[Interview] Choi Hee-seo "Changes in Content Consumption... No Borders"

Korea-Japan Joint Production 'You Won't Believe It'
Interview with Actress Choi Hee-seo

Choi Hee-seo / Photo by Saram Entertainment

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Iseul] The first script reading took place at a location in Chungmuro, Seoul. On the day actress Choi Hee-seo first met the Korean and Japanese production teams, the 92nd Academy Awards ceremony was being held. Director Bong Joon-ho, who won four Oscars for the first time in Korean film history, shouted from across the continent in the United States, "If you go beyond one inch of subtitles, you can encounter a big world." It was a sentiment that felt even more special to the production teams from both countries who broke down the barriers of borders and met face to face.

In a recent remote interview about the film You Wouldn't Believe It (directed by Ishii Yuya), Choi Hee-seo said, "Actors from both Korea and Japan became like family," adding, "It was a precious and unique experience."

The film tells the story of Japanese and Korean families, each with different emotional wounds, who meet by chance in Seoul and embark on a fateful journey together. Choi Hee-seo plays Sol, a woman who was once a popular idol-turned-unknown singer and now does her best to support her family’s livelihood.

The film is directed by Ishii Yuya, who helmed Happy Dictionary, Seven Days to Goodbye, and The Tokyo Night Sky Is Always the Densest Shade of Blue. After three years of thorough pre-production, the film was shot entirely on location in Korea with a Korean crew. Japanese actors Ikematsu Sosuke and Odagiri Joe, along with Kim Min-jae and Kim Ye-eun, also star.

Choi Hee-seo expressed joy at receiving a love call from Ishii Yuya, regarded as a young Japanese auteur. "Since the script came from a director I already knew and liked, I read it with a good heart. It felt a bit unfamiliar, so I received and read the original Japanese version, which I liked even more. When I heard that Ikematsu Sosuke and Odagiri Joe were in talks to appear, I was even happier to participate."

Previously, Choi Hee-seo portrayed the Japanese character Kaneko Fumiko in the 2017 film Park Yeol (directed by Lee Joon-ik), performing in Japanese. She also participated in the translation for this film. "I was dissatisfied with the translated version. Hoping the poetic expressions would come alive, I refined the first draft of the translated script. I had done this kind of work several times on Dongju and Park Yeol. I thought I wouldn’t do it again, but here I am," she laughed.

There were three actors and five Japanese production staff members, including the director. Except for them, the entire crew was composed of Korean production staff. Choi Hee-seo attributed special meaning to this. "It felt like a Korean film from a new perspective. Since Ishii Yuya directed and wrote the script, the portrayal of Gangneung from a Japanese director’s viewpoint was unique. Because it was shot entirely on location in Korea, it didn’t feel like a Japanese film. I think it’s a distinctive Korean film. I could feel the affection Japanese filmmakers have for Korean culture and content."

K-content such as the film Parasite and Netflix’s Squid Game have gained huge popularity overseas. This has increased interest in Korean culture and created an atmosphere of active exchange in the film industry. Having connected beyond borders with Japanese filmmakers, Choi Hee-seo shared her unique feelings as an actress. She said, "Working with Japanese directors and actors felt like destiny," and shared an episode.

"The full script reading was held in Chungmuro. Chungmuro is not only a place where films are made but also a place with special memories for me. When I worked on Park Yeol, director Lee Joon-ik’s office was also in Chungmuro. On the first reading day of You Wouldn't Believe It, the 92nd Academy Awards ceremony was taking place. Before starting, I heard the news that Parasite had won four awards. After reading an article where director Bong Joon-ho said, 'If you go beyond one inch of subtitles, you can encounter a big world,' I entered the reading. On a day that opened a new horizon in Korean film history, working with Japanese directors and actors felt like fate."

Choi Hee-seo said she also gained confidence as an actress. "Recently, with the increase of online video streaming (OTT) platforms and the diversification of ways to consume content, it has become easier to access the films you want to watch. Because more people are interested in domestic content, I think about which country’s audience will see the works I shoot. Borders in content have disappeared. It was impossible before, but now it’s possible. I feel like I’m an actress living in a truly good era."

At her debut, Choi Hee-seo was noted for her talent in speaking five languages. When this was mentioned, she said, "I want to correct that a bit. It seems that part was somewhat embellished during the process of introducing myself," and continued, "I can speak Korean, Japanese, and English, but not five languages. I’m still lacking in foreign language acting. But I know it’s a big advantage. I want to leverage this strength to challenge more content in the future and meet global audiences."

Earlier this month, Choi Hee-seo was invited as a director to the 26th Busan International Film Festival for the Unframed Project. When asked about her impressions meeting the audience as the director of the short film Bandi, she said:

"Son Seok-gu, who participated as a director in the Unframed Project with me, is my closest actor friend. He sometimes calls me out of the blue, and one day he said, 'Let’s shoot a short film together,' and asked me to direct it with him. I naturally thought he was asking me to act, so I said yes, but it turned out that each actor was directing their own work. I knew about the production company started by Lee Je-hoon, and since I’m close with Lee Je-hoon and Park Jung-min, I joined in. I came to the festival with a story that doesn’t exist in the world. I felt a pressure and tension I hadn’t experienced before. It will be released on Watcha in December, so please watch it a lot."

Will she continue to communicate as director Choi Hee-seo? She said, "If I ever have a story I want to tell, I think I will direct again," adding, "There are feelings that can’t be expressed in words but are understood, and things I want to say but can’t express?I want to tell those stories through my work."

Choi Hee-seo will also appear in SBS’s new drama Now, We Are Breaking Up, which premieres on the 12th of next month. Filming has already started, and she has developed a close friendship with actors Song Hye-kyo and Park Hyo-joo. "The chemistry with the actors is indescribably good. We’ve really become close. We became a real family through the work. I think it will be a grateful year-end greeting both in theaters and on the small screen," she asked for anticipation.