Director, scriptwriter, producer, and lead actor Choi Cheol-ho: I want people to experience the reality that only I can capture through my work.

■ Profile

Born in Osaka Prefecture in 1979. Active in a wide range of films, TV dramas, and stage productions. In 2007, he founded and led the theatre company Noraneinudan. In addition to the theatre company, he also performs and produces in large-scale commercial theatre productions.

2021: World Movie Association is founded.

His major works include "Hotaru" (directed by Yasuo Furuhata), "The Sun Also Rises" (directed by Kiyoshi Sasabe), "Hanaoto" (directed by Kiyoshi Sasabe), and "Grasshopper" (directed by Tomoyuki Takimoto).

Choi Cheol-ho, the leader of the Noraneinudan theatre company, is active in a wide range of genres, including stage, television and original videos. Having perfected his acting skills, he now takes on the challenge of directing, writing and starring in "North Wind Outsider." We spoke to him about his thoughts on his work as an actor, as well as his thoughts on the film, which is based on half of his own life, and what we can look forward to.

Learning about the "wide world" through movies

　Ever since I was little, I've always wanted to stand out. I was a bit of a fangirl, and I think I always had a desire to become famous. I grew up in a third-generation Korean resident of Japan, so I lived in a slightly different world to most people. That's why movies gave me hope that there was a whole new world out there that I didn't know about. Also, when I was in middle school, a local theater group came to my school, and I was deeply moved by their performance. I was just amazed that there was such a glamorous world out there, completely different from the rough middle school I had experienced. Partly because movies had saved me, I wanted to be in this industry, so I moved to Tokyo the day I graduated from high school and aimed to become an actor.

Acting is a job where hardships bring joy

　I'm 42 now, but actually, I wasn't sure whether to continue acting until I was 30. I started a family at 25, but only a handful of actors could make a living, and I wondered if I could support my family on this, and whether it was the right career for me as a man. But it was still the job I wanted to devote my life to. I get bored easily, and acting in the world of craftsmanship was the only thing I could stick with. It's also a job that offers the joy of giving something to the audience after a difficult experience. I prefer working in a tough world to a flat, bland life, and I think working in the entertainment industry, where you can inspire people, is truly rewarding. I started out with a casual desire to become famous, but my hopes were dashed. But my love for it drove me, and I also discovered something even better than that. I want to give it my all, take on new challenges, and continue working in the entertainment industry for the rest of my life.

"North Wind Outsider"is a work that only I can create

　I've wanted to make a film since I was in my 30s, in order to further perfect my work as an actor. At the same time, I was somewhat hesitant, but the situation changed with COVID-19, and I thought about my life and repeatedly asked myself questions. I was already 41 years old, so I decided it was time to make a film and decided to do so. When deciding on the theme, I was a third-generation Korean resident of Japan, and I thought I might be the only one who could portray this theme realistically. I don't really have any particular attachment to being a third-generation Korean resident of Japan. However, it is true that I grew up in that kind of environment, and I thought this would be a theme that I could tackle as a director, so I decided to portray the theme of third-generation Korean resident of Japan.

　In this work, I've sprinkled in many of the things I want to communicate. Among them, I've focused on four themes: "What is a human being?", "What is love?", "The inheritance of the times," and "Blood flow." I was conscious of making it understandable to people on the other side of the world as fellow human beings. Looking around the world, there are similar issues, regardless of whether they are Korean residents in Japan. I thought I could realistically depict one of those issues.

　One of Omoni's (mother's) lines is, "Koreans and Japanese are all human beings, so the time will surely come when we can get along." I went to a Korean school, but from the sixth grade I went to a Japanese school. Because of this, I was able to think about things from both perspectives, but I have wondered who is actually building the wall. Throughout my life, I have felt that Koreans living in Japan and Japanese are the same human beings, so I definitely wanted to include Omoni's line.

The pursuit of realism was the key to success.

　We discussed the direction of the film dozens of times. I didn't want to make it a spectacle, but I also wanted to include entertainment elements. Ultimately, I decided to shoot it with a documentary-like sense of realism. I sprinkled in actual events that happened to me and the people around me as a Korean resident in Japan, and I pursued realism to the fullest extent. The film is set in my hometown of Osaka, and the house where I lived is shown, and my mother's unique personality is based on my own experience, and the things she used to say are also used in the dialogue. In one scene, I made all of the props by hand with the actors themselves, which made it clear that their feelings would be more prominently displayed.

　I would love for people who watch this film to feel that "life is good." My philosophy is that movies are entertainment, so I want them to make the viewer feel happy. I would be happy if they could pick up on the four themes and the happy parts and think that family, people, and life are good. Also, I have heard people say, "I thought all the actors playing Korean residents in Japan were real Korean residents in Japan." In reality, they are all Japanese actors, but we pursued realism to the utmost to make them appear that way. I hope that people will enjoy the real aspects of life that we have pursued to the utmost.

I want you to continue learning and taking on challenges throughout your life.

　I want you to remain a "student" for the rest of your life. Once you enter society, the frame of being a student disappears, but you continue to study. Student years are the last time you can consciously study. You only realize the importance of those days after they are over. That's why I want you to study now while you're a student.

　I also think that everyone has times when they wonder what they're good at. However, there is surely something rewarding to be found in any industry. If you take the plunge and dive into something that you're interested in, you'll find that it's far more rewarding than whether you like it or not. The job of an actor can be very tough, and I've actually played hundreds, if not thousands, of unnamed extra roles. However, that same toughness is the same in any field, and I believe you can find reward that overcomes it. Pursuing what you want to do with all your heart is also a way to survive in today's world, which is in a period of change. I hope that you will dive into something that interests you and see it through to the end.

Student Newspaper Online Tsuda University 4th year student Aki Kawanami