“I think he made a rational rather than emotional decision,” says Lee Min-ho, discussing the direction his character is taking in Pachinko, the international series of Apple TV+ that was filmed in South Korea, Japan and the United States. The 34-year-old actor brings to life Koh Hansu, a man of power in the port who wears the most elegant outfits and seems to be immune to everything... except the charm of Sunja (Kim Min-ha), a beautiful and charismatic young woman who saw a day pass by the market. Both lose their minds and consume this immediate attraction, but when she becomes pregnant she learns that they could never get married because he has a wife and family who live far from the fishing village of Yeongdo District.
“He tells Sunja that marriage is just a formality. In fact, it could resonate with him in that vein, because at that time marriage was really not romantic and was not something dreamy or idealistic,” explains the South Korean star in conversation with Infobae through a video call. In the 1910s, marital unions were rarely given out of love, and they were more of a contract in which women had to be placed under the protection of a man.
Along the same lines, he admits that there is no “husband and wife” ending, but Hansu leaves the promise to Sunja to take good care of her and love her. “I think it was his way of expressing love to Sunja,” says Lee Min-ho. But, in itself, this passionate subject alone and cold in front of the rest, has nothing to envy others mainly for his safety to function and also because of his excellent taste to dress that makes him stand out in a crowd.
As he details, the outfits of his fictional pair have more to do with a breastplate and a kind of defense for the rest. The only person who managed to break it literally and metaphorically was Sunja, either through her words or displays of affection which, for him, could have meant the best thing that happened to him in life, even though his masculinity — driven even more by a sharp macho context — prevents him from fully accepting his deepest feelings.
“At that time, for Hansu, my character, his wardrobe was like a protective shield for him. So he wears these fancy clothes, these stylish wardrobes, that would protect him from the rest. I think it was a very fun and happy experience for me to be able to choose from these trendy items and show my passion for Hansu,” he says about the costumes with which he shone in the episodes of Pachinko.
Lee Min-ho and Kim Min-ha share very intimate scenes in front of the cameras and needed to communicate very often in order to reach an ideal point of trust to record the most intense moments, be they love or resentment. The Asian artist believes that “it is very important that you feel relaxed with the person in front of you as well” in order to maintain that versatility and chemistry between actors for fiction.
“Before filming, I would make the environment as comfortable for her to come and talk to me and so would I talk to her,” she tells of her interaction with Min-ha, who, in turn, she describes as “such a passionate and diligent actress.” “I was also very encouraged and comfortable with her,” he adds.
Lee Min-ho goes for more in film and TV after Pachinko
“I'm not completely satisfied with my career,” confesses the Korean drama star with complete ease. His impetus led him to expand further into this perception of himself when asked how he analyzes the performance he has had in recent years: “I could have been more prolific, I would hope I had been in more productions. So in the future I want to be in more stories, more productions and have a longer filmography.”
Pachinko marks his first time in a title originally produced by a digital platform, however, it is not his debut in the streaming world. In fact, he was recently seen on The King: Eternal Monarch, which was released through the South Korean channel SBS and Netflix. In his native country, he has been quite a phenomenon for more than a decade for his participation in I Am Sam, Boys Over Flowers, City Hunter, Faith, The Heirs and more successful k-dramas.
The first three episodes of Pachinko will be released on 25 March in the Apple TV+.
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