Actor Choi Woo-shik recently shared his thoughts on reuniting with Jang Hye-jin, his co-star from the acclaimed film 'Parasite', in their new movie 'Number One'.
In a recent interview at a café in Samcheong-dong, Seoul, Choi discussed his role in 'Number One', directed by Kim Tae-yong. The film tells the story of 'Ha-min' (played by Choi Woo-shik), who begins to see a decreasing number every time he eats his mother's food. He discovers that when the number reaches zero, his mother 'Eun-sil' (played by Jang Hye-jin) will die, prompting him to take action to protect her.
Choi plays the role of 'Ha-min', who tries to distance himself from his mother to preserve her time. He expressed a special fondness for working with Jang Hye-jin, noting, "I've often been told I resemble Jang Hye-jin's son. Since 'Parasite' (directed by Bong Joon-ho), I've seen photos of her son, and the resemblance helped me immerse myself in the role." He added, "Her voice tone is similar to my mother's, which also positively influenced my performance."
Reflecting on the different atmosphere compared to 'Parasite', Choi said, "Back then, we didn't communicate much on set. Everyone was on edge, eager to do well. There were many ensemble scenes, leaving little room for deep emotional exchanges." In contrast, he found the process of making 'Number One' to be enjoyable and collaborative.
Choi revealed that he didn't feel much pressure about reuniting with Jang as mother and son. "I didn't feel burdened. In 'Parasite', we couldn't fully showcase our relationship or chemistry, so I felt we could do it justice this time," he explained.
The film also prompted Choi to reflect on his own family. Describing himself as "a son like a daughter," he shared, "I often express love to my parents and am relatively open with my emotions." However, he admitted, "While I'm good at expressing happiness, I rarely share stress, worries, or sadness."
Choi noted a change in his attitude through this project. "During filming, I realized that time might not be as abundant as I thought, so I tried to be more honest," he said. Growing up as the youngest child, he was always conscious of his parents' age. "There's a seven-year gap between me and my brother, and my parents were older than those of my friends. I used to worry about what would happen if my parents passed away first," he confessed.
He continued, "As I started working, I tried to forget those thoughts. I forgot that even family has an 'expiration date'. This film reminded me of that and gave me time to reflect on myself."
'Number One' is set to be released on the 11th.
Reported by Kim Se-ah for TenAsia haesmik@tenasia.co.kr