Hyun Bin Shoots Right Through Everyone’s Hearts as ‘Romeo of the Hour’

It is without a question that Hyun Bin has everyone under his magic spell, and it seems like the public’s fancy for this actor wouldn’t die down anytime soon.

After appearing as Kim Joowon in the highly rated and popular drama Secret Garden recently, he swept the hearts of female fans not just in Korea, but all over Asia by storm, solidifying his status in the entertainment industry as one of the most sought after leading men of this generation. At the moment, he is also promoting two movies namely Late Autumn and Come Rain, Come Shine where he currently starred in. And it is but pride for the 28 year old actor that both his projects were invited to the prestigious Berlin Film Festival.

Currently, Late Autumn which also stars Chinese actress Tang Wei is showing in the Berlinale’s Forum section. Meanwhile, Come Rain, Come Shine, his other movie with Korean actress  Im Soojung, is the only Asian film in the competition pool. It is said that the official winners of the aforementioned film festival will be proclaimed on Saturday. And so, before officially joining the Marine Corps next month, Hyun Bin will be flying all the way to Germany to attend the occasion, after he was reported to have been given special permission from the Defense Ministry.

Last Monday, marked the star’s last public appearance in Korea before he joins the Marines. When asked about his feelings for being invited in an international film fest, he remarked:

“It’s an honor to be invited to Berlin for two works. I’m wrapping up a chapter in my life as an actor. I’m about to mark a ‘comma’ (with the military service) and I’m ecstatic to have such a fortunate experience before doing so. I want to enjoy the festival as much as I possibly can, since there’s a packed schedule for competition pieces. As for winning awards, I leave it up to Providence.”

Even his Late Autumn co-star Tang Wei, who is aware of his immense popularity stated, “I know a lot of reporters and fans are here to hear from Hyun Bin.”

And even tried to imitate one of the many famous phrases from Secret Garden by saying “Hyun Bin washong, Hyun Bin washong,” which means, “Hyun Bin is here, Hyun Bin is here” in English despite her little knowledge in the Korean language, which reportedly made the audience burst into laughter.

Late Autumn is a film by Director Kim Taeyong, which was shot in Seattle, and it is about a romance between a Chinese prisoner (Tang Wei) and a young Korean man who is a gigolo (Hyun). On the other hand, Come Rain, Come Shine; which was directed by Lee Yoonki, is a story about a couple who is on the brink of a divorce.

With regards to his role in Late Autumn, he stated that it is about “A man and woman from different cultural and linguistic backgrounds not only fall in love but experience something beyond romantic feelings, and I hope the audience can perceive that.” Meanwhile, when asked about his character in Come Rain, Come Shine, he said that he plays as “An introverted young man who silently helps his wife, who is leaving him for another man by packing her belongings. I had to tone things down a lot for my role, and I had to keep thinking about how to express myself without expressing too much.”

Worried that the public will associate his previous role in Secret Garden to his new roles in the two aforesaid movies Hyun Bin explained how fans shouldn’t look forward to a role similar to Kim Joowon. 

“Viewers expecting to see Joowon might be disappointed. But anyone can easily empathize with the experience of breaking up, which is heartbreaking but at the same time opens up the possibility for new beginnings and new kinds of joy. I hope the audience can relate to these feelings while viewing the film.”

When asked about his thoughts on the actor in a separate occasion, the female lead Im Soojung for Come Rain, Come Shine remarked, “It was a great opportunity to work on an experimental film with such a talented actor and wonderful director.” Come Rain, Come Shine is set to premiere in Korea on March 3, while Late Autumn will start showing in theaters on Thursday for the general public to see. The latter, which was showed at the Busan and Toronto International Film Festivals, respectively; is also reported to compete at the Fribourg International Film Festival on March 19 to 26 in Switzerland.

True enough, Hyun Bin’s overflowing charisma and undeniable talent as an actor in every role he plays, makes him worthy for the title ‘Romeo of the Hour’. 

Source: The Korea Times
Written by: eren@kpoplive.com