[Sportschosun, Kim Sohee, Reporter] Actor Cha Tae-hyun candidly discussed his feelings about surpassing 30 years since his debut and how the emergence of AI has changed the reality facing actors.
On the 1st, the YouTube channel 'Mim PD' released a video titled "A Taxi Driver Has Come to Eunchwigong | Mimtaku's Secret Encounter Special with Personal Taxi." Cha Tae-hyun appeared in the video and shared various stories with Mimi.
Mimi asked Cha Tae-hyun, "Now that it has been more than 30 years since your debut, what is the biggest change in your mindset compared with when you first started out?"
Cha Tae-hyun replied, "As for my mindset, I'm almost like a sage now," as he looked back on the years he had lived through. He candidly admitted, "There have been a lot of ups and downs. I may not seem to have many ups and downs, but how could I really not? I even had celebrity syndrome."
His more than 30 years as an actor had not been entirely smooth. Even so, he said that his feelings toward acting as a profession had not changed.
Cha Tae-hyun said, "Since I was young, my dream has been to act until the day I die. I think every actor feels that way. Isn't one of the advantages of being an actor that you can keep performing roles suited to your age until the day you die?"
Cha Tae-hyun cited "acting suited to one's age" as the greatest appeal of being an actor. After pursuing his childhood dream of acting for many years, he encountered an unexpected variable: AI.
Cha Tae-hyun said, "I never dreamed AI would emerge. I never knew an era like this would come," adding, "Without AI, I feel like I could just live comfortably. But I keep doing things and taking on new challenges, thinking, 'Oh, this isn't it.'"
This suggests that the rapidly changing times have given him new concerns as an actor. Rather than staying in a single field, Cha Tae-hyun has expanded his horizons by trying a variety of activities. He also reflected on this with his characteristic candor.
He joked, "I do a lot of different things, don't I? Focusing on just one thing gets boring," adding, "But I lack depth," in a self-deprecating remark that made everyone laugh.
When Mimi tried to reassure him by saying, "I still see you as a senior in every role," Cha Tae-hyun candidly explained his acting style.
Cha Tae-hyun said, "I'm the one who makes it that way. Whether I play Sakamoto or Viva Blues, you can see me in all of them. That's the style I want," acknowledging, "Put positively, it means I can do many different things; put negatively, it means I'm always the same."
He explained that his style is not to become a completely different person with every character, but to let a distinctly Cha Tae-hyun-like side show through in every project. With its strengths and weaknesses so clear, he was also accepting it as it is.
At the same time, Cha Tae-hyun viewed his strengths positively, saying, "Everyone has strengths and weaknesses. It's rare for someone to be good at all of them."
He added, "I think it's fortunate that these days we're living in an era that welcomes people who can do multiple things."
Kim Sohee, Reporter yaqqol@sportschosun.com
This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.
