A Living Legend Takes on a Warm New Role

So here's a name that needs very little introduction โ€” at least in Korea. Choi Min-sik is the kind of actor whose face alone carries the weight of decades. The man behind some of Korean cinema's most unforgettable performances, from the gut-wrenching "Oldboy" to the 10-million-ticket blockbuster "Exhuma" (Pamyo, 2024), is back on the big screen. And this time, he's doing something genuinely unexpected: playing a gentle, warm-hearted senior intern navigating a trendy fashion startup.

The film is called "The Intern" (Intern), directed by Kim Do-young, and it hits Korean theaters on July 16. It's a remake of the beloved 2015 Hollywood film of the same name, which starred Robert De Niro and Anne Hathaway and drew 3.61 million viewers in South Korea alone โ€” a remarkable number for a foreign language film. So yes, the pressure is real. And Choi Min-sik knows it.

What the Film Is Actually About

In the Korean version, Choi Min-sik plays Giho, a 37-year veteran professional who finds himself suddenly without purpose after his wife passes away. His daughter has built a life abroad after studying overseas, and Giho is left rattling around an empty house. Then, almost by accident, he spots a job listing โ€” a "silver intern" position at WOO22 (stylized as "Wootutoo"), a fast-rising fashion brand launched just three years ago but already shaking up the industry.

The company is run by Sunwoo, a sharp and driven young CEO played by Han So-hee โ€” one of Korea's most talked-about actresses in recent years, known for her intense performances in dramas like "My Name" and "The World of the Married." Their dynamic โ€” a seasoned elder navigating a digital-first, free-spirited workplace alongside a CEO half his age โ€” is the emotional engine of the whole film.

What's really interesting is how Choi Min-sik approached the role. In an interview ahead of the film's release, he was candid about the challenge of stepping into shoes worn by Robert De Niro.

"Remaking a famous original โ€” I won't be doing that again. As an actor, you're inevitably going to be compared. But I thought to myself, how many years have I been doing this? Can I really be scared of a comparison? I tried to forget the pressure and tell this story our way. That said, the original is still great."

A Korean Father Figure, Not a Western Clone

One of the most deliberate choices Choi Min-sik made was to resist imitating the particular aura of a Western man in a suit. He wanted Giho to feel unmistakably Korean โ€” specifically, like a Korean dad.

"I didn't try to mimic the Western masculine energy from the original. I wanted to exist as a Korean middle-aged man. So in the later scenes, when Giho steps down from his senior posture and offers advice to Sunwoo, I tried to bring out the nuance of a Korean father talking to his daughter."

He also pushed back on the idea that Giho's warmth comes from wealth or privilege. "I saw Giho as someone who is fundamentally positive โ€” not necessarily rich, but emotionally generous. There are people whose circuits just run on ease and abundance when it comes to dealing with others. That's who he is."

High Praise for Han So-hee

Choi Min-sik didn't hold back when talking about his co-star. He said, with characteristic bluntness, "That woman put her life on the line for this one. Can't you see it?" He elaborated:

"I don't know Han So-hee that well personally, but I felt she shares a lot with Sunwoo. She hasn't been acting that long, and there's a lot of turbulence beneath the surface โ€” the highs and lows of living as an actor. That matched Sunwoo perfectly. As Giho, the instinct to want to help her came naturally."

He also had warm words for director Kim Do-young, who is known for her sensitive storytelling in films like "82-Year-Old Kim Ji-young" โ€” a film adaptation that sparked major national conversations about gender in Korea. "She's a former actor herself, so she gives you room to breathe and play. I had a lot of fun on that set."

46 Years In, and Still Hungry

Choi Min-sik made his acting debut in 1989 with the drama "Years of Ambition" (Yamang-eui Sewol). That means 2025 marks his 46th year in the industry. And yet, the man sounds anything but satisfied.

"My ambition as an actor keeps growing. My body is the material, and the life I've lived is the capital. Even if it's a fictional story or character, it's ultimately about life โ€” and my ability to understand the depth and breadth of that has expanded. There's almost nothing in this world I can't understand now. I want to pour all of that into my work. And I'm confident I can."

It's a striking thing to hear from someone who already has "Oldboy," "I Saw the Devil," "The Wailing," "War on Crime," and "Roaring Currents" on his filmography. Several of his past characters have taken on second lives as internet memes, giving him an unexpected kind of pop culture immortality. But clearly, resting on that legacy isn't on his agenda.

"I want to forget what people remember me for and build it all over again, one film at a time."

A Risky Bet That Just Might Pay Off

Remakes are always a gamble, and remaking something audiences already love in your own country is arguably the riskiest version of that gamble. But if anyone in Korean cinema has the credibility and the range to pull it off, it's Choi Min-sik. The combination of his gravitas, Han So-hee's intensity, and director Kim Do-young's emotional precision could make "The Intern" something genuinely special โ€” not a copy of the Hollywood version, but a Korean story told through a Korean lens, with all the warmth and complexity that implies.

"The Intern" opens in Korean theaters on July 16. For international audiences, it's one to watch out for.