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| ▲ This photo, provided by Walt Disney Company, shows Lee Dong-hwi. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
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| ▲ This photo, provided by Walt Disney Company, shows Lee Dong-hwi from a scene in 'Big Bet.' (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
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| ▲ This photo, provided by Walt Disney Company, shows Lee Dong-hwi from a scene in 'Big Bet.' (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
SEOUL, Mar. 25 (Yonhap) -- South Korean actor Lee Dong-hwi, who played Yang Jung-pal in the Disney+ series “Big Bet,” has had several comments playfully criticizing his character written on his social space.
The crime series, which unveiled the finale of the second season last Wednesday, wrapped up with a rather appalling conclusion capturing the betrayal of Yang.
Yang was the least expected to betray Cha Moo-sik (played by Choi Min-sik) as he was his most trusted and closest subordinate who supported Cha. However, there were scenes hinting at such a tragic ending by portraying his untrustworthiness as he was shameless enough to borrow money and not give back, as well as narrow-minded. He also gets entangled in frequent incidents and accidents while trying to steal money behind someone’s back.
Whenever Yang is driven to the edge of a cliff, it was Cha who saved him from the pitfall. Nevertheless, Yang is found to be the one who pushes Cha to fall off the cliff.
In regards to Yang’s betrayal, the actor said, “I have been getting a lot of hateful comments due to the betrayal of my role. However, as a viewer myself, I can totally understand,” expressing his true feelings mixed with a slight dissatisfaction.
“We had a lot of discussions on who would kill Cha Moo-sik until the very end,” the actor recalled. “At the beginning of the series, actor Choi said that he wanted Cha to disappear just in a second to the point where it feels like he never existed. However, I did not expect that would exactly be the ending of our series.”
The 37-year-old actor said, “On the other hand, it was nice to watch that such a lucky person (Cha Moo-sik) eventually faces such a distasteful end, “ adding, “From Jung-pal’s point of view, he probably did not want to actually kill Cha Moo-sik, but he seemed to have pulled the trigger by watching his colleague Sang-gu getting killed.”
“I thought I could be stoned when we all watched the final episode of the series together at the theater. I wanted some bodyguards to take me back home,” the actor said with jest.
Jung-pal’s betrayal was quite a shock to the viewers due to the trust and loyalty Cha had and showed to him. Cha Moo-sik always gets over Yang Jung-pal who clings to him by shedding false tears and gives him one more chance to make up for what he had done wrong. Even when Yang gets embroiled in a quite intimidating accident, Cha was the one who took care of the situation saying that he wishes to make Yang a man.
Lee Dong-hwi said that the most difficult task for him as an actor was to help viewers comprehend the relationship between Cha and Yang, adding that his greatest regret was not being able to capture the duo’s rather unfathomable relationship sufficiently through acting.
Earlier in an interview, actor Choi Min-sik also commented on the relationship between the duo, saying, “Jung-pal is like a disobedient son,” adding, “There is actually no reason for Cha to take care of him as he did. However, I guess that is what relationships are. We are attracted by no reason. Just as there are some people who we hate for no reason, there are also some who we think cannot just leave alone no matter how messed up they are.”
Meanwhile, Lee Dong-hwi said that he even tried to relate to Yang by reading articles about criminals who ran away after cheating.
He said, “Jung-pal only thinks about himself,” explaining, “He does not have the slightest responsibility since he just does not pay back the money he borrowed from someone else. As I struggled to relate to him, I doubted whether viewers could.”
Although Lee certainly seemed to have a lot of regrets about Yang’s narrative, it was his playful acting skills that made Yang Jung-pal be portrayed comically and also some might say, adorably. Lee has made himself known by playing comedic roles in the mega-hit television series “Reply 1988” and the smash-hit film “Extreme Job.”
The actor said, “It is true that I prefer playing comedic roles,” adding, “I feel grateful and delighted when I watch the audience busting into laughter by watching me act a scene. I even feel proud that I get to be the moment where they can just forget about their worrisome lives and laugh.”
“However, as an actor, I always want to challenge myself to go above and beyond my career,” Lee said. “As we actors must be chosen to be starred in a work, I am aware that I cannot always take the role that I wish to play.”
“While I did have some comedic scenes in ‘Big Bet,’ my character even gets more vicious in the upcoming film ‘Criminal City 4,’ which will be released next year,” the actor added. “I think I have been assigned homework to gradually expand my acting spectrum, and I wish to expand it step by step.”
(This article is translated from Korean to English by Ha eun Lee)
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