"I'm scared of the reactions to this work, so I've been staying away from the internet. Before coming to this interview, I looked up a bit on (Naver) and my mood fluctuated a bit. I haven't seen the review articles yet, but knowing my personality, I think I'll look them up after some more time has passed."
Choi Woo-shik (34), who received praise for portraying a realistic romance in the drama 'Our Beloved Summer' (2022), has returned to a romantic genre after three years. This is a reunion with writer Lee Na-eun, who knows him well.
The Netflix series 'Melomovie' (written by Lee Na-eun, directed by Oh Chung-hwan), released worldwide on the 14th, depicts a romantic drama about ambiguous youth who want to love and achieve their dreams, discovering each other and becoming sources of inspiration while overcoming their traumas.
Choi Woo-shik plays the film enthusiast 'Go-gyeom', who became a critic out of his love for movies, and he shares the screen with Park Bo-young, who plays 'Kim Movie'.
Meeting Choi Woo-shik in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul on the 17th, he said, "I was more eager because it’s a story full of warm emotions," adding, "It's not a flashy story with fireworks, but a work that embodies people and love."
"Of course, there was pressure since it's a work by the writer of 'Our Beloved Summer'. But I was more excited about the possibility of showing a new side of myself. The work that introduced me as 'This is Choi Woo-shik' was 'Our Beloved Summer', but back then, I had no experience in romance, so I didn't know how to make the audience like it. But even now, I still don't know. (laughs) 'Our Beloved Summer' wasn't a drama that achieved high ratings, but those who liked it really loved it. I wanted to take those viewers to 'Melomovie'."
Choi Woo-shik mentioned that 'Choi Woong' from 'Our Beloved Summer' and 'Go-gyeom' from 'Melomovie' are similar yet different. Go-gyeom is not particularly reliable but has a cute, quirky, and harmless charm. He said, "The puppy-like traits shown in the early part of the drama are somewhat similar to me."
"If Choi Woong was an introverted and observant character, 'Go-gyeom' in 'Melomovie' is more straightforward and unashamedly focused on one person. There were differences. So I aimed to dig deeper into different charms. I thought it would be more realistic to appear serious rather than fierce while working. The writer knows me well, so I think she incorporated that well."
'Go-gyeom' experiences a fateful first meeting with 'Kim Movie' and falls in love. The sweet yet refreshing chemistry and growth story created by Choi Woo-shik and Park Bo-young will warm the hearts of viewers.
When discussing the romantic chemistry with his peer Park Bo-young, Choi Woo-shik said, "It was very enjoyable and comfortable." He added, "There are still times when I don't know what a 'moment' in romance is, but Bo-young helped me a lot with that," citing the telephone pole kiss scene as an example.
"When we were filming the ending scene with the telephone pole kiss, we discussed how to tilt our heads with the director, and I learned a lot. While filming this work, I think I understood why people like Park Bo-young as an actress. I'm a person who thinks a lot, but Bo-young has a lot of 'girl crush' qualities. I think she helped me a lot when I was confused on set."
'Melomovie' delicately portrays the changes in relationships and emotions through the meetings, separations, and reunions of four young men and women, drawing viewers in. In particular, Lee Na-eun's emotional script allows characters to grow slowly, resonating with and comforting the audience. Choi Woo-shik also said, "The writer's script pokes at me." What if Lee Na-eun were to call him for a third time?
"To be completely honest, I want to do it again. I know the writer's tendencies and who she is, so I feel lucky to be able to work with someone like that. I don't know if the writer will write for me again, though."
Choi Woo-shik, who debuted in the 2011 MBC drama 'The Duo', has been recognized for his acting skills through films like 'The Giant', 'Train to Busan', 'Okja', 'The Witch', 'Parasite', and dramas like 'Hogu's Love', 'Fight for My Way', 'Our Beloved Summer', and 'The Killer's Shopping List'.
When asked about the changes since director Bong Joon-ho's film 'Parasite' (2019), he replied, "I still feel the same. I still have a lot to improve," but added, "I have gained a bit more confidence than back then. With each project I finish, my confidence grows."
"During 'Parasite', I remember not being able to leave my seat until the end credits rolled, thinking, 'I should have done a little better.' These days, I'm thinking about how to let go of my greed and act comfortably and happily."
In addition to his continuous acting activities, he has also appeared in Na Young-seok PD's variety shows 'Youn's Stay' and 'Seo Jin's', saying, "Physically, it's obviously tough, but I feel like good energy is generated."
"I think I was called by my name more during 'Seo Jin's' than during 'Parasite'. During 'Parasite', I was called 'Sengchung-i', but during 'Seo Jin's', everyone called me by my name, 'Woo-shik'. (laughs)"
