ME TIME
LEAPING ACROSS OCEANS, genres, and mediums in a single bound, Steven Yeun is poised to conquer new heights with his exceptional, enigmatic performance as ultrarich Ben in Burning, which comes on the heels of Sorry to Bother You, Okja, and his six-year Walking Dead run. We chatted about finding his elusive character and seeking authenticity as a Korean-American actor.
How did you come to work with Lee Chang-dong?
My involvement in this film was nothing short of a miracle. I wasn’t the first choice. The actor who was slated to do it dropped out a month before, and I said in an interview that I wanted to work with director Lee and that I was a fan. And one of the writers [of ], Oh Jung-mi, heard that, and they researched me, and I got a call from director Bong [Joon Ho] saying that director Lee wanted to meet me. I was like, Luckily, I was already headed to Korea at the time—it was all very kismet—and we met for three days straight, and he trusted me. I love that man. I’ve been fortunate to have had a really interesting experience with him.
