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Hallyu star Hyun Bin sits for an interview for his latest Disney+ release, Made in Korea.
Made in Korea is set in the 1970s and follows Baek Gi Tae (Hyun Bin), a man driven by ambition for wealth and power, and prosecutor Jang Gun Young (Jung Woo Sung), who risks everything to stop him. The story depicts the lives of monstrous individuals who came to be from this harsh and chaotic era.
Hyun Bin previously starred in director Woo Min Ho's film Harbin, where he portrayed a heavy character, and has shown another new transformation through the Disney+ drama.
"I think the director always tries to bring out something new. It seems like he enjoys doing that, and I really like that aspect. Personally, when I played Baek Gi Tae, I didn't think of him as a villain. I felt he was a character with charm because he isn't a simple villain. Of course, he does wrong things, but there are aspects of him you can understand, things you can empathize with. Yet, there's something not right about him. He's a bad guy, but I thought there might be room for him to still come across as charming."
He continued, "First of all, acting [in this drama] is fun. They were things I was trying for the first time myself. I added certain [kind of] behavior and expressions that I didn't show in Season 1 in Season 2... We're having fun filming. As we've been shooting so far, it feels like everything around us has been helping us slip into that era. It's fun to go to the set."
When asked whether he ever felt a sense of catharsis while portraying a character driven by desire, he replied, "He's someone who just charges straight ahead, isn't he? You can't really act that quickly or make such sharp, decisive calls in real life, so [this role gave me] a vicarious satisfaction."
Hyun Bin also shared that he gained 14 kg, without the director suggesting it.
"I think I was satisfied once I saw how [my body] filled the screen. I felt like what I had in mind worked out. Compared to Harbin, I think I gained about 13 to 14 kg. When I first read the script, I wanted the period setting, the circumstances of the era, the organization Gi Tae belongs to, the power of the times, and the sense of intimidation [that comes with all of it] to really emanate. In the airplane scene in episode 1, where he's [shown as] a businessman, the director said he wanted it to have a James Bond vibe — intimidating, but witty as well. I hoped Gi Tae's suit would fit snugly. That's what made me decide to gain weight. And I'm satisfied."
But, "Gaining weight was tough. While working out, I increased my muscle mass a lot. For Harbin, they asked me to get rid of all my muscle, so I didn't work out for a little over a year, for the first time ever. Then I had to build the muscle back up again, and that wasn't easy. At first, it was painful. I wasn't bulking up to show off a muscular body, so my diet was not that strict. That said, I didn't eat recklessly. I stuck to a diet, also ate regular meals, and handled it in a more flexible way."
As for whether playing Baek Gi Tae helped him gain an understanding of the real people who were in the Korean Central Intelligence Agency in the 1970s, he said, "It's really difficult. It's not easy to [gain an] understanding [of them]. I think Gi Tae is that kind of person. This might be an extension of what I was saying before, but I think everyone experiences moments like the ones Gi Tae faces, where they have to make decisions, and it's not just in business. When you make that choice, it comes down to how you rationalize it and whether that goes against your conscience. When choosing between success and conscience, there isn't really a clear standard, right? I think Gi Tae is that kind of person. In real life too, those who rationalized their actions, [believing they] tried to help the country and contribute to it, might say it was justified. But those who didn't take that path would ask, 'How is that patriotism?' I think that's also the question Made in Korea and the character are posing. It just keeps throwing the question without giving an answer for success and conscience. While playing Baek Gi Tae, I thought GitTae could be a mirror. Aren't there people even in this day and age who could end up becoming someone like Gi Tae if they let their guard down?"
"I think viewers will probably feel the same way I do. This may just be my wish, but I hope it's a work that raises questions. Although the series is set in South Korea in the 1970s, from what I see, these are things that could absolutely happen even today, and I don't think it's something limited to Korea. I felt it's a story that resonated with people overseas as well, and I hope it prompts questions about the present day."
The authoritative demeanor Baek Gi Tae has toward his younger brother Baek Gi Hyeon (Woo Do Hwan) is said to be Jung Woo Sung's idea. Hyun Bin explained, "Since it's a generation from before I was even born, when I looked into the times and listened to people talk about them, [I found that] things were much stricter and more conservative than they are now. And especially in the relationship between the elder and younger brother, there was a level of strictness, fear, and intimidation similar to that which was almost like in a father-son relationship, or even more." "Jung Woo Sung sunbae said that this was something that existed in the past and that it would be good if it came through in Gi Tae and Gi Hyeon's relationship."
Is Hyun Bin a strict father to his child in real life? "I still don't really know what counts as being strict when raising a child," adding, "I don't think I've ever gotten angry." He laughed and added, "But since I'm basically a bigger guy physically, I think my child might feel, 'He's not an easy opponent.'"
On how he has changed after marriage and becoming a father, he said, "Even if I hadn't gotten married, I think I would've had the same ambitions as an actor," but added, "After having a child, I definitely developed this desire to become someone who can proudly tell my child someday, 'Your dad was this kind of an actor.'"
"As I've had new experiences and gotten older, and the time I've spent on set has added up, I think those things naturally seep into my acting," the actor shared.
