“Son Ye-jin Might Have Felt Lonely” Hyun Bin Shares Honest Thoughts as a Novice Father
On Dec 19th, My Daily met Hyun Bin at a café in Samcheong-dong, Seoul to discuss his upcoming film “Harbin”.
“Harbin” depicts the intense pursuit and suspicion between those heading to Harbin in 1909 with a singular purpose and those chasing them. The film features Hyun Bin as Ahn Jung-geun, joined by Park Jeong-min (Woo Deok-sun), Jo Woo-jin (Kim Sang-hyun), Jeon Yeo-been (Ms. Gong), Yoo Jae-myung (Choi Jae-hyung) and Lee Dong-wook (Lee Chang-seop), portraying independence fighters. They navigate tumultuous events as they travel from Vladivostok to Harbin, aiming to assassinate Itō Hirobumi (Lily Franky) while evading Japanese forces.
Hyun Bin expressed no concerns about taking on the project as a Hallyu star. He stated, “It’s a painful part of our country’s history, and one that must not be forgotten. As a Korean actor, I was grateful for the opportunity to participate. While portraying a real-life figure was burdensome, I also saw it as a meaningful chance.”
He added, “Right before starting this work, my child was born. I thought about telling him one day, ‘When you were born, your father was working on a movie about a significant figure in our country’s history.’ I wanted to ensure I completed this project well, even for my child’s sake.”
Describing himself as a “normal dad”, Hyun Bin reflected, “I think I’m like any other parent. There’s nothing particularly different. I’m still contemplating what kind of father I want to be. My own father had strict aspects, but as I grew older, we became closer. I’m not sure if that’s just my experience or common among fathers and sons. Sometimes, I wonder if I should be like a friend, but then I think that might not be right. A strict father doesn’t seem to fit today’s times. I haven’t figured it out yet. I’m a novice dad, and it’s something I’ve never done before, so I’m finding my way.”
Hyun Bin also expressed gratitude for Son Ye-jin’s encouragement during filming. “I was constantly on set, and my wife might have felt lonely. Hearing her say ‘You worked hard’ gave me so much strength. I’m sure it wasn’t easy for her either, so I’m thankful for her support. She understood, as an actress, how challenging this project was.”
When asked if he plans to show his child the works he starred in with Son Ye-jin, Hyun Bin laughed, saying, “Of course, both ‘The Negotiation’ and ‘Crash Landing on You’—I’ll show them all. Mostly his mom’s projects first.” Asked how he would feel if his child wanted to pursue acting, he replied, “If that’s what he wants, what could I say? My father couldn’t stop me either.”
“Harbin” is set to premiere on Dec 24th.
