Lee Je-hoon “I underwent surgery due to twisted intestine, received lethal dose of painkillers and signed death consent form”
Lee Je-hoon revealed that he couldn't bend his knees after filming "Escape", showing his passionate dedication to the role. He also shared his harrowing experience with ischemic colitis, which brought him close to death
Lee Je-hoon, who stars in the movie “Escape” (directed by Lee Jong-pil), shared his thoughts on the upcoming release during an interview held in Jongno, Seoul on June 20th.
Set to be released on July 3rd, the movie “Escape” depicts a life-and-death chase between North Korean soldier Kyu Nam (Lee Je-hoon), who begins his escape for tomorrow, and State Security Department Major Hyun Sang (Koo Kyo-hwan), who pursues him to protect today.
When asked if he anticipated the hardships after reading the script, Lee Je-hoon responded, “I expected it. The most challenging scenes were the running ones. The camera was mounted on a vehicle, and the actor had to follow it, but in reality, you can’t keep up with a moving car on foot. However, I was determined to follow it somehow.”
He confessed, “I was so out of breath that I thought I might stop breathing. But considering the situation where bullets were flying from behind, I felt that one must experience it to understand, so I recklessly ran. I collapsed from exhaustion many times.”
Regarding his knee ligament issue due to filming “Escape”, Lee Je-hoon said, “I can’t bend my knees when going down the stairs. I have to hold onto the railing. The doctor said it was likely due to overuse of the knees. It was saddening, but if asked whether I’d do it again in the same situation, I’d say ‘Yes’.“
Lee Je-hoon also underwent surgery for ischemic colitis last October. Sharing his current health status, he said, “I’m managing my health diligently. It was like a traffic accident; my intestine twisted. If it doesn’t untwist, it can necrotize and rot.”
He recounted the ordeal, “It was a life-or-death situation. The pain was unbearable, and I reached the lethal dose of painkillers. I signed a death consent form before the surgery. As I drifted into unconsciousness, memories of my life flashed by.”
Reflecting on that moment, he said, “I thought, ‘What have I done? I filmed ‘Escape’, ‘Moral Hazard’ and ‘Chief Detective 1958’. Will I die without completing ‘Chief Detective 1958′?’ Then I woke up and was alive.“
