Japanese actor Matsushige Yutaka expressed his feelings about visiting Korea, saying, “I felt the affection from young Korean audiences.”
On the afternoon of the 7th, at the press screening and reporter meeting for the film ‘The Lonely Gourmet: The Movie’ held at CGV Yongsan I-Park Mall in Yongsan, Seoul, Matsushige began, “I am happy to be able to screen ‘The Lonely Gourmet: The Movie’ across the sea in front of you all.”
He continued, “I felt that the Korean people loved the work while I was traveling in Korea. Honestly, I think young people in Korea love this work more than those in Japan,” he said with a smile.
He added, “When planning this film adaptation, I had a desire to expand the scale beyond the framework of a Japanese film. That’s exactly what director Bong Joon-ho does,” and shared, “I wrote a letter asking him to direct, thinking that since he had participated in a previous work, he would cook something interesting. Unfortunately, at that time, his schedule didn’t match, so it didn’t happen. Instead, I received a warm response wishing for the success of the work,” which surprised many.
He then said, “If no one else was available, I thought I might as well direct it myself. I never imagined that my film would be screened at the same time as director Bong Joon-ho’s work (‘Mickey17’). It was surprising. I was able to make a film in the spirit of challenge and got a good opportunity,” he shared. Matsushige previously collaborated with director Bong in the Korean-French-Japanese co-production film ‘Tokyo!’ (2008).
Matsushige expressed, “I have been acting for over 30 years, but this is the first time I have led the entire process in this work. While I was involved in the production, I found it difficult to think about how to get audiences to come and watch our film.”
When asked to describe Matsushige Yutaka as an actor, he humbly replied, “When I see myself as a director, I think I do ‘okay.’ However, I don’t think I perform beyond my imagination. So, I think I am an actor that can be entrusted with peace of mind.”
‘The Lonely Gourmet: The Movie’ tells the story of Goro, a professional solo diner, on an unintended adventure from Paris, France, to the southern winds of Korea and Geoje Island, and then to Japan, all in search of the ultimate broth. Matsushige Yutaka, the long-time lead actor of the Japanese long-running drama ‘The Lonely Gourmet,’ which has been airing since 2012, took on the roles of director, screenwriter, and planner, drawing attention.
It will be released on the 19th.
