Actor Shares Insights into His Silver Screen Journey as Occult Film Gains Acclaim

Courtesy of Showbox

Actor Lee Do-hyun, currently fulfilling mandatory military service until May 2025, discussed the challenges and excitement of his silver screen debut in the occult movie "Exhuma." The film, released on Feb. 22, has swiftly garnered recognition as one of the standout Korean films of 2024.

In a written interview through the film's distributor, Showbox, Lee expressed the significant challenge and slight intimidation he faced while acting for a big screen production, a new experience for him. The horror film revolves around two young shamans, Hwa-rim (Kim Go-eun) and Bong-gil (Lee), as they tackle a case from a wealthy Korean family in Los Angeles, ultimately uncovering sinister forces during an exhumation. 

▲ Actor Lee Do-hyun / Courtesy of ShowboxDirected by Jang Jae-hyun, "Exhuma" has dominated the local box office for 17 consecutive days, amassing over 7.5 million ticket sales as of Saturday.

Lee's portrayal of Bong-gil, a Generation Z shaman with a hipster flair, involved a complete physical transformation, including full-body tattoos. Despite the challenging makeup process, Lee embraced the opportunity, stating that it allowed him to discover a side of himself he hadn't known.

The actor viewed Bong-gil as a deeply humanistic character, emphasizing their humane qualities despite an edgy appearance. He interpreted the character as someone with a strong sense of responsibility, caring for Hwa-rim as a close confidant.

Portraying a shaman and experiencing possession by spirits presented immense challenges for Lee. To prepare for exorcism scenes and possession portrayals, he extensively studied Jang's previous movie, "The Priests" (2015), seeking guidance from consulting teachers and actor Kim.

Lee acknowledged the difficulty of delivering lines in Japanese and memorizing spiritual verses for the first time but credited the director and fellow actors for providing valuable advice, enabling him to meet the challenges head-on.

In his preparation, Lee drew inspiration from Jang's earlier works, particularly studying a possessed scene featuring actor Park So-dam in "The Priests."

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