On April 23, a video titled “Director Byun Young Joo Ep.3 | The Actor Lee Sun Kyun I Remember, ‘Helpless’ and the Gift He Left Me | Driving with Bang Eun Jin” was uploaded to the YouTube channel Cine Drive. The episode featured an intimate conversation between Byun Young Joo and fellow director Bang Eun Jin.
Reflecting on the filming of Helpless back in 2012, Byun shared that the production faced significant challenges, particularly during a crucial final shoot in Yongsan. Due to tight scheduling and budget constraints, actors had to move quickly between different scenes.
She recalled, “At that time, Sun Kyun came up to me and said, ‘Give me just 15 minutes.’ He added that even if the emotions might shift, he would match the blocking perfectly.” After the Yongsan shoot wrapped, Byun said she was exhausted when she received a call from Lee Sun Kyun. “He told me, ‘Don’t leave like that come back.’ When I returned, he was sitting at a seafood restaurant, and we ended up sharing drinks together,” she remembered fondly.
Byun described Lee Sun Kyun as an actor who made her feel like he was always “on her side,” adding, “There aren’t many actors like that. Losing him feels like losing a true colleague in the film industry.”
She went on to reveal a poignant behind-the-scenes story connected to Japanese author Miyuki Miyabe, whose novel inspired Helpless. According to Byun, Miyabe had a deep affection for the Korean adaptation and later offered the rights to another of her novels, The Reason, at a very low cost. However, due to internal issues, the rights had to be returned.
Byun shared, “At the time, she told us, ‘Please make a film like Helpless again with Lee Sun Kyun.’ I was preparing to give him the script for The Reason, but then… things went wrong.” Her voice carried a heavy sense of loss as she referred to his passing.
She added that a representative from the publishing company later visited Lee Sun Kyun’s grave on behalf of Miyuki Miyabe, leaving behind a Japanese DVD of Helpless in tribute. Afterward, the author expressed a desire to meet Byun and told her, “Even though he is no longer here, I will give you The Reason again. Please make it.”
Byun concluded by saying that when she asked about the deadline for the rights, she was told, “Until you decide not to do it.” This effectively granted her open-ended permission to adapt the novel, leaving her with a meaningful but bittersweet opportunity.
Lee Sun Kyun was found dead in December 2023 while under investigation for alleged violations of drug laws. His passing sparked widespread mourning across the film industry, along with criticism directed at the investigative authorities by some members of the public and entertainment community.
Sources: Daum
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