Choi Kang Hee takes the Julia Roberts role and walks back onstage
Choi Kang Hee opens up on Omniscient Interfering View about choosing Closer for her five-year acting comeback and first theater challenge.
“The role of Julia Roberts comes instead of Natalie Portman”
Actress Choi Kang Hee is returning to the acting scene after five years. This comeback holds special significance as she steps onto the theater stage, a medium she has not previously explored.
On the MBC program 'Omniscient Interfering View' aired on the 11th, Choi Kang Hee revealed her current status as she faces new challenges along with the realistic concerns she encounters as an actress. Her decision to choose the play 'Closer' as her comeback work was rooted in honest reflections on how an actor's position changes with age.
“I want to act again, but once you pass a certain age, the range of roles available becomes very limited, excluding established actors,” Choi Kang Hee confessed, sharing the reality she feels as an actress. Using a metaphor for the shift in roles, she noted, “In the past, the role of Natalie Portman would have been offered, but now, the role of Julia Roberts comes instead,” calmly expressing how the weight of roles changes depending on one's age. While she felt fear regarding the new stage, she showed her determination to take on the challenge, stating, “I wondered if I could do it, but I also thought it would be a new experience, so I decided to do it.”
Returning to Acting After Burnout and Retirement Thoughts
This comeback is also a process of moving past difficult times in her past. Choi Kang Hee recalled moments when she seriously considered retiring from the entertainment industry due to burnout. The biggest reason was that she was not fully enjoying her acting.
“I wasn't enjoying acting, and being loved felt overwhelming, so there was a time when I decided to retire,” she confessed. After taking a long hiatus following the 2021 KBS 2TV drama 'Hello, Me!', she is now finding her own pace once again on the path of acting.
A Peaceful Daily Life with Lee Se-hee of 'HeeHee Crew'
In the broadcast, Choi Kang Hee's peaceful daily life with actress Lee Se-hee was also depicted. The two, united as the 'HeeHee Crew,' spent time at Choi Kang Hee's hideout after completing a charity marathon. Choi Kang Hee shared her healthy lifestyle by making soy milk noodles with vegetables she grew herself in her garden and preparing Greek yogurt desserts using see-through peaches.
Choi Kang Hee also showed an emotional side, having recently fallen for the charm of indie music and listening to LP records on a turntable gifted by her fans. Lee Se-hee showed a heartwarming side by supporting Choi Kang Hee's new challenge with a gift of wind chimes.
