“I really like kimchi and rib soup” Chow Yun-fat, overflowing with love for Korea

Actor Chow Yun-fat (68) expressed his gratitude to his Korean fans.

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, met the reporters with a 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 smiled and said, “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.”

Chow Yun-fat won the Asian Filmmaker of the Year Award at the 28th Busan International Film Festival. This award is given annually to the Asian filmmaker or organization that has shown the most outstanding activity in the development of the Asian film industry and culture.

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