Behind-the-Scenes Confession After 13 Years: Park Hae-joon Recalls Slapping Kim Min-hee So Hard Her Mouth Bled
More than a decade after the release of “Helpless” (2012), actor Park Hae-joon is opening up about a brutal behind-the-scenes moment that left co-star Kim Min-hee with a bleeding mouth, all for the sake of a single perfect take.
In a new episode of YouTube’s “Jjanhanhyung,” hosted by Shin Dong-yup, Park shared stories alongside fellow actor Yoo Hae-jin, reflecting on some of his most talked-about scenes and iconic lines.
One line in particular, “Falling in love isn’t a crime, is it?”, delivered by Park in Helpless, became a viral catchphrase that took on a life of its own. Known as “Sabenjoea” (a shortened form of the famous line), the line was widely parodied in Korean media, including on shows like “Amazing Saturday.”
When asked how he felt about the unexpected fame of the quote, Park responded with sincerity, “I didn’t realize it would become such a big thing. I meant it genuinely in that moment.”
He laughed off the attention when Shin Dong-yup joked if that line reflected his personal philosophy.
A Harsh One-Take Scene with Real Consequences
The conversation took a more serious turn when co-host Jung Ho-chul brought up the unforgettable scene in Helpless where Park’s loan shark character slaps Kim Min-hee’s character, Cha Kyung-seon.
Park recounted the moment with a mix of regret and professional necessity, “In slap scenes, you have to make it look real. There’s no room for mistakes, you need to get it right in one take.”
Unfortunately, that meant delivering a powerful strike that caused more damage than intended. “Later, at the after-party, Kim Min-hee came over and quietly said, ‘My mouth bled from that slap.’ It wasn’t out of emotion. I just had to make it convincing.”
Fellow guest Yoo Hae-jin sympathized, noting how hard it is to film such scenes, “You can’t hold back. If you do, you’ll just end up repeating it multiple times, which can be even worse.”
Park, whose intense performance as a nameless loan shark in “Helpless” helped cement his career, reflected on how much the role meant to him, “I was thrilled to be given such a strong character. At the premiere, they introduced me as ‘the loan shark’ because he didn’t even have a name. I loved it.”
While time has passed since “Helpless” first hit theaters, Park Hae-joon’s raw honesty about that unforgettable scene, and his deep respect for co-star Kim Min-hee, adds new depth to one of Korean cinema’s most gripping thrillers.
