Actor Lee Kyu-hyung of ‘Fan Letter’ has revealed his deep-rooted passion for acting.
During an interview for the musical ‘Fan Letter’ held on the afternoon of the 12th at the Artist’s House in Jongno-gu, Seoul, Lee Kyu-hyung spoke about his extraordinary love for the stage.
“Looking back at my life since my high school drama club days, there has almost never been a time when I wasn’t on stage,” he emphasized. “I haven’t taken a single year off from performing. The catharsis that the stage provides is very important in my life. It has a completely different charm compared to acting in front of a camera.”
For Lee Kyu-hyung, the stage is a space where he gains the drive for life beyond his daily routine. He shared, “Standing on stage at least once a year isn’t something grand or special. Rather, the periods when I couldn’t stand on stage felt more special to me. Because there were times when I couldn’t, I realized that I become even more desperate when I’m unable to do it.”
Lee Kyu-hyung’s mindset has been unique since his debut. Recalling his debut play ‘Pit-a-Pat’ in Daehak-ro during his 20s, he reminisced, “I did a work that was so grueling I thought I might have a heart attack after the performance. Back then, I think I approached the work entirely like a racehorse.”
He confessed, “At the time, I handled the performance as a solo role, and since I was still a student, I had to balance it with practicing for school productions. After finishing ‘Pit-a-Pat,’ I had to go practice for another school project, but the pain in my heart was severe. I even had to lie on a bench for 20 to 30 minutes.”
He explained, “Now, I manage my pace so that I can lead a 2 to 3 hour performance without getting exhausted, but back then, I had no know-how, only passion. Thinking that I had to do well when the opportunity came, I ran around the stage like crazy without thinking twice.”
Having learned from his own experiences, he also shared some affectionate advice for his juniors. Lee Kyu-hyung joked, “I sometimes ask juniors if they can sing, and while media acting is great, I encourage them to knock on the doors of the Daehak-ro stage. Isn’t it something that can be done simultaneously if you’re just a bit diligent?” He added with a laugh, “However, I don’t usually offer advice first because I’m afraid of looking like a ‘kkondae’ [old-fashioned person].”
Meanwhile, ‘Fan Letter’ is a faction work inspired by actual anecdotes of the ‘Guinhoe’ (Circle of Nine), a gathering of writers during the Japanese colonial period in the 1930s. The play centers around the genius novelist Kim Hae-jin, aspiring writer Jung Se-hoon, and a mysterious figure named Hikaru. It is characterized by its portrayal of the agony, love, and deep emotional connection artists experience during the creative process. From the premiere in 2016 to the present 10th anniversary, Lee Kyu-hyung has been delivering a delicate performance in the role of Kim Hae-jin.
