Dramas

F4 Interview: Lee Min-ho


Oh wow, i can’t believe my luck by stumbling upon this interview with Boys Before Flowers star Lee Min-ho on ISPLUS. In my opinion, some of the questions are really personal and you wouldn’t get questions like these in a Hollywood interview — about girlfriends and first kisses etc.

However, Lee Min-ho answers them all in stride. I am trying to be as accurate as possible, and do justice to Lee Min-ho, but all I have to work with are two translation tools (and one pretty much sucks) and my limited Korean.

Anyway, enjoy…

IS: The Baeksang Arts Awards fall (referring to Min-ho tripping on the Red Carpet) was a hot topic.

LMH: Yeah what a silly mistake and I was embarrassed. But my fans did cheer me on and I could see the love of the fans.

IS: What is your motto in life?

LMH: Not to give up on my goals. Victory is not as important as possessing a fighting spirit. My motto is to not give up even if I fail. I think to have that attitude is just beautiful.

IS: What was the biggest crisis in your life to date?

LMH: There was this traffic accident in 2006. I had to stay in the hospital for 6 months. At first I was frustrated and I couldn’t even walk. But I am glad I overcame that.

IS: How do you relieve stress?

LMH: Just sleep. Sleep until the stress disappears. I have slept for 24 hours previously. (Ha ha ha…Orchid likes this! I could sleep all day too!)

IS: What’s your sleeping habit like?

LMH: I grind my teeth and talk in my sleep, which is why my pals don’t want to sleep with me when we travel.

 

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Lee Min-ho admits to escaping stress by sleeping


IS: When and where was your first kiss?

LMH: It was when I was a freshman in high school. I kissed my girlfriend, standing right in front of her house.

IS: What do you think most women want as a gift?

LMH: If I had a girlfriend, that would be good. Women want you to be their best friend. That’s the best gift of all.

IS: When was the last time you dated and had a girlfriend?

LMH: When I was 20. I haven’t had a girlfriend since University.

IS: What is your ideal type of woman?

LMH: I think more of her overall style and my feeling toward her than her appearance.
I’m drawn to a woman, although not pretty, that appeals to my feeling strongly.

IS: If you had a lover, which term of endearment would you use to call her?

LMH: It depends on the style of the woman (literal translation. But i guess he means the term of endearment he will use depends on what kind of woman she is. There is no fixed term for all.)

IS: What if your parents were against your marriage — like in the character Gu Jun-pyo?

LMH: We will run away and elope.

IS: Which actress would you like to work with in future?

LMH: Song Hye-kyo sunbae. She is elegant and classy and has loads of charisma and possesses excellent acting skills. Should I get a chance to work with her, I would be able to learn a lot and no doubt be very nervous. (Ahem…sounds like he has a crush on Song Hye-kyo.)

IS: Person whom you most want to meet?

LMH: I want to meet Hollywood actor Edward Norton. He has a laid back, comfortable charisma that is so impressive. When I meet him, I will ask “Will you teach me how?” But I must brush up on my English first.

IS: Who is your favourite sports star?

LMH: Manchester United’s Cristiano Ronaldo. It was my dream in elementary school to become a professional soccer player. If I continued to play football, I hope to be a player like Cristiano Ronaldo now.

IS: What’s your favourite food and what dish do you cook well?

LMH: I like meat. Recipe? Just roast it. I have a secret roasting process. Beef, pork or chicken, I use the same recipe.

IS: What is your #18 karaoke song? (The song you sing all the time at karaokes)

LMH: Toy’s 내가 잠시 너의 곁에 살았다는 걸

IS: What do you always carry in your bag?

LMH: Cologne / Perfume. I always like to smell nice.

IS: What is your favourite drink?

LMH: I usually don’t drink alcohol. Three cups of soju is my limit. I like hard liquor.

IS: Do you have a jinx or habit?

LMH: Whenever I’m in a drama or movie, I injure myself. I have to be extra careful.

IS: What three things would you bring to a desert island?

LMH: A bed, lighter and my mobile phone. Having a nice bed to sleep on would be good (yes! i agree with this!!). On a deserted island, your food should be cooked – hence the lighter. I could cook fish. I would be so bored on a deserted island that I would play with all the games I downloaded to my mobile phone.

IS: What do you envy of your F4 members?

LMH: Kim Bum’s small face, Kim Joon’s big eyes, Kim Hyun-joong’s fair complexion. As for the whole package, I am actually the best. (ha ha ha)

Up next…the one with the small face, Kim Bum.

Source: ISPLUS

Other F4 interviews:
Kim Joon
Kim Hyun-joong

Show me more Lee Min Ho blog entries!

 

43 thoughts on “F4 Interview: Lee Min-ho

  • Asenkyu Mlee

    Minho~ssi,don’t envy them! U r the perfect one!! When i 1st watched Boys Over Flowers,u caught my attention! Now City Hunter and Personal Taste is doing the job:)

  • Yoon-Ah

    I'm so glad to see interviews like this it's always so much fun to read and nice to see the updates on the people you really like. Thanks

  • pyae phyo san

    I also like C Ronaldo and Manchester United. But now he moves to Real Madrid.I am so sad brother.You are my most favourite actor.I will be so happy If you reply me brother. My sister also likes you a lot.

  • No.1 fan..

    이민성호 인사 내가 RUAN 0 한국의 F4 팬들시겠 친구 나는 이쪽에 있는 필리핀에서, 나는 당신의 글에 대해 언급하는 네이버/ 다음커뮤니케이션 저는 정말 이해할 수 없기 때문에 한국어를 나를 배울에서 시작하여 나는 짝사랑 Park Ji Bin 정말 나는 언제나 그와 같은 아이들을 지켜보는 꽃 필리핀, 나는 정말 당신의 연기력처럼 나는 고등학교 1학년에 나는 대학을 가을 만나기 위해 연구와 내가 좋아하는 한국의 별들에서 나를 이메일

  • jk82_vicious

    i'm going crazy over lee min ho…
    he is such a hottie!
    hope you can come to the philippines…including all the main casts of bof…
    love their soundtracks as well!
    is there a soundtrack album?
    well, i want to get one!!!!!!!!!
    anyway, bof is the best version…fighting!

  • HI:D ur so cute:D how about tour next time in manila philippines?we would loved to.i wish i can see you in personal and we can talk.haha

    thats my biggest wish.to be with you or talk to you:D

    thanks:D
    ur fan:D

  • Seems like Min Ho[Gu Junpyo] Sunbae likes KHS in reality… haha…

  • Anonymous

    thanks so much for the translation!

    @Anonymous' ->"What a bitch. I can't respect a man who fusses about other mens' big eyes and pale skin."

    LOL. I totally second that opinion. I mean I was a pretty big fan of Min Ho oppa and then I kept reading interviews where he said he likes "pale" skinned girls and wishes he wasn't so dark and tan…totally a turn off…i'm glad he doesn't have any plans to debut in america, or outside of asia that is, cause some of his remarks about complexion will most definitely being construed as racist.

  • Anonymous

    “LMH: Kim Bum’s small face, Kim Joon’s big eyes, Kim Hyun-joong’s fair complexion.”

    What a bitch. I can’t respect a man who fusses about other mens’ big eyes and pale skin.

  • @Space Gal, thanks for translating those two questions. Yeah i left them out cos i could not quite make out what his answers were. =)

    I love that pic of Lee Min-ho dozing off in the middle (or right after) lunch. Will post an entry on that soon… Poor thing, he must be so very tired.

  • || Lyññ ||

    I love the last line =)
    Hahaha… He’s witty and really cool!
    Love this dude and the series soooo much!!!

    Thanks for the translations ^^

  • this guy.. haha.. i’m so loving him!!
    i like it that he answer all questions, looks like he takes it coolly. i love it that sleep is like the most important thing in his life, damn cute. and for the last question, I’m the best! thats very Junpyo’s line. and woo~, he has a crush on SHK. aah~ is there any more interview?

    about SHK, i dont think she’s a bad actress at all. she acted finely. and yeah, i heard about her professionalism like punctual, trying her best, never complaints. any drama crew production are very satisfied with her. I also think pretty actress had to prove their skill 10 times more coz people will always said her success was because of her beauty.

  • Space Gal

    K-popped, thanks for taking your precious time for the wonderful translation!!!^^
    Keep up the great work you've been doing!

    I've jsut noticed that the following 2 Qs & As were missing…They must have been overlooked, since it was a long interview.

    ((IS: 이성을 볼 때 가장 중시하는 것은?
    LMH: "전체적인 스타일과 느낌을 가장 중요시한다. 예쁘지 않더라도 느낌이 확 오는 이성에게 마음이 끌린다."
    IS: What is your ideal type of woman?

    LMH: I think more of her overall style and my feeling toward her than her appearnce.
    I'm drawn to a woman, although not pretty, that appeals to my feeling strongly.

    IS: 잠버릇은 어떤가?
    LMH: 이를 갈고 헛소리를 한다고 한다. 여행 가서도 친구들이 함께 안자려고 한다.
    IS: What's your sleeping habit like?

    LMH: I grind my teeth and talk in my sleep, which is why my pals don't want to sleep with me when we travel somewhere.))

    Check this out!
    The following pic was taken by Hyun-joong using his digital camera.

    Gosh, Minho's dozing off even while having "kimchi-jjige" for lunch with other F4 members.

    Zzzzzzz…So cute!!
    http://media.daum.net/entertain/view.html?cateid=1032&newsid=20090319080303318&p=hankookis

  • Anonymous

    thanks for the wonderful interview. i am going to share it to some fans from other sites if that’s okay with you 🙂

    anyway.
    i think min-ho is just way straightforward answering questions. a jun pyo’s distinct characteristic 😀

  • Anonymous

    LMH's new still cuts for his official Japanese blog!

    He's so cute, kool and hot in these pics!!! Feel like my eyes are purified..

    Ahhh, I'll be sleepless tonite~~

    Photo #1

    http://blog.daum.net/_blog/photoImage.do?blogid=0NvWU&imgurl=http://cfile202.uf.daum.net/original/122A4B0949B7739DD1BE89

    Photo #2
    http://blog.daum.net/_blog/photoImage.do?blogid=0NvWU&imgurl=http://cfile237.uf.daum.net/original/132A4B0949B7739DD29BC0

    Photo #3
    http://blog.daum.net/_blog/photoImage.do?blogid=0NvWU&imgurl=http://cfile208.uf.daum.net/original/142A4B0949B7739DD38EBD

  • oh he likes Edward Norton!! ME TOO!!! I’m so happy that he chose Edward Norton as his fav. actor cause Eddie is certainly one of the best actors in Hollywood (although he’s not as famous as the rest).
    Lee Min Ho, I respect you even more now ^^

  • @jicks
    truth be told, i do feel for “pretty actresses” because it’s like they have to work extra hard to prove that they are good actresses. beauty can be distracting.

    Sooo true!!!
    The only way to prove their acting is to try 10 times harder or to play an unconventional or eccentric role in order to leave a strong impression (e.g. Johny Depp, Leo Dicaprio, Charlize Theron).

  • ^now we're arguing over beauty!

    truth be told, i do feel for "pretty actresses" because it's like they have to work extra hard to prove that they are good actresses. beauty can be distracting.

    to reinforce, i don't think shk is a bad actress but by no means is she the best South Korea has to offer.

    but i think w/ min ho saying that he wants to work w/ her shows how candid he is. genuine. it's much better than him kinda telling a fib & say the actress he most wants to work w/ is an established veteran!

  • film otaku

    >> Nini said…
    Enough with the long essays to prove that Song Hye Gyo is great.<<

    If you read carefully, the point of the long essays above was NOT to prove Song Hyekyo is a great actress but to rather prove that Lee Minho didn't choose her ONLY BECAUSE she's hot.

    With regards to her acting, it's been controversial. It's like discussing Brad Pitt's acting skills — it's been controverial, too.
    After the first episode of "Worlds within" got aired, she was blamed by some Korean netizens (her haters) the next day on the Web for her annoying voice. Her acting improved after the first episode.
    Hyun Bin's acting in that drama was hauntingly awesome any actors will pale next to him!

    >>>Take Gong Hyo Jin and Moon Gyeon Young for example, their beauty is nowhere as great as Song<<<
    Speaking of beauty, I think Moon Geung Young (with huge deer-like expressive eyes) is prettier than Song Hye Gyo (without makeup).
    In my opinion, Song's beauty is overrated.
    She's sometimes hot, other times looks like an average Chinese girl..depending on her hair styles and makeup techniques. All the jean ads were photoshopped.

    All I'm saying is our Minho didn't want to work with her only due to her looks!

  • Enough with the long essays to prove that Song Hye Gyo is great.

    She is the most overrated korean actress ever!

    Her acting is nothing to brag about and just because she’s hardworking and professional, does not make her a good actress.

    The thing is, with all the much more deserving actresses in Korea that Lee Minho can mention, he says Song Hye Gyo who is just as overrated as he is.

    If she didn’t have that beauty that people are going so gaga about, she wouldn’t get as much buzz.
    Take Gong Hyo Jin and Moon Gyeon Young for example, their beauty is nowhere as great as Song, so although they have excellent acting skills, you dont see guys like Lee Minho praising them and wanting to work with them.

    So dont give me the BS that Song is a great actress,cause she hasn’t had a hit since Full House.

    With Worlds Within, drama critics and media have finally woken up and saw her flawed acting and even reported how Hyun Bin absolutely overshadowed her.

    It’s annoying how people think she can absolutely do no wrong and how blinded they are because of her looks.

    I dont know but this article just made dislike Lee.

  • i meant…she's NOT queen of cannes for nothing. oei. what happened to my engrish. 🙂

    thx for the interview & translation!

  • ^ i would want to work with jeon do yeon. HaHa…she’s Queen of Cannes for nothing!

  • fiLm oTakuuu

    Song Hye Gyo is very professional, stoic, and always tries to improve herself.

    She is known for being extremely hardworking and for never complaining on the set, despite lack of sleep and rigorous shooting schedules.

    In terms of her acting in "Hwang-ji-ni", I have a different opinion — she tried not to see the drama version (where Ha Ji-won had starred) and created her own character.

    Film version of "Hwang-ji-ni" is quieter, sub-dued, more philosophical and a bit darker (not so lively and colorful like the drama version).
    I liked both versions in different ways.
    I would rather have been disappointed if the movie had been similar to the drama version.

    I loved her in black eyeliners, clad in black & purple hanbok in that film, when she portrayed a gracious, charismatic and strong but complex character.
    This film has been shown in a number of international film festivals.

    Also liked her in the film, "My girl and I (파랑주의보)" that was remake of Jap film, "Shouting from the center of the world."
    (….maybe differences in opinions when we talk about her "acting" *WINK*)

    And you gotta see her portrayal of a drama producer in "Worlds Within"

    One thing clear is that Song Hye Gyo is NOT JUST a pretty face.

    In Korea, she is more known for being an eager beaver than having just a gorgeous face.
    There are so many fresher and hotter faces in the Korean entertianment industry nowadays!

    (When a Korean hears LMH wants to work with Song Hye Gyo, it doesn't strike us that he chose her because she's hot!!! ^^)

    There are so many things to learn from her.

    Even if I were Minho and were asked with whom I wanted to work with, as for females, I would choose older and more professional actresses like Jun Do-yun, Lee Mi-yun or Song Hye-Gyo than younger, sexier actresses.

    See, he wanted to meet Edward Norton and respects Song Gang Ho (from another interview); both are known for great acting!
    He likes to be around great actors/actresses he can learn from..
    Just my two cents~!:)

    By the way, I'm really looking forward to John Woo's new flick "1949", in whcih HyeGyo and Taiwanese actor, Chang Chen will be starring.
    According to John Woo at Cannes Film Festival last year, the flick is scheduled to be released around the world in 2010.

  • hahahaha… i love his answer! and the last answer: I’M ACTUALLY THE BEST! yah Min Ho, you started to have Jun Pyo’s attitude :p

  • dang, i can't stand cristiano ronaldo! we're gonna have to sort some things out if we're gonna get along…

    and don't forget your mobile phone charger XPP

    lol @ Anonymous 3's comments.
    Unfortunately in some way, I agree. But can you blame the boy, she is gorgeous.

    @Anonymous 5- i don't doubt SHK's professionalism at all & i do adore the girl, but for me she has certainly stalled as a dramatic actress. yes she was great in "All In" but personally i thought her performances in the film "Hwang Jin I" & even "My Girl & I" were under par. it was as if there was a barrier between her & the viewer that she couldn't break through because while i could physically see her technicalities as an actress, i personally didn't empathise w/ her roles too much at all. i don't know… perhaps the fact both films had predecessors to compare them to affected it all…

    anyways, i'll wind up! thanks for the interview translation =)

  • Anonymous

    As a matter of fact, Song Hye Gyo is considered as a great actress with strong will power in Korea.

    Although she looks all cutey with those doe-eyes, she's been well-known for her professionalism such as taking care of new actors/actresses, being always punctual, taking part in production of dramas/movies she's been involved in, learning foreign languages, etc.

    She speaks good English and near-perfect Japanese; nowadays she's learning Chinese for her role in a movie with John Woo.

    She's been acting in some independent films in the US, too.

    Check out her acting "All in", her complex character in the movie, "Hwangjini", and KBS's recent drama, "Worlds Within."

    If you understand the Korean language, you'll realize what an intelligent actress she is!

    Worlds Within trailer : Joon Young's (Hye Kyo) version
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPOy0b8VxV8

    Song Hye Kyo at the US inde film "Fetish" Press Conference at Pusan International Film Festival
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFYqMINHTTU&feature=related

    BTW, I personally think "Worlds Within", though flopped in terms of TV "view Rating" due to "East of Eden" that played at the same time on Mon/Tues, is the most thought-provoking and intelligently awesome drama I've ever seen, which reveals the Korean drama production process and the producers/actors' hard and demanding lives.

    I think Lee Minho REALLY would like to work with Song Hye Gyo to learn a lot from her, who's been in the industry for a very long time.
    (Hey, she's not the most beautiful actree in Korea and much older than him).

    Another important reason, I presume, is appearing in a drama/movie with Song Hye Gyo is a certain way to be a Hallyu star.
    I've noticed from numerous interviews that Lee Minho is very ambitious (Maybe he's a little worried about his popularity after BOF is over?)

  • Dear anonymous 1 and 2:

    Thanks so much for the corrections!

    I was wondering – sing the karoake song 18 times? What the heck is that? Now i’ve learned something new – the meaning of song #18.

    I like this interview. I think Lee Min-ho was very candid with his answers. =)

  • Anonymous

    Orchid, wow your korean is really good, to be able to translate…great job

  • Vic in Long Beach, CA

    Orchid,
    That is a SPECTACULAR translation. Thank you so very much for doing that!!!
    You know, I’m starting to really like this guy! (He and I both have a crush on Song Hye-kyo!)
    And those questions are not at all beyond what they would ask in a Hollywood-style interview.
    Thank you again Orchid!!!

  • Anonymous

    Typical answer of a guy with raging hormones.
    Had he just answered that he likes Song Hye Kyo for her classic beauty, I would have found his statement more credible…but adding that Song Hye Kyo has excellent acting skills is just a poor justification of why he likes her (come on you know as well as I do SHK is not a great actress even industry critics have criticized her for her lack of acting abilities)), in truth the only reason why he truly likes her is for her LOOKS alone, which makes him just like the other korean guys obsessed with looks.

  • Anonymous

    hi, thanks for the interview!

    a few corrections to your translation:

    1. he says that song hye kyo is elegant and classy.

    2. he says that he likes hard liquor (not wine)

    3. he envies kim hyun joong’s pale/white complexion (not gu hye sun’s)

  • Anonymous

    about the karaoke song, i think it’s not that he sang it 18 times. it’s his #18 song, meaning the song he always sings whenever he goes karaoke-ing.^_^

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