Director Byun Young-joo defends Lee El's behavior on 'The Mantis' set

During an appearance on SBS PowerFM's 'Lee El's Cine Town' on the 3rd, Director Byun Young-joo defended actress Lee El after the star described herself as a "rude actor" who acted bossy during the filming of 'The Mantis: A Killer's Outing' in Mokpo.

Actress Lee El and director Byun Young-joo displayed their playful chemistry while revealing behind-the-scenes stories from the filming of the drama 'The Mantis: A Killer's Outing'. When Lee El described herself as a "rude actor" on set, Director Byun immediately corrected her to defend her junior.

During the broadcast of SBS PowerFM's 'Lee El's Cine Town' on the 3rd, Director Byun Young-joo appeared as a guest. When a listener asked how the two became close, they explained their connection through working together on the SBS drama 'The Mantis: A Killer's Outing' which aired last year.

Byun explained her friendship with Lee El, stating, "Even before that, we were in a relationship where we expressed a lot of goodwill toward each other as we ran into each other here and there." She further expressed affection for the actress's charm, noting, "From a director's perspective, it is impossible not to like Lee El."

Recalling her behavior during filming, Lee El made an unexpected confession: "I was the only rude actor on the set of 'The Mantis'. I was bossy and acted out." She meant that she treated the director informally and played pranks on the set.

Director Byun immediately countered, "It wasn't being rude. It was treating me comfortably." Rather than leaving Lee El's description as is, she corrected the nature of their relationship to protect her. The conversation between the two, filled with casual jokes, revealed the comfortable atmosphere and mutual trust that had continued since the filming set.

Byun also shared an anecdote regarding Lee El's diligent lifestyle during filming in Mokpo. "We filmed in Mokpo for a long time, and there was someone who ran through the streets of Mokpo every dawn," she recalled. "I thought she was a very sincere and hardworking person." She explained that she had encountered Lee El running through the dawn streets several times after going outside for fresh air because she could not sleep.

"Whenever I went outside to get some air because I couldn't sleep, someone was running through the neighborhood like a goddess," Byun added. Recalling her appearance at the time, Lee El joked, "I ran in tight-fitting clothes and surprised many elderly people in downtown Mokpo." Her serious exercise routine became an unexpected source of laughter.

The conversation then turned to the tension and pressure felt as an actor. When Lee El asked Byun how to relieve tension, Byun replied, "I don't think tension can be relieved. I think the first step is to admit that you are in a state of tension." Her advice was that instead of trying to force the tension away, it is important to accept the fact that one is feeling tense.

When Lee El responded that she felt she needed to get used to it quickly, Byun added a more realistic joke. "You'll get used to it quickly once you get scolded and see malicious comments," she said, making the studio burst into laughter. She used her characteristic direct way of speaking to describe the process of becoming accustomed to tension and criticism.

The SBS drama 'The Mantis: A Killer's Outing', which the two worked on together, featured cast members including Go Hyeon-jeong, Jang Dong-yoon, and Jo Seong-ha. Having formed a bond through the work, Lee El and Director Byun showed a pleasant rapport on the radio, quite different from the tension within the production.

Read the original (Korean)