“Taste? I like it rather” Choi Woo-shik, the reason he took on another romantic comedy [DA: Interview ①]

Actor Choi Woo-shik revealed why he chose the Netflix series ‘Melo Movie’.

In an interview for the Netflix series ‘Melo Movie’ held at a cafe in Jongno-gu, Seoul on the 17th, Choi Woo-shik said, “I thought this work would definitely be a taste. People who like it would like it, and people who don‘t would hate it, but that’s why I liked it even more. I thought the people who like it would really like it. The message was good too. I thought so from the beginning.” He said, “It‘s so much fun to do dramas that follow the characters, like in the movies ‘Giant’ and ‘Parasite’, rather than ones that focus on the events. I think works that ride the characters’ emotional lines are more unique these days. He emphasized, “In ‘Melo Movie’, it was good and fun to see Go Gyeom develop.”

‘Melo Movie’ is a romance that depicts a movie-like time in which ambiguous youths who want to love and achieve their dreams discover each other, become inspirations for each other, and overcome their own traumas. It is a work in which Director Oh Choong-hwan, who has worked on dramas such as ‘Hotel Del Luna’, ‘Start-Up’, and Writer Lee Na-eun of ‘That Year, Us’, joined forces.

Choi Woo-shik plays Go Gyeom, who jumps into the film industry with his love for all the movies in the world and goes from being a bit part actor to a critic. As is the law of melodramatic movies, Go Gyeom is a character who falls in love with Kim Moo-bi, whose name is fateful, from their first meeting. Choi Woo-shik‘s unique friendly and cheerful charm and writer Lee Na-eun’s plain and emotional writing have come together to create a new ‘roco life character’.

‘Melo Movie’ is also the work in which Choi Woo-shik quickly reunited with writer Lee Na-eun after ‘That Year, Us’(2022). Just like Choi Woong in ‘That Year, Us’, viewers responded enthusiastically to the character that maximized Choi Woo-shik‘s unique strengths by 200%.

Choi Woo-shik has communicated with writer Lee Na-eun the most, excluding director Bong Joon-ho of ‘Parasite’. We talked a lot while working on both projects. I think she knows what Choi Woo-shik struggles with and what he finds comfortable with, both as an actor and as a human being. When I read the script, I felt like the writer knew who I was”, and the writer wrote the Hawaiian pizza setting based on what I had said. Go Gyum’s way of joking is also similar. I‘m actually close with my older brother, and I think the writer caught that as well,“ he said.

He continued, ”In some ways, writer Lee Na-eun’s writing can feel calm, loose, and sometimes boring. However, the dialogue between people resonates and gives great comfort. There are many romantic comedies with loud incidents, fireworks, and confetti, but it‘s hard to find a piece that keeps that line like the writer’s.“ ”Sometimes there are frivolous lines, but there are also many serious and plain lines. It‘s a romantic comedy, but it doesn’t feel like a romantic comedy. It also deals with a lot of emotional lines that aren‘t usually dealt with in romantic comedies, so I think it’s more unique. He expressed his affection, saying, “Not only me, but other actors will also want to work with writer Lee Na-eun if they read her script.”

He then answered the question, “If writer Lee Na-eun offers you a third project, would you appear?” by saying, “Of course I would if she calls me.” Choi Woo-shik said, “I’m really looking forward to the writer’s next project,” and expressed his trust by saying, “I think she’ll write well,” even if it’s not a romantic comedy.

Jeong Hee-yeon, Donga.com reporter shine2562@donga.com
Photo courtesy of Netflix

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