Actor Lee Joon-ki became the nation's heartthrob when he played an effeminate court jester in the country's most viewed film of all time, "The King and the Clown". But Lee said when he prepared for a new movie it was difficult and challenging to emerge from the shadow of the powerful image he projected in the hit film.
"I thought if I created a macho character for the new film, audiences may find it really strange because of my role in `King and the Clown"', Lee said Wednesday during a news conference that was followed by the screening of his new film "Fly, Daddy, Fly" at Seoul Theater in Chongno, downtown Seoul. "I was worried I might create the worst character of my career".
But he said he is not stressed anymore as he is now very confident about his role in the new film.
As his new character is physically stronger than the one in "The King and the Clown", he intentionally put on weight and took boxing lessons for three months.
"Putting on and losing weight is not such a difficult job for actors, but when I had to learn rock wall climbing, it was kind of scary as I have acrophobia", Lee said half-jokingly. "I have seen what's behind the horror".
The film is based on the Japanese popular novel with the same title. The novel's film version was first made in Japan last year, but it was not commercially successful.
But the Korean version has drew high expectation since Lee was cast for the film early this year.
The film revolves around office worker Chang Ka-pil (played by Lee Moon-sik), who leads an ordinary life with his adorable wife and 17-year-old daughter.
But a crisis knocks on Chang's door when his daughter is severely beaten by a high school student boxer from a noble family. He finds out that there is nothing he can do for his daughter.
To prove that he is not a coward and will do anything for his family, he decides to take revenge. And he asks Ko Sung-suk (by Lee Joon-ki), a high school student with talent for fighting, to train him for the seemingly impossible task.
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