor/model Lee Jeong-jae, Oh! Brothers, hit theaters last Friday. Interviews from both stars have filled newsstands and heavy airtime of the trailer has already reduced millions to fits of laughter.
``Oh! Brothers’’ starts off with Oh Sang-woo, played by Lee Jung-jae, who has just inherited his father’s debt unawares. With the intention of alleviate this liability, he seeks his half brother Oh Bong-gu, played by Lee Bum-su. Like the bittersweet comedy ``Jack’’ featuring Robin Williams, Bong-gu suffers from progeria, a premature aging disease which speeds up the growth process to four times as fast. The introduction of a juvenile that resembles the Korean mafia gives rise to a crazy scheme and an unbreakable bond between the two Ohs.
Unlike Robin Williams` memorable depiction of a 10-year-old that made viewers laugh simply because they were reminded of their own childhood, Lee’s acting seems overly exaggerated at times. ``The two characters come from different backgrounds and are faced with different circumstances,’’ explains Lee Bum-su. Nonetheless, the 33-year-old delivers a blue-ribbon performance, especially his lively imitation of Chucky from ``Child’s Play.’’
Barely reaching 171cm, the lover of tall women has reached great heights as an actor. However, Lee Bum-su doesn’t seem to let up for a minute. Having barely enjoyed some playtime with his golden retriever, the fan of rocker Jeon In-kwon has already started filming his next movie, ``Hello, U.F.O.’’ In it, he takes up the role as a diffident bus-driver named Sang-hyun who falls in love with a blind yet blithe passenger named Kyung-woo, played by Lee Eun-ju. ``Regardless of your fame, the entertainment business consists of endless ups and downs. If you don’t take your work seriously, the audience will forget you,’’ Lee says.
(courtesy of KoreaTimes) |
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发表于 2004-8-9 02:42
