Choi Woo Shik And Kim Da Mi Talk About Reuniting For New Drama, Their Motivations For Work, And More

Nov 20, 2021

Choi Woo Shik and Kim Da Mi recently shot a pictorial together for Cosmopolitan!

The two actors are starring in “Our Beloved Summer,” a rom-com drama about the complicated feelings of a couple that broke up while saying, “It was awful with you. Let’s never meet again!” But when the documentary they filmed 10 years ago in high school suddenly becomes popular, they’re forced to be together in front of the camera once more.

The two actors previously worked together in the movie “The Witch: Part 1. The Subversion” three years ago. Kim Da Mi said, “At that time, it was my first time doing a big commercial film, and I didn’t know anything. Because of that, and because he was older than me, I thought he looked really cool. But now that I’m seeing him again… hm… he seems even cooler.”

Choi Woo Shik asked, “You mean that I’ve gotten more good-looking, right?” and she replied, “It’s more like I have a lot more to learn from you now.”

Choi Woo Shik said, “She changed a lot. It’s my first time working with her in a while and I realized that you can’t underestimate the value of experience. To be honest, standing in front of the camera as a lead actor is a really nerve-racking thing to do. But she’s done that a few times now and has matured so much. Of course, she has always been good.”

Both actors had gone on to find greater success since that movie, with Choi Woo Shik starring in the Oscar-winning “Parasite” and Kim Da Mi in the acclaimed series “Itaewon Class.” Kim Da Mi said, “I’ve always been cheering him on. We kept in touch from time to time, but I always thought it would be nice to work together on a different project. I remember being really comfortable while working on ‘The Witch’ with him.”

Choi Woo Shik joked, “On the other hand, I was jealous that Kim Da Mi was so successful.” Kim Da Mi fired back, “You were way more successful!” Choi Woo Shik said, “That was a joke. In truth, I saw her in that drama and thought, ‘Ah, I might not be able to star opposite Da Mi again.’ I was working out at the gym once and the billboard on the opposite building had Da Mi’s face blown up on it. I think it was an ad for masks? Anyway, I saw it and thought, ‘I should exert myself too.'”

About taking on a rom-com, Choi Woo Shik said, “I was reviewing projects after ‘Parasite’ and I felt that ‘Our Beloved Summer’ really filled this gap inside me. I thought it could show a different kind of acting than I had done before. When I met director Kim Yoon Jin, I had full faith in her. And when I heard Da Mi was cast, I had no more reason to hesitate.”

Kim Da Mi said, “From a supernatural character in ‘The Witch’ and a sociopath in ‘Itaewon Class,’ I’d done a lot of strong and powerful characters, and wanted to try something more realistic. It was at that time that I got the script for ‘Our Beloved Summer,’ and thought it was a chance for me to expand my horizons as an actor. And I knew that if I worked with Woo Shik, we could make a fun project together.”

Asked how he had spent the past two years after “Parasite” won at the Oscars, Choi Woo Shik replied, “Even after the awards were over, I had no time to think as I went right into filming for a year. I had one year to rest while preparing for ‘Our Beloved Summer.’ This project came to me at a time when I couldn’t do anything because of COVID-19, so I could approach it with a relaxed attitude.”

Choi Woo Shik appeared in a variety show called “Summer Vacation” in the summer of 2020. He said, “I really filmed that with the attitude of taking a break. I had no thoughts and just spaced out.” Asked if she also had ambitions to appear in variety shows, Kim Da Mi said, “I don’t think I can do it, because I’m not good at talking. There was a documentary filmed about me a while ago, and I really didn’t talk, so they had to put narration over me afterward.”

Regarding what genres they wanted to try, Kim Da Mi said, “I always want to try something different from what I’ve done before. It’s hard for me to pick a specific genre, but when I read a script, I get the feeling instantly. I like a project that excites the person that I am at that moment.”

Choi Woo Shik said, “I want to film an action movie that you can watch without thinking too hard. If I get the chance, I also want to try horror. I get a lot of fun out of acting in a new genre.”

Finally, the interviewer asked both actors what motivated them to work in the field that they do. Choi Woo Shik said, “Director Kim Yoon Jin has kids, and she said to me recently, ‘I wonder why I’m doing this work that causes me to miss important things like not being able to see my kid grow up.’ When I heard that, I also thought carefully about why I’m doing this work. I think Da Mi will have similar reasons, but to be honest, I’m not someone who is confident at standing out in front of others. There are a lot of things I’ve given up to do this work, and it gives me a lot of stress. But I think the reason I keep at it is because I keep feeling a sense of anticipation for the next work. I learn and gain so much from being on set every time. I feel like I receive unexpected gifts from each project I work on.”

Kim Da Mi said, “I think I’m the same as well. Like he said, there’s just something about being on set. I think that it’s kind of addicting. I haven’t done a lot of projects yet, but I feel like I’m changing with each project that I do. As I act, it feels like I’m finding myself in the process. It’s not an easy job, but there are more positive aspects than tiring aspects, so I keep doing what I’m doing.”