Choi Woo-shik showcases fighting spirit in 'Policeman's Lineage'

Actor Choi Woo-shik in a scene from the film “The Policeman's Lineage” / Courtesy of Acemaker Movieworks

By Kwak Yeon-soo

Actor Choi Woo-shik will showcase his fighting spirit in “The Policeman's Lineage,” which will be the first Korean film coming to theaters in 2022.

Taking a step away from the loveable, clumsy characters he has regularly portrayed, Choi has transformed himself into the role of a headstrong police officer who is a trained judoist for his latest role.

In “The Policeman's Lineage,” Choi plays a police officer with strict ethical beliefs. The main protagonist Min-jae, is secretly tasked with investigating another cop named Kang-yoon (Cho Jin-woong), who is unrivaled in his number of arrests, but is illicitly receiving huge payoffs from an unknown source.

The film has plenty of twists and suspense as it follows Min-jae's changing state of mind. He is faced with a dilemma in which he must choose between the adviser who instructs him to spy and the boss whom he keeps an eye on. He has to choose whether to do the right things for the wrong reasons or the wrong things for the right reasons.

“In 'The Witch,' I exerted superhuman strength in fight scenes because I was in a battle with non-humans and I had to climb walls... but then it was a whole new experience with Min-jae. The action sequences were more realistic and therefore less demanding, but I felt like I grew up and became a man with the role,” Choi said during a press conference for the film, Wednesday.

From left, actors Park Hee-soon, Choi Woo-shik, Cho Jin-woong, Kwon Yul and Park Myung-hoon pose during a press conference for the film, “The Policeman's Lineage” in Seoul, Wednesday. Courtesy of Acemaker Movieworks

Choi was lauded by director Lee Gyu-man and the cast.

“I think Choi is a great actor who perfectly embodies the personality traits of Min-jae. The first thing I had in mind when thinking of Minjae was that the actor portraying him has to have a transparent mind. Choi already had that and he has the power to deliver it to the audience. While working with him, I felt his potential is limitless,” the director said.

Cho, who plays Kang-yoon, a cop who employs any means necessary to capture criminals, also talked about their bromance on screen.

“I used to think Choi was a boy-next-door type of actor, but I could see him growing up as an actor in this film. By looking at Choi, the audience can feel what masculinity is, what the charm of employing self-restraint is,” he said.

Park Hee-soon, who has worked on three films with Choi, including “Monstrum” (2018) and “The Witch: Part 1. The Subversion,” said he is proud of Choi.

“Choi was a sexy villain in 'The Witch,' but in this film, he looked like a dandy. I'm so proud of his transformation as an actor,” he said.

“The Policeman's Lineage” will hit local theaters, Jan. 5.