Lee Hwi-hyang learned how to smoke from her husband for her role
Actress Lee Hwi-hyang revealed an anecdote about how she learned how to smoke from the late Kim Du-jo in order to portray smoking scenes in a drama. Lee Hwi-hyang’s husband, Kim Du-jo, was known to have been involved in organized crime and later became a businessman.
On September 29th, Lee Hwi-hyang appeared in a video on the YouTube channel “Song Seung-hwan’s Wonderful Life,” where she recalled the situation. She explained that she received help from her husband in order to deliver a natural performance for the role of a character who smokes.
“The Age of Ambition”: Practiced smoking for the role
Lee Hwi-hyang mentioned the KBS drama “The Age of Ambition,” which aired from 1990 to 1991. According to the Cine21 work information, Lee Hwi-hyang played the role of Gelsomina in the drama.
Lee Hwi-hyang revealed on a broadcast that she initially declined the role. This was because there was a scene where her character smoked, and she did not want to show her then-first-grade son the filming.
However, after much persuasion from the writer and production team, she decided to accept the role, and she began practicing smoking in order to accurately portray the character. According to Lee Hwi-hyang, her husband taught her how to smoke during this process.
“Puffing won’t do,” the advice stated
Lee Hwi-hyang reportedly advised her husband that, in order to avoid looking awkward on screen, he should perform natural-looking smoking scenes, rather than the so-called “puffing” style. She recalled that during the practice sessions for creating realistic smoke effects, he sometimes became physically exhausted and collapsed.
He described the difficulties he faced at the time, saying, “While practicing smoking, I would sometimes collapse, and I would also collapse in bed.” This statement does not necessarily mean that he enjoyed smoking, but rather it explains a situation where he was pushing himself too hard in his efforts to enhance the realism of a role as an actor.
Kim Du-jo, the husband who supported her acting career
Lee Hwi-hyang also revealed in the same broadcast that her husband actively supported her acting career. After getting married, she took a break from acting for a while, but at her husband’s suggestion, she challenged the stage again and later moved to Seoul to continue her acting career, she explained.
Mr. Kim Du-jo is 19 years older than Ms. Lee Hwi-hyang, and the two married in 1982. According to reports in various media outlets, Mr. Kim Du-jo was reportedly involved in organized crime in the Pohang area in the past. After his marriage, he reportedly ended that lifestyle and became a businessman.
Mr. Kim Du-jo passed away in 2005. Lee Hwi-hyang expressed her gratitude through broadcasts, mentioning that her husband took care of childcare and household responsibilities, which supported her acting career.
Smoking acting and actual smoking must be distinguished
The key point of this story is that Lee Hwi-hyang practiced smoking scenes for a specific role. Based solely on the information mentioned in the broadcast, it is difficult to determine her current smoking habits, her efforts to quit smoking, or her long-term health status related to smoking.
However, using actual cigarettes for smoke practice can put a strain on the actors’ health. Recently, methods using herbal cigarettes, props, and visual effects are also employed to depict smoking scenes.
Hwi-hyang’s anecdote illustrates the extent to which an actor may prepare to enhance the realism of a role. At the same time, it highlights the need to consider the health and safety of actors when filming scenes involving smoking.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q. Why did Lee Hwi-hyang start smoking?
In the 1990s drama “The Age of Ambition,” she practiced smoking scenes to portray a character who smoked, and she learned how to smoke from her husband, Mr. Kim Du-jo.
Q. Who is Kim Du-jo, the husband of Lee Hwi-hyang?
Kim Du-jo is the husband of Lee Hwi-hyang, and he was reportedly a former member of an organized crime group. After their marriage, reports indicated that he had reformed his past life and was working as a businessman.
Q. When was “The Age of Ambition” broadcast, featuring Lee Hwi-hyang?
“The Age of Ambition” was a KBS weekend drama that aired from October 20, 1990, to October 20, 1991.
Q. Did Lee Hwi-hyang actually collapse while smoking?
A. Lee Hwi-hyang recalled that during a television broadcast, she collapsed while practicing smoking for a role. However, the medical cause of the symptoms at that time, or her current health status, has not been separately disclosed.
Q. Has it been confirmed that Lee Hwi-hyang has quit smoking?
A. The content of the broadcast that was recently released concerns the actors’ practice of smoking for their roles. Specific details regarding whether the actors are non-smokers or whether they used smoking cessation clinics were not included in the broadcast statements.
