By Honorary Reporter Eftychia Dovletoglou from Greece
Photos = Paul Battle

I have seen Canadian actor Paul Battle in several Korean dramas and movies, but his role as CIA Director Gee in the recent film "Hunt," the directorial debut of actor Lee Jung-jae, motivated me to learn more about him.

I conducted an email interview on November 1 with the actor, excerpts of which are below.

Paul Battle is a Korea-based Canadian actor.

What is your background?
I'm from a small town on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. I studied music composition at university and played the saxophone in a jazz fusion band. Acting came later but was equally fulfilling to me as music. In Korea, I have appeared in movies such as "Hunt" and "Boston 1947," dramas like "Vincenzo" and "Narco-Saints," and commercials.

Why did you decide to go to Korea?
I initially came to Korea to teach English and after a year, I saw a newspaper ad for a job at the network EBS. With my performing arts background and certification in teaching English as a second language, it seemed like a good fit. 

I did hundreds of shows and gained a wealth of experience. I moved back to Canada but returned to Korea a few years later to work as a manager in education and content creation. But because of my burning desire to perform, I eventually found my first acting job in Korea through a Facebook post.

You spoke fluent Korean in "Hunt." How has learning the language been for you?
With an extremely busy schedule, I find learning Korean a constant challenge. I had to learn two full pages of Hangeul to prepare for the audition. While my speaking skills are functional for daily life, they are nowhere near as good as my character in "Hunt." I got a lot of help from the director, and I think the scenes came across as believable.

How did you adapt to life in Korea?
Coming to Korea in the mid-1990s, every day was an adventure in my first year. People were friendly and accommodating, but you needed at least a little fluency in Korean or a patient Korean friend to get by. Back then, there were no digital maps, online translation apps or even smartphones. I did feel isolated at times, but this encouraged me to get more involved and leave my comfort zone.

Paul Battle has also appeared in many Korean commercials.

You debuted in Korean entertainment in 2020. How did you pursue your career here?
I thought breaking into the industry would be easier because of my previous work on Korean TV, but it took over a year to get my first audition. The calls began coming after I connected with a few foreign casting agencies. When starting out in Korean entertainment, you'll probably get cast a variety of roles, even unflattering ones so it's up to you to show versatility and adaptation and maintain good relationships in the industry. 

What were your impressions of your Korean costars?

Veteran actor Song Young-chang was jovial on the set and effortlessly transitioned between his character and himself. I was nervous but he made my part easier, which was interesting considering that my character outranked everyone else's in the movie. 

In my scene with Jung Woo-sung in which I gave distressing orders, he remained in character the entire time we worked together and stayed laser focused. 

And Lee Jung-jae is everything an actor hopes a director can be: passionate, collaborative, supportive, communicative and professional. Even off the set, he is still genuine and friendly. When I auditioned for the movie, he told me to stare him in the eyes without moving my head or modifying my facial expression during a scene. This was unnerving but it got me the part.

Paul Battle said he had a great experience with other cast members from "Hunt."

kalhong617@korea.kr

*This article is written by a Korea.net Honorary Reporter. Our group of Honorary Reporters are from all around the world, and they share with Korea.net their love and passion for all things Korean.