Actors Choi Woo-shik and Jang Hye-jin, who previously collaborated in the acclaimed film 'Parasite' directed by Bong Joon-ho, reunite in the new movie 'Number One'. This marks Choi's second collaboration with director Kim Tae-yong. In a candid conversation, Choi shared his thoughts on the responsibility he felt for this project and his views on marriage.
Recently, Choi Woo-shik sat down for an interview at a café in Samcheong-dong, Seoul, to discuss his role in 'Number One' (directed by Kim Tae-yong). The film follows the story of Ha-min (played by Choi), who discovers that every time he eats his mother's food, a number decreases, and when it reaches zero, his mother Eun-sil (played by Jang Hye-jin) will die. Ha-min's character struggles to distance himself from his mother to preserve her time.
Choi admitted, "I feel more nervous than ever," adding, "Since this is my second project with director Kim Tae-yong, there's pressure to show a better and improved version of myself compared to the first film." He continued, "This project feels significant as it bears my face and name, and I'm stepping into the world holding the director's hand."
Reflecting on his first collaboration with Kim in 'Set Me Free' (2014), Choi revealed, "I initially rejected 'Set Me Free' three to four times because I felt the emotional scenes were too challenging for me." He confessed that deciding on this project wasn't easy either.
Choi shared, "I think I expressed a lot of doubts initially," and added, "Having received unexpected love and awards for 'Set Me Free', I wanted to maintain that relationship." He also expressed concerns about failing in their second collaboration and mentioned that he has been avoiding emotionally draining projects recently.
However, once filming began, his worries dissipated. "Once we started shooting, those concerns vanished," he said. "Since I'm close with the director, communication was smooth, and I realized my worries were unfounded," he laughed. On set, they exchanged jokes to prevent the heavy emotional tone from becoming overwhelming. "Both the director and I felt that a lot of time had passed, and both the texture of the work and our personal growth had changed," he noted.
Choi clarified that he is not against marriage, stating, "I haven't deeply contemplated the choice of marriage yet," and left room for change, saying, "My thoughts can change anytime, and I'll make a decision when the situation arises." He noted, "There's a reason why many actors my age aren't married. After finishing a project, we take breaks, and in doing so, we might miss out on things that seem obvious."
He continued, "From an outsider's perspective, people might think, 'What worries do celebrities have?' but there are many things we miss out on that should be taken for granted." He candidly shared, "This is something I'll continue to think about. I believe marriage is a choice that should be made, but I'll keep pondering 'when is the right time?'"
Choi expressed special affection for reuniting with Jang Hye-jin. He said, "I've often been told I resemble Jang Hye-jin's son," and added, "Since 'Parasite', I've seen photos of her son, and the resemblance helped with my acting immersion." He noted that their voice tones naturally matched, enhancing their synergy.
He also mentioned the differences from their time in 'Parasite'. "Back then, everyone was on edge, and there wasn't much room for communication," he recalled. "In 'Number One', we exchanged a lot, and the process itself was very enjoyable." He reflected, "I didn't feel any pressure. In 'Parasite', we couldn't fully showcase our relationship or chemistry, so I felt we could do it justice this time."
The film 'Number One' is set to release on the 11th.
Kim Se-ah, TenAsia Reporter haesmik@tenasia.co.kr