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Actor Lee Byung-hun received the Special Achievement Award in recognition of his impact on the growth of cinema at the 50th Toronto International Film Festival.

Director Park Chan-wook took the stage to present Lee Byung-hun with the Special Achievement Award. Director Park Chan-wook stated, “Lee Byung-hun, who has been a friend for 26 years, has always amazed me whenever I saw him portray different characters in various films and TV dramas. In everyday life, he is a clumsy and playful girl, but it’s hard to believe how he became such an exceptional actor. My findings are as follows. The extraordinary quality shown in his acting stems from a deep comprehension of human average. He is more humble and straightforward than anyone else, so this insight gives the characters in his work a unique taste. We could refer to this as ‘extraordinary mediocrity’. Congratulations once again. ‘Extraordinary Byung-hun…’ he commended.

Lee Byung-hun said, “Director Park, thank you for your kind words. Congratulations on the 50th anniversary of the Toronto Film Festival. This is my fifth time attending TIFF this year, and I’m very honored to be a small part of this prestigious film festival.” “I began acting in a TV drama 35 years ago, but I always had a passion for films deep within me,” he recalled. “Director Park Chan-wook’s 『JSA』 in 2000 finally fulfilled his dream of being in a successful movie,” he added.

Also, “Now, with the director, there’s nothing we can do about the new movie. ‘Be deeply moved to present’ – the first story I heard 15 years ago is now coming to life on screen, and I believe it’s a must-see. I hope you will be able to meet the audience with works that you will inevitably see in the future.”

Lastly, he stated, “This award is not solely for me, but I will gratefully receive it as a tribute to the remarkable accomplishments and development that Korean culture has achieved globally up to now,” he added, ending with a sense of respect and modesty.

On one side, the accolades received by Lee Byung-hun and Park Chan-wook seem to reflect the moment when director Park Chan-wook was recognized at the LACMA Art+Film Gala in 2022. During that event, Lee Byung-hun captured attention with his humorous comments about his relationship with director Park. In this manner, Lee Byung-hun maintained his long-standing friendship and collaboration with Park Chan-wook, working together for the third time following “Joint Security Area (JSA)” (2000) and “Three, Monster” (2004). In this film, he portrayed Mansu, a job seeker who had been fired overnight from a paper mill after 25 years and was preparing for re-employment. He skillfully depicted the intricate inner emotions of someone pushed to the edge of a cliff in order to protect his family and life.

Lee Byung-hun’s intense portrayal in ‘I Can’t Help It’ has been selected for the 82nd Venice International Film Festival’s competition lineup, earning a 9-minute standing ovation and receiving high praise from international media and critics. The film will make its Asian premiere as the opening movie at the 30th Busan International Film Festival. Furthermore, it has been officially invited to the North American Gala Presentation section and the main slate of the 63rd New York Film Festival, generating significant interest from both domestic and international film circles.