[Interview] Mario Maurer "Honored as the 'Thai Wonbin', I Want to Meet Bong Joon-ho and Park Seo-joon" [2022 BIFF]

The 27th Busan International Film Festival On Site
Thai Star Mario Maurer Met in Busan

Photo by Mario Maurer (BIFF)

Photo by BIFF

[Busan=Asia Economy Reporter Lee Isul] Tall stature, K-idol-like handsome appearance, a small face, and fair skin caught the eye. Mario Maurer (34), known domestically as the "Won Bin of Thailand," visited the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) this year. He first connected with Korea when his debut film "The Love of Siam" (2007) was invited to the 12th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival, and he also served as an honorary ambassador for Korean tourism in 2011.

On the afternoon of the 6th, Mario Maurer met with Asia Economy in the makeup room at Cinema Mountain, Busan Cinema Center, Haeundae-gu, Busan. He said, "I grew up watching the Busan Film Festival, and this is my first invitation," adding, "I am happy to come to this beautiful city." Since the opening ceremony on the 5th, he has been participating in various official schedules.

Mario Maurer has taken on various film roles and gained popularity not only in Thailand but also in the Philippines and Vietnam. He said, "I exist because of films." He proved his ticket power with "Pee Mak" (2013), the first Thai film to reach 10 million viewers. It was an incredible achievement. "Thanks to the success of 'Pee Mak,' I earned a lot of money and gained a lot of popularity. It’s not just my success but a success achieved through teamwork. I was simply lucky to meet a great team."

K-content is also gaining popularity in Thailand through online video streaming services (OTT). Mario Maurer named "Train to Busan" (2016) and "Parasite" (2019) as Korean films he enjoyed. He chose Bong Joon-ho as a director he would like to work with, saying, "'Parasite' had an unexpected and fresh storyline," and "I was surprised because it was a work I had never seen as an Asian film." He added, "It stimulated my spirit of challenge as an actor." Having watched the drama "Itaewon Class" through OTT, he said, "Park Seo-joon was impressive, and I want to work with director Kim Sung-yoon who directed the series."

Photo by Mario Maurer (BIFF)

When asked about the charm of Korean films, he said, "I like them so much that it’s hard to pick just one." Mario Maurer said, "I enjoy Korean horror films as well as dramas depicting love and life. Although there is a language barrier, I clearly feel that they are good films, and I sometimes cry while watching them." He also said, "I want to appear in various Korean works such as romantic comedies and action films."

He named Park Seo-joon and Won Bin as his favorite actors. "Won Bin is very popular in Thailand and even has a fan club. His works were also very popular, and I liked and enjoyed watching them. It is an honor to be given the nickname 'Won Bin of Thailand.' I want to meet Park Seo-joon if I get the chance. I really enjoyed watching 'Itaewon Class.' I am waiting for the day I can work in Korea."

Busan=Reporter Lee Isul