24th New York Asian Film Festival

July 11-27, 2025

FilmsGuestsTalks & EventsSchedule & Tickets
International Premiere

Method Acting

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In this hilariously offbeat meta-comedy, Lee Dong-hwi (The Roundup: Punishment, Broker) plays a self-aware version of himself: a struggling actor still haunted by an old comedic role that clings to him like a bad smell. Desperate to reinvent himself, he lands a role as an anorexic king in a historical drama. Throwing himself into the part, Dong-hwi fasts obsessively and earns the crew’s admiration—until chaos erupts. Bizarre on-set mishaps pile up, and his own brother, cast as an extra, begins to steal the spotlight. Method Acting blends parody and poignancy with sharp wit, heartfelt absurdity, and delivers a soulful portrait of an actor unraveling between illusion and self.

Director: Lee Ki-hyuk
Cast: Lee Dong-hwi, Kang Chan-hee, Yoon Gyeong-ho
Languages: Korean with English subtitles
2024; 92 min.
Country: South Korea

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Lee Dong-hwi
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Lee Dong-hwi made his film debut in 2012 with Run to the South, and gained recognition through his role in the critically acclaimed television series Reply 1988 (2015-2016). He went on to appear in the hit action-comedies Veteran (2015) and Extreme Job (2019), the second highest-grossing film in South Korean history. He also appeared in the 2024 follow-up, The Roundup: Punishment. Lee is a member of South Korean supergroup MSG Wannabe. He is presenting Method Acting, which he produced and stars in, at NYAFF 2025.

Lee Ki-hyuk
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Lee Ki-hyuk, born in 1985, graduated from the Division of Theatre at Dongguk University. His short film_ Immigration Screening (_2019) was invited to the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival, followed by _Method Acting (2020), which was screened at both the Mise-en-scène Short Film Festival and the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival. His third short film as director, Rose _(2021), was invited to the Hawaii International Film Festival. Method Acting (2024), based on his short film of the same title, marks his feature directorial debut and will have its international premiere at NYAFF 2025.