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| A still from "Heart Blackened" / Courtesy of CJ Entertainment |
By Kim Jae-heun
Veteran actor Choi Min-shik returns to the screen in the crime drama "Heart Blackened" that opened in local theaters Friday.
Starting out slowly, the film ranked third at the box office following the "The Bros" and "Thor: Ragnarok."
The film "Heart Blackened" is Choi's second appearance on the screen this year after "The Mayor" that was released in April and he was reunited with the director Jung Ji-woo and the producer he met while shooting "Oldboy" (2003) for the new movie.
"I chose to star in Heart Blackened because I had no doubt about the movie with director Jung. We had a producer here that I worked with when I shot Oldboy. I felt like I was working with old fellow soldiers," said Choi during the press preview for the film at CGV Yongsan in Seoul, Oct. 24. "I just wanted to get involved just so the story is honest."
The film is about a successful businessman, Im Tae-san, trying to solve the murder of his fiancee, who was allegedly killed by Im's daughter. Im hires a lawyer to clear his daughter's name. The film is a remake of the Chinese movie "Silent Witness."
"The story is about a guy who owns a lot of things and is throwing himself into ruin. It's quite ironic. If Im was a middle class person, the story would not have been so dramatic. Im's wealth plays the role of important leverage in the story, said Choi.
Choi's latest hit-film "The Admiral: Roaring Currents" in 2014 was seen by 17.6 million viewers and became the most-watched and highest-grossing film of all time in Korea.
The veteran actor says he feels burdened making another successful piece such as the naval war film and Choi believes it was only possible because he had acted in the role of such a highly respected national hero.
"I enjoyed the extravagance when I acted in the role of the admiral in the war film but this time it's just me. I have to like the role to do it. I still have the same idea that I have to be selfish in this case," said Choi.
Choi added that making a box office hit is like trying to hold on to an illusion but it doesn't mean he is irresponsible. The veteran actor expressed he is satisfied with everything in the film and with his colleagues and the box office tally does not always accord with his expectations. Choi picks many elements that constitute success and failure including timing and ways of communicating. However, he believes making films should be natural and it is wrong to plan to make a successful film in the first place.
"The size of the movie does not matter and it is meaningless if I am not engrossed in the work. I do this job because I get involved like a crazy man. I do it because I like it and to feel satisfied. If I am satisfied then I am good," said Choi.
Other actors starring in the film include Park Shin-hye, Ryu Jun-yeol and Lee Ha-nui.
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