got this interview from loveminho.com (as always, thanks for the translation). this article was posted on February 20, 2009 by copywriter Jo Hyun-jung in Sportsseoul. you can read the original korean article HERE.
A cup of tea with a star:
Lee Min-Ho, an overnight star in "Boys Over Flowers"
Lee Min-ho(22), the role 'Gu Jun-pyo' who is the heir to Korea's No. 1 conglomerate group, is writing over the myth of youth stars in KBS 2TV's Mon-Tues drama series 'Boys Over Flowers'.
With a bling face and a solid acting ability, he secures wide fan classes from babies to the elderly exceptionally to show off the typical "Prince Charming" of the boy-meet-girl comic book, despite of the teenager-oriented drama. He did a main lead for passing a 30% viewer rating. In addition, he makes a boast of soaring popularity and pay scale to appear in cellular phone, mobile communication, doughnuts and confections CFs as he broke the unwritten law that no one can work on similar items CF.
Even if it was supposed that he was tired of straight all-night shooting, his face was full of pep and his looks had too much nobleness. His curly hair (so-called a turban shell hair-do) became shorter a little bit. Gu Jun-pyo was promoted from a spoiled high-school student to an executive director of Shinhwa. We met Lee Min-ho at a hotel's cafe in Seoul on the 18th in afternoon. His own spoiled character was completely out of sight. He answered the questions with an optimistic and affable smile and honest attitude.
Q : You are riding high...
LMH Ealier, I didn't know because I kept coming and going only to the shooting spot and my house. But nowadays I feel it anyway, and fans flock into a location and I put my signature about 100 sheets of paper a day. Once I entered in to the boned rib restaurants with my manager, the empty place became full of customers in a second because of Gu Jun-pyo. I feel wonderful that elementary school students are carrying a bromide photograph of Gu Jun-pyo.
Q : You seem to be losing weight than the past.
LMH I lost about 4㎏ of my weight. Maybe because of lack of sleep. On sleeping badly, I sleep for 1~2 hours a day. 3~4 hours is too much sleep. But for the first time, I took a rest for two days last weekend after starting the shooting because scenes filmed in Macao will air on this week. It is very helpful to take a nap in the middle of shooting. a 10-minute nap is necessary. Even if hard time is coming at night... Ha Ha Ha~
His manager said, “He will do absolutely a good job to appear at ‘1 night 2 days’ because he is doing overnight-acting each day. He is quite trained to keep awake all night through, so he may have his eyes wide open”.
His manager said, “He will do absolutely a good job to appear at ‘1 night 2 days’ because he is doing overnight-acting each day. He is quite trained to keep awake all night through, so he may have his eyes wide open”.
Q : So far you have appeared in several works and you are a star overnight through 'Boys Over Flowers'.
LMH I feel better that I can gain big affection like this after 7 works. People seem to think that I paid attention with 'Boys Over Flowers' but I have underwent hardships. I was involved in a traffic accident in 2006 and SBS sitcom "Run Mackerel !" ran short. KBS 2TV ‘I am Sam’, the movie ‘Public Enemy Returns’ and ‘Our School ET’ busted. But I think past trials led me to what I am now. I am pleased that also Park Bo-young and Moon Chae-won, appeared together in the movie ‘An English Teacher’, gained a success of the next works. Bo-young is my friend and we keep in contact with each other once a week. Recently I met Chae-won again to film Levi's CF and she said “You feel best. Now you may hang around carefully.” and congratulated.(laugh)
Q : Did you expect you could be loved like this? What do you think is he secret of your popularity and your charm?
LMH I just thought 'I will gain interest as far as it goes' because of attractive character, but I didn't imagine something like this. It is difficult to meet the work in the whole life and I think I'm lucky. My dream was to be a soccer player from middle school to freshman. I decided to be an actor in my high school days and my dream came true. It seems that Gu Jun-pyo's various features, his extremly supreme and pure love toward only one woman, cheerful and mischievous face, can get lots of affection even though he was cold when he's needed. My charms? Well. Umm. I guess those are my eyes. One day, I had a chance to read the reply 'the actor to express with only his eyes' under the article about my acting. It was the most pleasing applause.
Q : What is the most difficult thing on shooting?
LMH Lack of sleep. There are many things to do even at break times, for example, to film CFs, to put my signature. On feeling like a wet rag, it is in fact that everything bothers me. At the early shooting, it isn't easy to adapt myself physically. My mother takes care of me with healthy food, oriental medicine, pear juice and red ginseng and so on. Oh. I also take 'Gongjindang'. It is the mainspring of my activity. Ha Ha Ha. Time jumped in the drama, so the writer and the director ordered I would act calmy and with dignity. But the way of talking is as if old, and I'm worried about it a little.
Q : According to the news, it is expected that you can earn the income over 2 billion won for ads. What will you do with the money?
LMH There is nothing to deposit…. Ha ha. In fact, I have hardly time to spend money except holidays, so I am on the side of spending money less than the past. I used to make a bet on snack with F4 at filming lot. When I get the CF guarantee, I would like to buy a magnificent mansion. And then, although there may be few money left, I will buy my clothes. I'm not a best dresser but I'm interested in fashion.
Q : Do the awful love and popularity happen to lay a burden on you?
LMH It is the thing that everyone dreams. I feel good and happy rather than burdened. I think I have to get out of the image 'Gu Jun-pyo' and show off the new feature through another work in the future. Maybe I should concentrate my attention on 'Boys Over Flowers' by the end. My agency doesn't mention the next work to me in order to do all in this drama.
Q : How do you see yourself 10 years from now?
LMH I would like to get married at that time. My Mrs. Right is pure and smallish girl. And I may also be focusing on filming. My wanna-be actors are Senior Sul Kyung-gu and Kim Su-ro. They act well, and maybe I'll get a little close to them since 10 years has passed? Senior Kim Su-ro gave me a lot of advice on filming ‘An English Teacher’ together. Especially, his word “You should be in earnest with Taegeukgi on your heart" is still green in my memory. He said it was proud that we could perform acting in the recession like now, so we had to always do our best. I watched the his play ‘on the bottom’ thanks to shooting off last Sunday.
Q : It is the talk of the internet these days that you took pictures in the past not only in school days.
LMH I stew about the bombastic articles with pictures on the internet. I think I do damage to my friends because of those things taken by the surrounding people. Originally, to take pictures is my favorite thing, so it was misunderstood that I uploaded pictures taken with friends of mine on my cyworld personal blog. But on the other hand, I used to think that many people are interested in me like that.
Q : What is the next plan?
LMH I hope the viewer rating continues to rise up. I should top off to the end. I love to act in a serious traditional drama. The role as macho or psychopath is all right. I would like to show off various characters free from image. I will make effort to be a good actor to return too much affection.
and there are more interviews to come.. hehe :D
~grazhishu~
*lee min ho crazy girl*
*wu chun addict*
*forever joe cheng's gal*
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
.
..
..
..
