[Joint Interview] Choi Ji Woo breaks new ground with the movie ”The New Normal”: ”I was worried and anxious about whether I could do it well”

Choi Ji Woo, who visited Japan to coincide with the release of the unconventional and unpredictable experiential thriller "The New Normal," spoke about why he decided to take on new challenges with this film and what went on behind the scenes.
His first film in seven years since the 2016 film "Happy Login" is the thriller "The New Normal," which depicts the fear and despair that lurk in everyday life.
She took on a new challenge in this role, which is completely different from her image as the gracefully smiling "Princess Ji Woo." When asked how she felt before taking on this film, she said, "Before filming began, I wondered, 'Will this really be me?'
"I was worried and anxious about whether I could do it well or how I should express this role. So I had a lot of discussions with the director," he said, "Once I got to the set,
There is always a certain atmosphere on set, but this time, I was often acting with my co-star in a small space, so the atmosphere naturally became more realistic and a comfortable sense of tension was born on set.
So I think that tension was put to good use. After filming was over, we tried something new, and I think it went really well. How do you think the audience will accept the film?
"I'm really curious and excited to see what people will think of me. I hope they respond well to my new look," she said with a gentle smile.
There was a tense atmosphere before the interview started, but Choi Ji Woo's calm way of speaking and cheerful smile made the atmosphere more relaxed.
The atmosphere in the room was peaceful. She has the charm to make anyone smile, so what did she think when she was offered this role?
"When I first received and read the script, I thought it was really interesting. It was a thriller.
I had heard that, so I thought it would be a scary film that would make you jump at the chance, but that wasn't all there was to it. It had unique and witty aspects.
I was also looking forward to seeing what kind of actor would play the character. But I never thought I would be the one to play it. I enjoyed reading the script, but I had a hard time with the role I had played in the past.
Since it was completely different from the role, I told the director, "I don't think I can do it after all. I'm not confident." But the director said he really wanted me to do it.
He had me in mind when he was writing the script, and as a director, he wanted to show me a new side of myself.
I also wanted to show my true colors. The director has made many beloved horror films such as "1942" and "Gonjiam," so I trusted him.
I felt that I had to take on the challenge.” In the drama, the background of Hyunjung, played by Choi Ji Woo, is not revealed at all.
She said, "The director recommended the classic film by Fritz Lang, 'M,' to me. It was a film that would inspire me and help me understand.
I watched it because he said it would help me understand, and I was able to understand a little bit about the director's thoughts and how he was trying to film it.
Since there is no description of what happened in N-jung's past, I wonder what Hyun-jung was like as a child, and whether or not such an incident may have occurred...
He said that he created the role by talking with the director about the various processes that he has gone through to get to where he is now, and adding his own imagination to the story.
The film is an anthology of six main characters, but they are all interconnected. During filming, the filming locations of each character were not shown to the public.
Therefore, the actors did not even read the script together. "The most important word in this movie is isolation. Of course, I thought that this character was a character that this actor was unique.
I knew that they were cast, but there was no explanation of how this character and this character were connected. So,
When I saw what was done, I realized, "Oh, this is how it's connected. This is how it will be next." Since we were shooting in that kind of situation, the actors naturally
I think I was able to go with the flow and connect the story well, and I thought the finished product was very interesting. The intro to the film features an edited version of a real incident that happened in South Korea.
When the film was released in Korea, it was given the tagline "An era where fear has become everyday life," and terrifying incidents are actually occurring in the film.
When I asked Choi Ji Woo about the changes in her daily life, she said, "There are a lot of things that we never thought of happening. For example,
The spread of the COVID-19 virus has been ongoing for about three years, but it is something that we probably could not have imagined living in the 21st century.
So, it's scary to watch the news these days. When you see news about something that is scary in everyday life, you feel like you are experiencing that incident. For example,
On social media, there are cases where people make murder teasers like, "Today, I'm going to go here and kill X." Or, on the street, they are stabbed by people they don't know, or shot by guns, or things like that.
The incidents that have happened so far have made us realize that we are living in an age where horrifying things are happening that we never would have wanted to see happen to anyone.
"I think it's very scary because something that should never happen to anyone is happening. Despite that, we are
We have to live in this world, so I try to feel happiness in every moment as much as possible. For example, seeing my children grow up is a great happiness,
"I'm excited to wait for the movie to be released," she said with her usual gentle smile. Although there was an interpreter during the interview, she only understood a certain amount of Japanese.
Choi Ji Woo was in the movie. In the prologue of the movie, he is eating alone, so when asked about eating alone, he answered, "Are you asking whether I like eating alone or not (laughs)?"
"When I'm at home, sometimes I have to eat alone. I like being at home alone, but I'm not the type of person who likes to eat alone. If possible,
I want to eat at home with my family, and when I'm at work, I like to eat with my staff, so I don't like eating alone (laughs)."
When I asked her about horror movies, she shivered and said, "They're really scary, I hate them," and added, "I can watch the scary parts, but I can't see anything."
When something suddenly appears in that state, I get so scared that my heart feels like it's going to explode (laughs). So I watched the director's "Gonjiam," but to be honest, I was so scared that I couldn't watch it until the end.
So I told the director, "I watched '1942 Strange Story,' but I couldn't watch 'Gonjiam' until the end because it was too scary."
"I watch a lot of movies, and I like Japanese anime. I like hero stories, love stories, comedies, and cute anime that kids watch," she said, showing that she enjoys a variety of genres other than horror.
She said, "I like it. In Korea, I've been active without a break through variety shows, TV series, and commercials, but this was my first visit to Japan in 18 years to promote a movie. In Japan, I like it through movies.
It's been a while since I've greeted you like this. For the Japanese people, it felt like it had been a long time since I last performed, so everyone seemed surprised.
I came to Japan for Season 2, and I was really touched that they still remembered me and welcomed me so warmly," she said in an interview before going on stage to greet the audience.
"I'm looking forward to meeting all my Japanese fans," he said with a smile. "The New Normal" is now showing nationwide. STORY
In Seoul, a series of serial murders targeting only women has been occurring frequently, making headlines.
A middle-aged man comes to Hyun-jung's (Choi Ji Woo) former house to check the fire alarm. Hyun-jung feels uneasy when the suspicious man brazenly enters her house.
Meanwhile, Hyun-soo (Lee YuMi) is meeting up with someone she matched with on a dating app. However, an unexpected person shows up.
The ending will be unexpected... Director and scriptwriter: Jung Beom-sik "Gonjiam" Cast: Choi Ji Woo "Winter Sonata", Lee YuMi "Squid Game", Choi Minho (SHINee) "The
"Fabulous", Pyo Ji Hoon (Block B) "Hotel Del Luna", Ha Da In, Jung Dong Won Provided by: AMG Entertainment
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