Singer and actor Choi Min-ho (Shinee Min-ho) conveyed his growth from his previous work 'Waiting for Godot' to his latest play 'Rendezvous'.
On the 25th, an interview with Choi Min-ho, who is currently appearing in the play 'Rendezvous', was held at the Seoul Arts Center Opera House in Seocho-gu. 'Rendezvous' (written and directed by Yossef K. Junghan) is a two-person play that tells the story of the scientist Taeseop, who is immersed in rocket development, and Jihee (played by Kim Ha-ri), who seeks freedom through dance, confronting their respective wounds and emotions through an accidental encounter. Choi Min-ho has been cast in the role of Taeseop alongside Park Sung-woong and Park Geon-hyung, and is meeting with audiences.
After selecting his second consecutive play, 'Rendezvous', following 'Waiting for Godot' last year, when asked the reason, Choi Min-ho recalled, "When I started my first play last year, I really wanted to try theater since I was a child. I thought that if I could do theater as an acting actor, it would certainly open up countless possibilities for growth and development, so I really wanted to try it, and an opportunity came my way. It feels like I fell in love with theater at that time."
He stated, "It has been exactly 17 years since my debut, and now I am in my 18th year, and I felt new emotions, which was really fun. So I wanted to continue this path. In fact, I have done a lot of dramas and movies, so while I was watching dramas and movies, I saw the script for 'Rendezvous'. Earlier this year, I was thinking more about personal activities and team activities rather than project plans, so in a way, I pushed myself to take on this schedule because I wanted to."
When asked if he was satisfied with his previous work, he replied, "I was incredibly satisfied and learned a lot." He explained, "During my first play, working with Lee Soon-jae was truly remarkable. Even though I was working, it felt like I should be paying him to do the play, because he taught me so much. Those moments brought me happiness, and I experienced things I couldn't learn anywhere else, which was great and fulfilling. Ironically, the fact that it ended made it easier for me to choose my next work."
When asked about the growth he experienced through 'Waiting for Godot', he reflected, "Although my previous work was indeed a three-person play, it felt almost like a two-person play. Even if the lines are the same, they can be delivered differently on different days with varying nuances. The importance of receiving the breath of that has been conveyed by the teacher. When delivering important lines, it is crucial to convey them clearly with such pronunciation, and to allow some to flow while ensuring to emphasize the key ones. Even during rehearsals, after finishing, the teacher would tell me, 'You can't say that like this. You have to emphasize it for the audience to understand and for me to react, so I hope you can do that.'"
Initially, he said he could not grasp the meaning of those words, but as he performed more, he came to understand, "I realized why he asked me to emphasize those points. As I became aware of this, I began to see such parts in the script as well. So, I talked to my co-actor about the importance of addressing those points during rehearsals. I intentionally do things differently before performances. Sometimes I mix in some English and joke around to loosen up. I try practicing with different nuances, and it's crucial for our connection, so I keep that as a focal point."
When asked if he invited Lee Soon-jae to the 'Rendezvous' performance, Choi Min-ho stated, "The teacher does not have a cellphone. I hear the news through others. I mentioned that I would inform him, but I don't know if it was conveyed." He continued, "Lee Soon-jae, Shin Gu, and Park Geun-hyung have been performing 'Waiting for Godot' continuously. They will be doing it again soon. Since there is a connection with the same production company, I went to watch their practice and greet them, and when I told them I'm doing a play, they were very happy."
He added, "In fact, it's heartwarming to see so many younger actors in theater, so I am very grateful. While I work diligently in my spot, they treat me kindly, making me want to do well and feel a sense of duty to uphold the path that the teachers have maintained. I am thankful." (To be continued in Interview ②.)
[Photo] SM Entertainment
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