Actress Jang Hye-jin Reflects on Her Journey and Reunion with Choi Woo-shik in 'Number One'

Actress Jang Hye-jin, who stars in the upcoming film 'Number One', shares her thoughts on the film's release during the Lunar New Year holiday, her reunion with Choi Woo-shik, and her past decision to step away from acting. After their collaboration in 'Parasite', Jang and Choi reunite as mother and son in this new film, prompting Jang to reflect on her career.

'Number One' tells the story of 'Ha-min' (played by Choi Woo-shik), who begins to see numbers decreasing 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, leading him to do everything he can to protect her. Jang portrays 'Eun-sil', a mother who feels distant from her son as he establishes his life in Seoul.

Regarding the film's release, Jang candidly expressed, "I'm always nervous because you can immediately see the audience's reaction." She added, "With multiple films releasing during the holiday, I'm curious about how ours will be received compared to others."

Despite her nerves, Jang is confident about 'Number One'. She stated, "It's a great film for families to watch together during the holidays. I believe it's a movie that transcends generations and will be well-received by all."

Jang also shared her thoughts on the film's theme, saying, "When people from the countryside get tired of the city's concrete, they often long for their mother's home-cooked meals. That warmth was palpable during filming." She continued, "The concept of a mother's home-cooked meal is a 'cheat code', but there's a reason for that. We can't exist without our mothers. Whether the relationship is good or not, the emotional weight of 'mother' is undeniable." She concluded, "Though it's a story about a mother and son, it's ultimately a story for all of us, making it a heartwarming film for the holidays."

Jang recounted her surprise at reuniting with Choi Woo-shik, saying, "I never imagined we'd play mother and son again after 'Parasite'." She admitted, "Given the strong impression 'Parasite' left, I was unsure if we could pull it off again."

However, her perspective changed during filming. Jang noted, "Though we were close during 'Parasite', hearing about our casting in 'Number One' made me realize how much time had passed. Both Woo-shik and I have built our careers, and now it's time for 'Parasite' and 'Number One' to stand on their own."

Jang expressed gratitude towards Choi, recalling, "Back then, I didn't have an agency and often took taxis. Woo-shik, living nearby, would drive me home, calling me 'mother' and giving me hugs." She added, "For my birthday, he even prepared a meal for me. I always felt grateful and a bit guilty for not reciprocating enough."

In this project, the dynamic remained similar. Jang admitted, "I intended to take better care of him this time, but Woo-shik ended up taking care of me again. All I could do was cheer him on."

Jang praised Choi's professionalism, stating, "Though he's known for his variety show appearances, the Woo-shik I know is polite and dedicated to his craft. He communicates clearly and doesn't take acting lightly." She added, "His ability to calculate the flow of a scene while emotionally engaging is impressive. I learned a lot from acting alongside him."

Reflecting on her past, Jang recalled a time when she considered quitting acting, saying, "I thought acting wasn't my path and decided to leave it behind." She confessed, "I felt inadequate and saw so many others who seemed more talented."

She explained, "Acting loses its charm when forced, and I found myself struggling. I lost confidence and questioned why I wasn't being cast." She continued, "Thinking of acting as a lifelong commitment made it less enjoyable, and I felt myself shrinking. I decided to stop before it became too damaging."

After moving to Busan and starting a new life, she met her husband through volunteer work and distanced herself from acting. The turning point came with the film 'Secret Sunshine' by director Lee Chang-dong. Jang recalled, "My husband encouraged me to audition, and once on set, I felt alive again. I realized I had given up too soon on something that brought me so much joy."

'Number One' is set to release on the 11th.

Kim Se-ah, TenAsia Reporter haesmik@tenasia.co.kr