[Interview] Cheon Woo-hee, Extraordinary Moments Within the Ordinary

'Just Dropped My Smartphone' Nami Role
Reflecting High Dependence on Mobile Phones... Increased Fear
Focus on Proactive Characters and Voices of the Marginalized

Chased and chasing, running, rolling, falling. The more actress Cheon Woo-hee (35) pushes herself to the limit, the more her works come alive. Every project she appears in is solid. She convinces audiences with a narrative-rich face portraying universal characters grounded in reality. This is the driving force behind the trust audiences place in her, as well as Cheon Woo-hee’s power to prove the fun and message of a story through outstanding acting.

Cheon Woo-hee plays Nami, whose daily life is shaken after losing her smartphone, in the Netflix original film Smartphone-eul Tteoreotteuryeossneun Ppuninde (Just Dropped My Smartphone), released on the 17th. When we met recently at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, she introduced the film as “more terrifying because it’s realistic and easier to relate to. The dynamic between the three characters was interesting, and it’s a thriller that stays true to tension and twists.”

SNS as a Channel Reflecting the Times

Actress Chun Woo-hee [Photo by Netflix]

Smartphone-eul Tteoreotteuryeossneun Ppuninde tells the story of an ordinary office worker whose daily life is threatened by hacking after losing her smartphone. The film is adapted by director Kim Tae-joon from a Japanese novel of the same name, which was also made into a film in Japan in 2018. The cast includes actors Im Si-wan, Cheon Woo-hee, and Kim Hee-won.

The film reflects the reality of increasing dependence on smartphones. It portrays the smartphone, which has become our closest eyes and ears, as surveilling everything about us, through a distinctive thriller genre. The direction also stands out by using lenses and equipment rarely seen in typical films. Cheon Woo-hee plays Nami, who becomes a victim after losing her phone and having her social media accounts and messenger hacked overnight.

Cheon Woo-hee said, “Nami looks weak but is strong, a character with a sense of everyday life who does not hesitate to make extreme choices. I liked her three-dimensional and diverse facets.” Realizing she is a victim, Nami does not rely on the police but confronts the perpetrator herself. Her effort to hold the criminal accountable until the end is impressive, and the way this is portrayed is proactive and distinct from other content.

“Nami is a universal character who feels like me and my friends. She is ordinary but three-dimensional. I thought if the story went off track, viewers might get lost. As a guide for the audience, I wanted to lead them well. Nami suffers harm while defenseless but I liked how she awakens and tries to solve the problem. I think this independent attitude resonates with people of the same generation. At the beginning of the film, she appears as a cheerful person working hard, someone you could meet anywhere. I tried to blend my own image into her everyday appearance.”

Cheon Woo-hee sees SNS as a reflection of the times. She said, “Dependence on smartphones is very high. I only use the apps I always use, but they make daily life more convenient and easier.” She added, “It’s an era where self-expression is important. What you eat, where you go, it all tells about you. The image you build through SNS might become who you are. I don’t want to define it as good or bad. In an era where tastes matter, people just choose according to their needs or preferences.”

[Photo by Netflix]

While Nami is asleep, the perpetrator commits atrocities by leaving messages on messenger and posting on SNS using the hacked phone. Cheon Woo-hee cited this as the scariest scene in the film.

“Even if misunderstandings arise among friends, it would be unfair, but to be condemned online for words you never said was terrifying. It’s something that could easily happen. The fact that you can become friends and communicate with someone on the other side of the world online is attractive, but if someone has malicious intent, they can sever ties anytime, which is chilling. One day, I received an alert that someone was trying to hack into my email, and it was unpleasant and scary. It made me think about how far I should allow smartphone use.”

*The following contains spoilers.

Cheon Woo-hee said there was a scene she was determined to protect while filming: the scene where Nami picks up a gun in the latter part of the film. She insisted it had to be portrayed because it aligns with the message of the film.

“I didn’t want to give up on the ending. I told director Kim Tae-joon that we must keep the gun scene. I wanted to show the will that salvation must come from oneself. Making a decision on your own fits the tone of the work and should be the ending. Like Nami’s line asking the detective, ‘Can you protect me for life?’ I think it’s right to solve it yourself. So throughout filming, I kept saying, ‘I absolutely won’t give up. I will definitely shoot the gun!’ (laughs)”

"OTT Is a Convenient Privilege, But Theatrical Films Will Be Eternal"

Actor Chun Woo-hee [Photo by Netflix]

Her powerful presence in films like Sunny (2011) and Han Gong-ju (2014) remains unforgettable. Cheon Woo-hee persuaded audiences instantly with her solid acting. She has built trust through various works such as Cart (2014), The Wailing (2016), Idol (2019), Vertigo (2019), and Anchor (2022). She delves deeply into new faces in familiar spaces and extraordinary moments within ordinary faces.

“It feels good when all works succeed at the box office, receive good reviews, and are loved, but I know that’s not always possible. I just do my best in each work. Doing my part is my duty. Ultimately, the story matters, but acting convincingly is also important. Before that, I think I have to be convinced myself to express it through acting. When choosing projects, what moves my heart is the most important. Then I have to convince others through acting.”

Cheon Woo-hee has taken on many challenging works. She has appeared in quite a few projects that highlight heavy social issues and deliver weighty messages. She recalled, “There were times I wondered why I did so many difficult works.” She added, “I wanted to be the voice of marginalized people. Some works shed light on ‘this kind of life exists.’ Regardless of the scale of the story, I was interested in marginalized lives and people.”

On set, Cheon Woo-hee is extremely focused. Actor Kim Hee-won, who worked with her, said, “Although she gets along well normally, on set she was hard to approach. She is an impressive actor who immerses herself deeply in her roles and the work.” She strives to evoke the same emotion in every scene.

“I try not to lose concentration. At some point, emotions evaporate and only results remain. It’s not easy to go back to before feeling them. At those times, I just believe this space is real. If I build the character solidly, I just have to believe it. Sometimes I create my own momentum, but above all, I believe the entire work is important. Within that, I try to take what I can from each scene.”

In 2023, the term “theatrical film” emerged. After the COVID-19 pandemic, OTT platforms have rapidly become part of our lives. We asked Cheon Woo-hee how she perceives this change.

She said, “It’s unfortunate as an actor that the number of films has decreased, but I don’t think negatively. I’m confident that ‘cinema’ will not disappear. Recently, I enjoyed watching Decision to Leave and The First Slam Dunk in theaters and thought, ‘This is what movies are!’ I’m sure films will continue to be with us. Of course, OTT is also attractive. It’s a convenient privilege we enjoy. But films inherently deliver clear messages to humans and will not disappear. We have to work hard to discover and create great content.”