[Interview] Kim Dong-hwi "Passed 250 to 1 odds to become 'Mathematician'... Cried with my mother"

'Mathematician in a Strange Land' First Commercial Debut
Newcomer Breaks Through 250 to 1 Competition Rate
"Senior Actor Choi Min-sik Feels Like the Neighbor Next Door"
"Felt the Charm of Acting on Stage"

Kim Dong-hwi / Photo by Showbox

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Isul] "I wondered when I would get to work with senior actor Choi Min-sik again. At the beginning of the shoot, I was frozen. I was so nervous that I didn't even realize it. One day, on a day without filming, the senior drove alone to Jeonju to monitor the shoot. We became comfortable as we shared trivial personal stories."

Rookie Kim Dong-hwi, who was selected as the lead for the movie Mathematician in a Strange Land out of 250 to 1 competition, said in a video interview with Asia Economy on the 25th, "Choi Min-sik felt like the neighbor next door."

In the movie Mathematician in a Strange Land (directed by Park Dong-hoon), which opens on the 9th of next month, Kim Dong-hwi plays Han Ji-woo, a high school student who has given up on math. Struggling with math grades that can't keep up with friends at a top 1% prestigious private high school, he meets Lee Hak-sung (played by Choi Min-sik), a North Korean defector and math genius security guard, and grows through their encounter.

Kim Dong-hwi made a strong impression in the 2020 drama Stranger 2, leaving his mark. Afterward, he was cast as the lead in Mathematician in a Strange Land through an audition, marking his first leading role in a feature film. Throughout the interview, he maintained a neutral expression while answering questions, but when the topic turned to his parents, a smile appeared on his lips.

"My mother cried when she heard the news of my acceptance, and I cried with her. I told my father over the phone, but he listened calmly, which surprised me even more. When I asked why he was so calm, he said, 'Is this for real?' and asked if it was a scam. (laughs) At first, he didn't believe it, but then he congratulated me."

Donghwi Kim / Photo by Showbox

It was also his first time attending a movie premiere of a film he starred in at a theater. Kim Dong-hwi said, "I saw it for the first time at the technical screening, and I was really nervous," adding, "It reminded me of my high school days." He went on to emphasize, "The movie, which conveys a message about life through math, was very appealing to me."

Kim Dong-hwi first stepped onto the stage in high school as a member of a dance club. He laughed, saying, "I wanted to try something related to the arts, but I had no talent for dancing."

He chose the path of acting at his father's suggestion. Later, the acting teacher he met became like Lee Hak-sung to him. Kim Dong-hwi said, "At first, I wondered, 'Is this right?' and questioned whether I should continue, but in my senior year of high school, I went on stage for a play and felt catharsis. After the performance, during the curtain call, the audience applauded, and it was so thrilling that I got goosebumps. I felt relieved, thinking 'The things I've been struggling with have been recognized.' I grew to love acting."

He named Lee Byung-hun and Park Jung-min as actors he would like to work with. Kim Dong-hwi laughed and asked, "If I keep acting quietly, won't I be doing interviews like this 10 years from now?"

"While dreaming of becoming an actor, I always planned for the future, but I was anxious, and things didn't go as planned. So I think I decided to focus on the present. I want to try melodrama, and I want to play roles that fit my current age. Also, through K-content expanding overseas, I want to make my face known to more people."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.