Hyun Bin Portrays Korean Patriot in “Harbin”

(Above) Donning the costume and getting his makeup ready step by step also helped him fully immerse into the role.

Starring heartthrob Hyun Bin (玄彬) in the lead, Korean espionage action film Harbin <哈爾濱>, based on historical events, premiered in South Korea last year and is set to be released across various regions in Asia.

Referring to the biographical film as the “most mentally challenging work” of his career, Hyun Bin had initially declined the role of independence fighter Ahn Jung-geun as he felt the character’s historical significance was too immense. While he eventually agreed, he admitted to the “unimaginable” pressures of filming, even wishing the martyred hero would appear in his dreams to provide him guidance!

Emotionally Taxing

It tells the story of Korean national hero Ahn Jung-geun, who led the independence fighters in 1909 to Harbin, where he successfully assassinated former Japanese Prime Minister, Ito Hirobumi. After the mission, Ahn was pursued by the Japanese military and ultimately became a martyr.

Apart from the physical demands, the film was emotionally taxing, with Hyun Bin breaking into tears on set while filming the execution scene at the end. Explaining that he was overwhelmed with respect for the martyred hero, Hyun Bin recalled the intense emotional swings he had on set.

Filmed Under Grueling Conditions
The production of Harbin included intense battle scenes against the Japanese military in snowy landscapes, shot on location in Gwangju, South Korea.

Although Gwangju rarely experiences snow, Hyun Bin shared that a once-in-decades blizzard struck during filming, leaving the set muddy and challenging, and especially gruelling for the cast. “The director felt sorry for us…Even our underwear got covered in mud. We shot like that for over a week!”

Grateful for Son Ye Jin’s Support
As filming for Harbin began shortly after the birth of Hyun Bin’s son, he acknowledged that his wife, actress Son Ye-jin (孫藝真), had to bear the responsibility of taking care of their newborn alone during his absence.

“It must have been really tough for her, but she still expressed her support for me,” Hyun Bin recounted that his wife had told him after filming wrapped, ‘You worked hard,’ and that those words meant a lot to him!

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