Lee Hye Young talks about the injuries she suffered while filming 'The Old Woman with the Knife'

Actress Lee Hye Young opens up about the difficulties she faced performing action scenes in The Old Woman with the Knife.

The Old Woman with the Knife follows Hornclaw (Lee Hye Young), a legendary assassin in her sixties, who has worked in an organization that eliminates human trash for over 40 years, and the young assassin Bullfight (Kim Sung Cheol), who has sought her all his life. 

In a recent interview with Herald POP at a café in Seoul, Lee revealed that she suffered a rib injury during filming.

Lee Hye Young said, "I didn't think the role of Hornclaw suited me. I didn't even want to do it because she felt too much like a grandma," but added, "However, the strength she possessed was captivating."

She continued, "There wasn't much action in the original novel, so when the director said he was making it into an action film, I felt anxious and scared," and added, "At first, he said I wouldn't have to do any action, but then people who had read the novel said they wished there was a bit more action. So he asked, 'Should we add some?' I think there were ways to portray Hornclaw without relying heavily on action. But it seems like he gradually got more ambitious."Lee Hye Young also confessed, "I cracked a rib during the kidnapping scene. I fell hard and couldn't breathe. I was lying still on the sofa [to heal]," and continued, "But we had to finish within the scheduled period, so I kept going in that condition. Then I hurt another rib. I'd broken three ribs in total. A wave of anxiety and loneliness hit me — 'What if I wreck my body and the film doesn't even turn out well?'"

She went on to recall, "Even just filming a jogging scene meant I had to go to the orthopedist. When Cho Yeop [Ok Ja Yeon] subdued me, my wrist hurt so badly I had to go to the hospital," and added, "It was hot, but I had to wear thermals for protection. There were so many things that disrupted my immersion in the role. It was physically exhausting, and standing on the line between emotion and technique wasn't easy. After shooting an action scene, I'd wake up in the middle of the night, and it would even appear in my dreams. Unlike Hornclaw, I'm actually someone who trembles with fear."

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