Ys Sunflower

When IU, which means ‘You and I become one’, looks at actress Lee Jieun, one can tell that she has an accurate ambition. When asked whether she relies more on her instinct or analysis, she replied humbly, “I tend to reflect a lot of the sensations from my own experiences in my acting, so it’s still difficult for me to process things that I have never experienced before myself”, but after watching ‘Broker’, based on her acting, one can tell she tried hard to be someone who walked the path of a single mother for a short period of time. In her own words, Lee Jieun aspires to be relatable with the world, like it’s the spire of life, as she sings and acts. She believes that to connect with someone, rather than distinguishing herself (from that person), it’s better to candidly show how ordinary she herself is. Being in the 15th year since she debuted, as a public singer, there is not another peak for her, but as an actress, to Lee Jieun who is stepping on the Cannes red carpet for her first main role in a movie in her 30s, she still has an unexpected mood of shaking off her ego sometimes, which is fascinating, yet natural at the same time. Also, this rare talent whenever it appears as a lonely closeup of the actress in ‘My Mister’ or ‘Broker’, gives the feeling of a small candle lighting up the darkness.

Q: When you are producing for your album or work on your drama or movie, you give the impression that depending on the timing, after deciding on a definite goal, you would surpass that goal. What was your motivation behind selecting ‘Broker’ this time?

IU: If I were to answer simply, I wanted to try working together with director Koreeda Hirokazu. He made many of the movies that I like, so with the opportunity to work with such a great director, of course I should accept it and that was one of the reasons. Another was that since I was among the last to be casted, I was really looking forward to working with my sunbaenims. Of course, I would have to do a lot of homework, but even if it’s a tall order, I couldn’t give up such an opportunity.

Q: Director Koreeda Hirokazu revealed that he was captivated by your image in ‘My Mister’ and decided to cast you. Both the characters of Ji-an and So-young seem to embrace a similar darkness in a way.

IU: Perhaps due to that, in the initial stages of production, the director mainly put aside the similarities between the two and explained to me So-young’s character. The difference between them is that So-young is a more expressive person than Ji-an. I interpreted So-young as someone who was to hide her identity, based on her stoic expression and smoky makeup. I discussed a lot with the director about my interpretation of her as someone with a very strong defence mechanism. That’s how the first half of the movie painted So-young as a character who doesn’t show her true self.

Q: At the 2018 32nd Golden Disk Awards, you told the artists during your award acceptance speech which became a hot topic, “When we try not to express our feelings, we end up getting ill and I hope no one falls ill this way.” Compared to Ji-an in ‘My Mister’, So-young seems to be better at expressing her own requests.

IU: She’s someone who hates the world and is defensive, but she can’t hold herself back, so it can’t be helped that she’s someone who expresses her feelings well. (Laughs) Over the years as I filmed in dramas, I’ve come across quite a few roles that don’t allow the person to express their feelings. On the other hand, So-young gets angry if she feels angry and if she doesn’t like it, she’ll definitely say so. I realized that for example, “Is it necessary to say all those useless things?” she will say whatever comes to her mind like this, even if it’s just to utter one sentence to get it off her chest, she’s not someone who keeps her feelings to herself, thinking about that, I actually felt a little glad for her.

Q: Your character of a single mother who abandons her child and joins the baby brokers, with a deep and unique personality that is difficult to bring out these subtle details. Was there anything that you were troubled by?

IU: It’s true that when I think of So-young, I feel sorry and am fond of her, yet I’m afraid of approaching her, not knowing exactly how to solve this. She’s someone who has never had a plan in life, which is very different from me. As someone who survived bravely doing what she feels like day by day, she suddenly had someone she needed to protect and starts to learn to be responsible at a later age than others. I wondered what kind of transformation someone like this would go through and was worried for So-young’s future at the same time. I had all kinds of complicated feelings as I scrutinized this character in detail.

Q: You appeared in the movie with smoky makeup and frizzy long dyed hair. When you stand on the stage, your whole style from head to toe is up to the producer, but as an actress, how involved are you in your styling?

IU: Starting from the initial production meeting stage, the makeup and fashion team leaders explained to us the image they would be going for and I liked all their ideas. There weren’t many parts that I offered my own ideas for in ‘Broker’. I told them as long as I can do it, I’ll use all that they have. As I started filming right after I ended my (LILAC) album promotions in 2021, the styling caused a lot of damage to my hair. My hair in ‘Broker’ was a combination of various dyes and bleaching and with yellow hair extensions added on top of that. One thing that I was concerned about was that I unintentionally lost a lot of weight during my album promotions and wasn’t sure if my physical state would be alright, so I asked the director. He said that since So-young is someone who has been through a lot, a lean image would be fine, but from connecting with the characters in the movie and as she regains her vigour, it would be good if I could show more of the image of someone who eats well.

Q: [Spoilers removed] Was there a moment during the ‘Broker’ filming that you felt you had to remove your mask?

IU: At some point in the movie, So-young removed all her smoky makeup and showed her true self. Strangely, I felt a lot more at ease once all the makeup was gone. Just like So-young, in the first half of the filming, I was alone a lot, but after that I think I gradually changed.

(T/L note: Still pending magazine scans to translate the actual magazine interview - some qns are different from this online version.)

Translated by IUteamstarcandy

I keep getting hurt whenever I take off my ring. I’m not used to it yet.

— Carol Gilligan (insp.)

***Spoilers***

- Ji Won’s face when she finds the watch

- Hyun Soo slowly, and then suddenly, realizing that Ji Won knows who he is

- Hyun Soo being scared that Eun Ha won’t like him/will inherit his sociopathy

- Hyun Soo’s panic attacks

- “I only believe what I see with my own eyes”

- Ji Won making him realize he’s capable of love and emotion

- Ji Won having sex with Hyun Soo even after realizing who he is, loving him too much to pull way until she has proof that she should

- Ji Won calling the child psychologist and screaming at her for failing Hyun Soo

- Hyun Soo believing that he’s an emotionless, manipulative sociopath even as he literally loves, cares for, and protects his family with his entire heart

- Hyun Soo repeatedly NOT killing people

- “I want to go home, Ji Won”

- THE EGG TARTS

- Hyun Soo completely losing it when he think Ji Won is dead

- And then still hesitating to kill Hee Seong!

- Ji Won begging Detective Choi to not go after Hyun Soo and Choi trusting her instincts

- WHERE THE MORNING STAR RESTS

- “I see dead people…”

- Ji Won being the only thing that banished Hyun Soo’s hallucinations of his father

- Hyun Soo standing guard outside Ji Won’s shop without ever expecting her to know or care

- Hyun Soo being so guilty and sad after holding Ji Won at (blunt) knifepoint

- Ji Won just full-on handcuffing herself to Hyun Soo out of loyalty and spite

- Moo Jin owning up to his complicity in front of Director Baek

- Hyun Soo going all human-shield for Ji Won even as he’s trying to escape from her

- Hyun Soo’s dream before he loses his memories

- Hyun Soo having to wear his wedding ring to do metalwork without injuring himself

- Ji Won being willing to let him go in the end even though she still loves him and remembers their life together

- Ji Won putting his wedding ring back on his finger

- All the tearful kisses

- “He’s the father of my child. He’s my family, my person.” 

- Hyun Soo and Ji Won sobbing together in the car

- Hyun Soo hearing Eun Ha call out to him and instinctively going into Dad Mode even though he has ACTUAL AMNESIA

- Hyun Soo’s mind forgetting Ji Won and Eun Ha but his body and heart remembering them completely 

- Hyun Too getting to revisit his original self and become who he always could have been, with his family and friends finally, truly by his side

And yet their love story turned out to be one of the most beautiful I've read. (this is what happens when the pregnancy trope is done well by the author lol)

One night stand but has less drama. The antagonist is a psychopath bi***. But it's really worth it to read.

[Manhwa Completed - 72 chapters]