[Post-Drama Interview] Actor Kim Nam Hee of 'Mr. Sunshine' looks back at his role as Takashi Mori

Original Source (tenasia via Naver): 'Mr. Sunshine' Kim Nam Hee, "I have to surpass Takashi"

tenasia: "How did you come to appear on 'Mr. Sunshine'?"

• Kim Nam Hee: Last summer, I went to audition. While conversing with director Lee Eung Bok, the acting came out naturally. At first, I did a free performance but I did a monologue from the play 'Hamlet'. I think he enjoyed it, he told me it was a role of a Japanese and asked me to perform the lines written in Korean in the Japanese I know. Because I don't know any Japanese, I just used all the words I know and just saved the vibe (laughs). He told me that he wanted to hear the tone of my voice when I spoke Japanese. That's why I ended up with the role of Mori Takashi. 

tenasia: The director must've liked the way you spoke Japanese. 

• Kim Nam Hee: After completing the audition, the other production crew said, "Director Lee Eung Bok has never had this long of a conversation with an unknown actor before filming." They tipped me off that, "You might get the role of Takashi". I was also curious. 

tenasia: You didn't think that you were going to get the role of a Japanese, right?

• Kim Nam Hee: I didn't know at all. It was to the point where I was thinking, "Why was I chosen?". After giving me the role of Takashi, he told me that I was Eugene Choi's friend and I was going to see him again as an enemy. At that time, the script wasn't released at all. 

tenasia: Before the drama, have you ever learned Japanese?

• Kim Nam Hee: Not at all (laughs). The production staff stressed the importance of it. It might've not been their intention to burden me but they said that my co-star is Lee Byung Hun sunbae-nim and said, "Do you think you can do well?", at that time something like pride developed. I said, "Of course, I feel like it's going to be fun? I can do well"...Haha. During the first filming, I was overwhelmed by Lee Byung Hun sunbae-nim (laughs). I can't speak Japanese and because there's significance to the role, I felt special but I thought, what do I do now? I felt stuck.   

tenasia: In the future, as an actor, I'm curious about your goal and direction.

• Kim Nam Hee: I think the criteria for the next work will be if I'm going to play a bad guy or not. Next time, I hope I can play a role that speaks Korean rather than a foreign language (laughs). Who would have thought that I would talk about goals like this, I didn't know that I would be this desperate for our language. Haha. The viewers who saw Takashi must've been inscribed [by the character]. I feel like if I don't work hard enough to make them forget about Takashi then I'll be confined by Takashi for a long time. My goal is to become a star that's good at acting. I want to become an excellent actor who touches hearts. My dream is to be an actor who leaves good works even though time passes and makes masterpieces.  

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1. [+2170, -14] "Eugene, this music box is originally yours"

2. [+1225, -19] "What do you think the children of those who were in the Righteous Army in 1895 are doing right now?"

3. [+859, -11] When he was acting, I was watching while trembling but he's really amazing

4. [+587, -11] He's seriously really cool, the outcome of hard work 

5. [+496, -14] Takashi: "Eugene, unlike you, I was originally of high status in my homeland...This music box is yours"

6. [+236, -1] Nam Hee, I really enjoyed your acting (t/n: In the original comment, the commenter wrote it in the way Kim Nam Hee speaks his Korean in the drama - it's hard to directly translate that pronunciation so I directly translated it into English)  

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[SPOILERS!!!][Mr. Sunshine Roundup] Episode 21

Original Source (OSEN via Naver): 'Mr. Sunshine' Lee Byung Hun gives up on going to America..Remains by Kim Tae Ri's side

Nationwide rating for episode 21: 14.280% (cr. Nielsen Korea)

1. [+6452, -97] The cinematography that makes it feel as if you're watching a movie, the actors' raging, enthusiastic performance, the script and plot development that's deeply resonating and even the OST (soundtrack). I swear, this is really one of the best dramas....

↪ [+131, -3] The end where there's a two-shot of Eugene and Ae Shin raising their hands up keu~~

↪ [+149, -8] To me, Lee Byung Hun was just an actor who's good at acting but now he's all cool, sexy, and cute ㅜㅜ

↪ [+158, -0] The thing that's really sad is, it's a drama but, I'm sad because Joseon is weak....

2. [+3913, -55] My patriotism, that I didn't even know was there, was boiling while watching the drama ㅡㅡ Once more, I would like to thank our ancestors that were independence activists. It's so deafening and heart-aching that even during the scene where Eugene Choi and Go Ae Shin were taking a picture and laughing, I was about to cry ㅡㅡㅜ

↪ [+102, -0] The scene where they were at the photo studio and laughing was the saddest scene today, my heart was aching ㅠㅠ

3. [+3014, -45] The actors' acting is good too but director Lee Eung Book who makes the directing in every episode look like it's a movie is really amazing.. The final scenes' impact are always awesome!!.

4. [+2369, -134] Lee Byung Hun is really good at acting~ He's cool ㅜㅜ

5. [+1544, -44] It's the best drama

6. [+942, -5] When 'LOVE' turned into 'LIVE'.. it really hurt my heart. Seeing the preview, it looks like he's returning to Joseon, not as an American soldier but as a member of the Righteous Army.. Knowing the historical outcome, my heart really hurts.       

Original Source (Sports DongA via Naver): 'Mr. Sunshine' Yoo Yeon Seok's eye gaze did everything…'Deafening + Choked up'

1. [+893, -2] Don't die in Japanㅡㅡㅡ

2. [+599, -10] Even after the drama ends, I don't think I'll be able to forget about Dong Mae for a long time ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ He's a really charming character + the combination of his acting abilities and visuals... I feel like if there's a spin-off about Dong Mae, it'll for sure hit daebak 

3. [+416, -7] How can I watch the drama from now on... I don't think I can watch because more will die.. ㅜㅠ I hope no one dies and everyone becomes happy..    

4. [+265, -10] My woman was stolen by Dong Mae ㅜㅜ She only looks at Dong Mae and doesn't even look at me ㅜㅜ

5. [+224, -7] What luck does Ae Shin have~~~ 

Original Source (TV Report via Naver): Kim Nam Hee, the high quality actor 'Mr. Sunshine' discovered...Even his departure was intense

1. [+1408, -7] You outlived your wife for too long. Do you know this? You're really good at acting, let's meet again Kim Na Mi-san (t/n: In the original comment, the commenter wrote it in the way Kim Nam Hee speaks his Korean in the drama - it's hard to directly translate that pronunciation so I directly translated it into English)

↪ [+74, -1] How could he use his wife as a shield   

↪ [+36, -1] ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

2. [+1200, -7] I feel like there's no big or small role. The issue is how much you're able to express it. Making each and every role come alive is up to the actor. There's no separate main character. The main character changes every episode. From King Gojong to Lord Go, Haman-dak and more, it's the best.

3. [+674, -13] Eugene~ this is yours, that was intense~ Kim Nam Hee-ssi, I hope do well in the futur

4. [+595, -7] When Takashi was escaping, he sent his son off to somewhere safe and seeing how he used his wife as a shield, I was honestly disgusted.. Because he's good at acting, I think that's why I'm cussing more ㅋ

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OH MY GOD ㅠㅠ

My heart is hurting so much...

I just need my favorite characters to live and be happy ㅠㅠ

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