Actress Lee Sun-bin (31) is taking on the role of a 'horror queen' this summer.
The film 'Noise', which will be released on the 26th, is a reality horror thriller where the main character, Joo-young, searches for her missing younger sister in an apartment complex plagued by daily noise complaints, facing mysterious events along the way. Directed by Kim Soo-jin, this is her feature film debut, and Lee Sun-bin plays the role of Joo-young, who is on a quest to find her missing sister.
Having appeared in her first horror film, Lee Sun-bin expressed, "I'm really nervous right now. I love horror, but I'm excited yet worried about how to connect with the audience," sharing her feelings ahead of the release.
She continued, "I've loved horror thrillers since I was young, so I've watched all the horror movies and webtoons. I also watch a lot of horror YouTube channels. There's a famous horror YouTuber named Yoon Si-won, whom I often follow. We even invited him to our screening, and he gave feedback that the elements in our film were well-researched, which made me relieved."
Although she is a 'horror fanatic', she hesitated to take on the challenge until she was drawn to the theme of 'noise complaints'.
She said, "When I received the offer, I was excited but also worried about whether I would fit this genre. I've had several offers for horror films since I was a rookie, but I turned them down because I felt inadequate. This project was very attractive and I wanted to challenge myself, but I doubted whether my visuals or acting tone would suit it. I was worried because I don't think I have a sharp or sensitive face, but I found the courage to take on this role because of the strength of the theme."
She added, "The theme of noise complaints is something everyone can relate to, so it’s easy to empathize with. I felt confident that I could act as an ordinary Lee Sun-bin, even if it’s not specifically horror-themed, and I thought that if I took the courage to challenge myself, I could evoke empathy."
She also mentioned that playing a hearing-impaired character wasn't too difficult, stating, "It was important to express the degree of the disability. I asked the director a lot about when sounds are heard and what sounds are not, and it was well-explained in the script, so I didn't have major difficulties."
She continued, "As the film progressed, I had to create a sensitive expression, and since I was filming many tense scenes that consumed my emotions, I sometimes skipped meals, and my body naturally felt more sensitive. As emotions piled up, I felt overwhelmed. In the scenes where I had to express my emotions, I poured everything out. While Joo-young has her own emotions, I also vented my frustrations and experiences from my own life. I lost about 3 kg, and even without makeup, my face looked gaunt."
Interestingly, the most challenging part was acting with precise timing and calculations.
She explained, "When I act, even if there's nothing in front of me, I have to calculate that this scene will happen and act at the right timing, which is really difficult. I have to act in sync with the timing of the surprise, so I had to calculate a lot. Joo-young's character is in a state of not knowing anything, and that has to be captured on camera. But as an actor, I have to calculate everything thoroughly, which is challenging. It was a very intricate task."
Lee Sun-bin named actress Um Jung-hwa, with whom she worked in the film 'Okay Madam', as the 'horror queen' she aspires to be.
She reflected, "I was shocked after watching Um Jung-hwa's 'Aurora Princess'. Her eyelashes were so captivating, and I wondered how she could express such eye twitches. I could feel that intense atmosphere and her breath."
She continued, "My senior shows optimized expressions for any genre. When we worked together on 'Okay Madam', I felt like I could cry just looking at her moist eyes. She has charisma, and in person, she seems very youthful. It made me think, 'This is what real actors look like with such eyes.'
Lee Sun-bin also expressed her desire to earn the title of 'Noise Complaint Fighter' through this work.
She said, "I acted with sincerity, driven by my love for horror. I hope that the character and emotional expressions I portrayed in 'Noise' become memes. I would like the scenes where I am trembling in fear or being sensitive to be used as witty warnings for those suffering from noise complaints."
She added, "The public tends to remember impactful works, so they remember and appreciate my comedic side. However, I did a lot of serious, genre-specific acting in the beginning. At some point, I started doing more works with elements of situational comedy, and I’m glad that I can show a toned-down, different side of myself through this project. I think it has helped my acting career."
[Yang So-young, Star Today Reporter]
