Choi Min-sik on ‘The Intern’: “I’ll Never Do a Hollywood Remake Again!” Here’s Why

[Sportschosun, Ahn So-yoon] Actor Choi Min-sik shared his thoughts on participating in the remake of the Hollywood film ‘The Intern.’

Choi Min-sik met with Sportschosun at a café in Samcheong-dong, Jongno District, Seoul, on the 7th. He said, “I don’t think I’ll ever do another remake because the original and its characters will inevitably be compared with mine,” adding, “But I wanted to deliver a positive message to audiences through ‘The Intern.'”

Opening on September 16, ‘The Intern’ is a remake of the Hollywood film of the same name, which was released in 2015 and earned box-office revenue more than five times its production budget, winning widespread acclaim from audiences around the world. The story follows Gi-ho, a 37-year veteran who joins Seon-woo’s company as a senior intern. Seon-woo’s company has rapidly emerged as a dark horse in the fashion industry just three years after its launch. The film depicts an office life that transcends generations and ranks, and is directed by KIM Do-young, who helmed ‘Kim Ji-young, Born 1982’ and ‘Once We Were Us.’

Asked how he felt ahead of the film’s release, Choi Min-sik said, “As I mentioned at the press screening, I don’t think I’ll ever do another remake of a famous film (laughs). It’s not for any other reason; from an actor’s perspective, you can’t avoid being compared with the original character. I would naturally do the same if I watched another film. Sometimes I even wonder, ‘Why did I do this to myself?’ Still, from a positive perspective, don’t great singers reinterpret and remake original songs in their own way? We wanted to deliver a message to audiences in the same spirit. I tried not to feel burdened by the fact that this was a remake whenever possible,” he said.

Choi Min-sik plays Gi-ho, a veteran senior intern with 37 years of experience. Returning with a persona completely different from his previous work, he said, “I was just giving you a glimpse of it through this film (laughs). It was a new challenge for me as well. Since I showed such an intense and provocative side in my previous work, I really wanted to try expressing a new character.”

Asked what he considered a ‘good adult’ to be, he replied, “I’m not particularly fond of people who are too nice (laughs). That doesn’t mean they’re bad, but I like adults who know how to speak up when necessary.”

Ahn So-yoon, Reporter [email protected]

This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.