Lee Byung-hun

Hello, this is Lee Byung-hun. “Gwanghae: The Man Who Became King” is out in bookstores.
There’s a record of Prince Gwanghae’s 15-day disappearance, after being threatened with poison.

The record was used as a foundation for this movie.

In the midst of danger, Gwanghae finds someone to pose as him, which is a man named Hasun.
Hasun goes into this thinking that he’ll make some money if he does what he’s told and pretends to be king for 15 days.

But he gets sucked into the political system, and starts to believe that he’s meant to fulfill a bigger role.

Hasun gradually departs from his identity, and acts as though he is Gwanghae himself. That’s basically what the movie is about.

The book contains scenes that the movie doesn’t have, and there are some twists, and also a different ending.

They both have their own unique portrayal.

Though they both tell the same story, I think the movie is definitely different from the book.

I don’t think I could do it. Before doing the movie, I thought otherwise, but after we finished shooting, I realized that not anyone can be king…

You can’t give your all to just one individual, and your personal feelings can’t get involved.
It’s not just about dominating the political system, either. I think being a king means…

possessing a complex and diverse character.
That’s what I got out of the film.
Even if someone says they would make me king, I’d turn them down.