The 28th Busan International Film Festival will be held from the 4th to the 13th.
Busan International Film Festival Asian Film Actor Chow Yun-Fat Press Conference
Busan International Film Festival Asian Film Actor Chow Yun-Fat Press Conference
At 12 noon on the 5th, the Asian Film Actor of the Year Chow Yun-fat press conference was held at the KNN Theater on Suyeonggangbyeon-daero, Haeundae-gu, Busan.
Chow Yun-fat, who appeared on this day wearing wide-leg pants and a casual set-up suit, always greeted reporters with a cheerful and relaxed smile. He laughed and said, “There are two sudden changes in life, and one sudden change lasts 60 years. If you put it that way, I am 7 years old this year. Please take care of me today.” He continued, “I am happy to receive such a great award in the 50th anniversary of my debut, and I am happy to be loved by Korean fans.”
Chow Yun-fat said about his impressions of visiting Busan, "Busan is beautiful. I went out for a run two mornings in a row. People were happy to see me. I went to Dongbaek Island and the sky was beautiful," and "The food is good. I'm going to eat octopus later." did.
Regarding this new work 'One More Chance', he said, "I have high expectations as it has been quite a while since I have acted in this genre. I hope Korean fans will like it."
Chow Yun-fat said about the secret of his popularity with Korean fans, "I filmed a lot in Korea in the 1980s. I went to Jeju Island for 2-3 months and went back and forth between Gimpo Airport and Korea." He added, "The filming staff at the time said they would eat Western food, but I didn't. “I always ate galbitang with rice and kimchi. Maybe it’s because the food goes well together, but it felt like a good fit for Korea,” he said.
Chow Yun-Fat, who said, “I have a lot of old Korean wardrobes at home and I like Korean culture,” laughed and said, “The only thing I can’t get used to is that Korea is so cold.”
Meanwhile, Chow Yun-fat said about his health, "Actually, once you get to a certain age, it's important to find a hobby and stay healthy, but I decided to run a half marathon in Hong Kong in November," and added, "I plan to run a 10km run in Busan tomorrow morning." I asked for it. He laughed and said, “I don’t know if I will die from running a marathon, but if I die, I don’t think there will be news like this.”
Chow Yun-Fat, who is well-known for his frugality, became a hot topic in 2018 when he announced that he would donate his entire fortune, 5.6 billion Hong Kong dollars (about 810 billion won), after his death. When asked about this, Chow Yun-Fat was joking and humble. He laughed and said, "I didn't donate 810 billion won, but my wife donated it. I didn't want to donate it. It was my hard-earned money." He added, "I am now living on pocket money. I don't know exactly how much I donated."
Chow Yun-Fat said, "I didn't bring anything with me when I came to this world anyway, so I don't think it would matter if I left without anything. I think two bowls of white rice is enough. Because I don't eat breakfast, and because I have diabetes, sometimes I only need one bowl. “I eat it,” he said with a smile. He added, “I think the thing I flex the most is the camera lens, but since it’s used, it’s not that expensive.”
Among his filmography, the top three he chose were ‘A Hero’s True Colors’, ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’, and ‘Blood Twin Heroes’. He said, "'Hero's True Colors' is the first work I encountered after leaving broadcasting, and it has an impact on me. Although the movie is only about 2 hours, I think it has great power. I am also happy that the younger generation is encountering my old works through various OTT platforms. “He said.
Regarding the character he would like to challenge in the future, Chow Yun-Fat raised expectations by predicting various challenges in the future, saying, "I have no restrictions. I am willing to challenge any role."
This film festival will feature three films, including Chow Yun-Fat's new film 'One More Chance' (2023), 'A Hero's True Colors' (1986), and 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' (2000), through a special program.
Chow Yun-fat, an icon representing the Hong Kong film renaissance of the 20th century, gave excellent performances in films such as 'A Hero's True Colors' (1986), 'An Autumn's Fairy Tale' (1987), 'Double Heroes' (1989), and 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' (2000). It has a diverse spectrum, including not only action movies but also melodramas, comedies, and historical dramas.
Meanwhile, at this year's Busan International Film Festival, a total of 269 films, including 209 officially invited films from 69 countries and 60 community beef screenings, will meet the audience. The opening film was 'Because I Hate Korea' (Director Jang Geon-jae) starring Go Ah-seong, Kim Woo-gyeom and Joo Jong-hyuk, and the closing film was 'The Emperor of Movies' (Director Ning Hao) starring Yoo Deok-hwa.
Busan Choi Ji-ye, Ten Asia reporter wisdomart@tenasia.co.kr