'Visit to Korea' Sakaguchi Kentaro confesses, "The straight path has no charm... it's better to take a shortcut" [Comprehensive]

*This content was translated by AI.

Japanese actor Sakaguchi Kentaro responded to the support of Korean fans with sincere words.

On the afternoon of the 29th, a press conference for the visit to Korea of the Japanese film 'Final Peace' was held at Megabox COEX in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Lead actor Sakaguchi Kentaro attended and spoke with domestic reporters.

'Final Peace' is a film adaptation of the Japanese bestseller 'The Sunflower of the Second Floor'. It is a suspense drama that reveals the secrets hidden between genius shogi player Keesuke (played by Sakaguchi Kentaro), who becomes a suspect after a body of unknown identity is found along with an expensive shogi piece, and gambler Tomio (played by Watanabe Ken), who has disappeared.

Notably, 'Final Peace' was previously introduced as an official selection at the 30th Busan International Film Festival (BIFF, hereinafter Busan Film Festival) last year.

When asked about the secret to his popularity in Korea on this day, Sakaguchi Kentaro said, "I don't know why you all like me either. Of course, I feel grateful, but I simply cannot understand why. Why, for what reason?" revealing his bewildered state of mind.

He humbly added, "When I first learned about (this kind of) popularity, I was very surprised and felt utterly bewildered. When I visited you through my works, I was also very grateful for the positive reviews about the film. I don't know the reason, but I continue to feel grateful and think I must work even harder in the future."

Furthermore, regarding his feelings on being invited to the Busan Film Festival, Sakaguchi Kentaro stated, "The Busan Film Festival always feels like it sparkles. While filmmaking can be a painful process, I am grateful that Korean fans can empathize with the film and that I can present the work. I hope to appear in various works regardless of genre in the future and present them to you."

He then added, "I really enjoyed eating 'nakgopsae' (grilled octopus intestines with shrimp) at last year's Busan Film Festival," eliciting laughter.

Notably, Sakaguchi Kentaro, a 12th-year debut actor, also reflected on the path he has walked so far. He said, "I feel that my own life is definitely not the straight path. Not only is that my personality, but I don't find much charm in going straight down one path. I like taking shortcuts. Because I have gone through many paths, taking this road and that road, when I look back after going a certain distance, I feel it has widened. When everything is combined, it feels thicker. And while making mistakes like this and that, and perhaps not reaching the goal in the end, I think that coming through various shortcuts is the right method for me."

Furthermore, Sakaguchi Kentaro also shared his thoughts on cross-national activities beyond Japan, including in Korea. He said, "I believe there have been many new possibilities recently. Compared to that, the process of acting in front of the camera as an actor and creating works can still be boring. However, I am always working hard, and I am grateful that I can present my work to you regardless of nationality, not just in Japan. In that respect, I feel I must continue acting with even more sincerity in the future."

Regarding 'Final Peace', he confidently stated, "It is a film that portrays a human being, human relationships, and emotions well. Although the ending may not be happy, I think it is a work that deals with the salvation narrative of a human being. I am honored that it is being released in Korea. I would be grateful if you would love it a lot."

'Final Peace' was released domestically on the 27th.

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*This content was translated by AI.