[Interview] Choi Woo-sik: "'Parasite' and 'Squid Game' Well-Made K-Content, Not Jealous of Hollywood"

Choi Woo-shik / Photo by Ace Maker Movie Works

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Isul] "After 'Parasite' ended, I was so worried about how to act going forward that I couldn't sleep properly."

When talking about actor Choi Woo-shik, how can one leave out 'Parasite'? After working with director Bong Joon-ho and attending the Cannes Film Festival and the Oscars, his concerns about the future grew. He recalled overcoming that time with the mindset of enjoying the process. He also shared about changes in the content market and his changed mindset.

In a video interview conducted on the morning of the 4th, Choi Woo-shik said, "Through the movie 'The Policeman's Lineage,' I developed a strong desire to properly challenge myself with action acting."

'The Policeman's Lineage' (directed by Lee Gyu-man) is a crime investigation film depicting the dangerous chase between Gwangsu-dae ace Kang Yoon (Jo Jin-woong), who disregards illegal investigations, and undercover rookie police officer Min-jae (Choi Woo-shik), who is assigned to monitor him. It is set to be released on the 5th.

In the film, Choi Woo-shik plays a strong police officer firmly united by his beliefs, showing a strong and sharp face. He confronts Jo Jin-woong with intense action that fearlessly rushes into crime scenes and a resolute gaze.

He said, "In Korea, a work featuring action performed while wearing sophisticated suits might come across as fresh," adding, "I also wanted to show an outward charm."

He continued, "I wanted to shoot an action-packed movie like 'Kingsman,' but with 'The Policeman's Lineage,' I had to maintain Min-jae's emotional line while simultaneously thinking about and approaching the action." He said, "Action acting requires a completely different way of monitoring. It's not about the emotional part but focusing on posture correction, like 'Should I exert more force here or not?' I found it attractive and want to do more action acting."

Choi Woo-shik named Jo Jin-woong without hesitation as the reason for his participation. He said, "I had the desire to act together. Thanks to that, various emotions came out with good chemistry," adding, "It would be fun to meet again in another work. I didn't know he was such a cheerful person who loves jokes. I want to meet him in a role where we don't fight."

Choi Woo-shik, who named bulking up as his goal for this year, laughed and said, "It's not just about having a muscular body. I want to show a new look that suits me well." He added, "When I was young, I vaguely thought I wanted to have a masculine image, but now I'm reconsidering the definition of 'masculinity.' I don't really know what is truly 'masculine.'"

He also revealed his ambition for acting. He said, "Maybe because of my outward appearance, the works and roles coming my way are limited. I want to change my physique and challenge new roles."

Choi Woo-shik greets audiences simultaneously through the crime investigation drama 'The Policeman's Lineage' and the romance drama 'Our Beloved Summer.' Showing different faces on the screen and the small screen, he expressed satisfaction, saying, "I feel good."

"While filming 'Our Beloved Summer,' romantic comedy felt new to me. The chemistry among actors is really important in this genre. I had completely different chemistry with Kim Da-mi and Jo Jin-woong. The chemistry between actors and between director and actors varies by genre, so it wasn't easy."

Choi Woo-shik experienced the honor of appearing on the stage of the 72nd Cannes International Film Festival in 2019 and the 92nd Academy Awards (Oscars) in 2020 with director Bong Joon-ho's 'Parasite.' It achieved meaningful success by sweeping the top awards consecutively in France and the United States.

The following year, in 2021, the Netflix original series 'Squid Game' gained worldwide popularity, leading the K-content boom. Choi Woo-shik welcomed the market changes, saying, "I look forward to the future."

"I recently feel the power of OTT platforms. Overseas, there is interest in K-content, and people show interest in previous works as well. As an actor, my mindset when looking at scripts has changed. Now I feel, 'Not only domestically but also overseas will like it.' It's a good change. Unlike before, as people worldwide can easily access domestic works, expectations have grown."

Choi Woo-shik, a Canadian citizen, possesses fluent English skills. Having gained global recognition through 'Parasite,' he previously expressed his willingness to work overseas. Now, he views things a bit differently.

Choi Woo-shik said, "I can speak English well and have a strong desire for overseas films," but added, "It's more attractive to make K-content well and go overseas." He continued, "As director Bong Joon-ho said, in the past, Westerners didn't watch movies with subtitles, but now it's different. Seeing people look up previous works on OTT makes me look forward to the future."

"Honestly, after 'Parasite,' I thought I'd get a lot of love calls from overseas. Some projects came in, but not that many. (laughs) Now I wonder what the 'Hollywood dream' really is. Didn't 'Squid Game' answer that? Of course, I still keep up with English without letting go. Haha."

Choi Woo-shik will present a new work on the screen two years after 'Parasite.' He confessed, "There were times when I couldn't sleep properly because the burden of acting was so great." He added, "I decided to reduce my greed and thoughts and enjoy the process."

He laughed and said, "The best way to suppress the burden about the next work is probably to meet a movie where the process is happy."

Finally, he said, "Due to COVID-19, the film industry is struggling as people can't go to theaters as much as before, but I feel good to open the door wide while receiving the energy of the Year of the Tiger in 2022."