A man with masculine appearance, tall stature, and milky skin, he is a member of new actor group “Surprise U” Cha In-ha, who debuted last July. “Surprise U” is a second project group launched by Fantagio, and there are five members including Cha In-ha. As Fantagio is a talent agency and film and drama production company, people are expecting to see an amazing actors and singers in various fields of activity. Last year, “Surprise U” released their debut album “I Do” and began entertainment programs. Furthermore, they are currently planning to work in a variety of programs such as dramas and entertainment, but mainly focusing on acting. Among them, Cha In-ha is a promising rookie who has a good voice that is also admired by the members of his group. He is now playing the role of Kim Ha-seong in the SBS drama “Temperature of Love”. It is clear that Cha In-ha could be the next rising star of 2017!!! CAH interviewed Cha In-ha as a fourth student in the Department of Theater and Film. We always hope our interviewee to succeed and achieve their highest goal.  

CAH: You were cast in the SBS drama “Temperature of Love” and are now filming this drama. Please introduce briefly about the drama and your role.
Cha: “Temperature of Love” is the drama that depicts love and relationships of the young. A prospective dramatist “Hyun-su,” and “Jeong-seon,” who is dreaming of becoming a chef, meet in an on-line chat. They also meet in the real world and things will happen between the two and with various surrounding people. The character I’m playing is “Kim Ha-seong” who came into “Good soup” after graduation from the CIA because Jeong-seon’s cooking suits his fancy. He is chic and has an elitist appearance. There are many things that I have to add when acting.
 
CAH: You’re in the actor group “Surprise U” and this “U” means “Urban&Unique”. The main concept is catching the hearts of the public with sophisticated images of the five members who all have different characteristics. What do you think the charm and character of “Surprise U” is?
Cha: I have never met anyone like the “Surprise U” members. All of them are really good guys and have their own color and faith. They are all great actors. They also try so hard that I can learn a lot from the members. Just being in the same group and watching them, it is a really a good chance for me.
 
CAH: You joined Fantagio through an audition while in school (CAU). Was there any special episode at the audition?
Cha: When I heard the announcement of the Fantagio audition through school, I really wanted to do the audition. But I was refused because of my age. So I asked several times and finally I could participate in the audition. At the audition site, I was scolded terribly so frankly speaking, the only memory I had in the audition was being scolded by the director of the headquarters. I thought I’d fail, but luckily I got into the company.
 
CAH: I heard your major was English language before transferring to the Department of Theater and Film at Chung-Ang University. What was the decisive factor to change your major?
Cha: Originally, I wanted to enter the Department of Theater and Film. I used to attend an acting academy. One thing led to another when I went to the Department of English Language and Literature. When I was in the former department, I focused more on club activities rather than studying. There was a film club and there, I made some short films and met one senior who wanted to transfer to Korea National University of Arts. We got out of the school together and eventually both of us could study acting. On reflection, I seemed to have a thirst for acting.
 
CAH: Tell me if you have any memorable moments in university life. (performances in the department, club activities, conferences, and so on)
Cha: The most memorable moment is the first performance in CAU. The name of the play was “Troika” and it was the first time I invited my mom. Actually, I didn’t remember clearly because I was so strained. The role I played was a fascinating and sexy man and I also bought a suit from the tailor shop for the character. I thought the character was different from me, so I was worried and practiced paying attention to that aspect.
 
CAH: I wonder if you have any impressive lecture or professor during your school life at Chung-Ang University.
Cha: The most impressive lecture was “The Introduction of Film Aesthetics” by Professor Cho Hye-young, which is a class I am taking now and I really like it. In fact, I was interested in aesthetics for a long time. I was lucky to catch the class in the final semester before the graduation. I think it is a lecture that enlarges my experience since it keeps me thinking about something. For example, if I learned “What is the beauty and how can we define it?”, I keep thinking about the topic philosophically. Moreover, interaction between the students and the professor is active, so it is not a dry class.
 
CAH: Is there anything that CAU was of help in reagrds to your current activity? If there is, what is it?
Cha: The Department of Theater and Film put a strong emphasis on courtesy. The way I treat people changed and it is useful at the film sites. Furthermore, I could emphasize basic skills in acting thanks to the systematic curriculum of CAU. Also, professors have their own aspect about acting, so I could approach acting from different perspectives.
 
CAH: At the showcase interview, one of your answers was that “our team goal is not set or determined, we will always try to do our best at all times”. Is this motto also the same as yours?
Cha: Yes, my motto is the same which is to try my best at all times. Since I was very young, I tried to achieve everything that there is that I wanted to do. Despite the fact that it is useless or not helpful for my career, I always try to do everything that I really wanted to do. Moreover, not just for my career, anything that interested me would be put into action right away without really considering the efficiency or effectiveness. This may be risky, however I personally learned so many things from these experiences. One thing that I learned was that there was nothing to regret because I have done it. I always thought if I am going to regret it either way, why not just go for it and try my best at all time. From then and till now, I try to do my best at all things and at all times.
 
CAH: Since your acting skill is good as well as your singing skills you are known as an ‘actor-tainer’. From your perspective, what makes you stand-out from all the other actors or entertainers?
Cha: Um…. Compared to all the actors or entertainers, I personally believe that I have such a good manly voice. I think that I have the deep man voice that other men don’t have. Also, I heard that I have the smile in my eyes. The way that my eyes smile, I was told that it is adorable, cute and charming. Another thing that I think is different from all the other actors and entertainers is that I have the passion for studying not only in acting, my main major, but I am very interested in other subjects, such as philosophy and English. Since my major was English Literature, I still have the interests and dedication to study more about it. Thus, I thought that one of my advantages that stands out from other celebrities is that I am interested in various of fields in terms of studies.
 
CAH: As we know, you are very athletic and also good at cooking. What is your favorite sports, hobby or food that you cook the best?
Cha: First of all, sports….I recently fell in love with swimming. Whenever, I get stressed out, I often go to the swimming pool and swim freely normally for two hours. One of the things that I love about swimming is that I feel like I am free in the water. Also, I just love the feeling of being stress-free after the swim. Moreover, I love to go to hiking. A couple of days ago, I just went hiking at “Jirisan” with my friends. This also makes me very happy and releases my stress as well. Lastly, I do love to cook. I have confidence in cooking. I probably cook more than three times a week. One of the things I like about cooking is that there are always new recipes that I can try. So, I go to grocery stores with my mom and often buy all the ingredients and cook at home. I personally think that I am good at cooking Korean stews.
 
CAH: Who is your role model or a person that you admire the most? And why?
Cha: I personally cannot say who is my role model or to just pick one person. This is because every role and character that I see in dramas, movies and shows are great and fantastic. I honestly think that every actor and actresses is acting professionally and greatly. Some people might say that some actors or actresses are not so expert at acting. However, I believe that that is just the way how those characters send their messages. I never thought that they are not good enough to act. I always consider that every actor and actress has his or her own unique ways in transmitting their points and messages. Therefore, I cannot really pick just one actor or actress because I really do admire and respect all of them.
 
CAH: Currently, you are very busy with your schedule and have returned to school as well. Is it difficult to do both, filming a drama and going to school for classes? If so, how will you go through these difficulties in the future?
Cha: Well… first of all, I don’t think studying any longer as an obligation. It is no longer hard work or a difficult thing for me. I recently realized how studying can be so fun. In the past, I hated going to school and taking classes every day. However, these days, I started noticing that studying is a meaningful and fun thing to do. I was just thankful that there are so many great professors in our school who teach such a great classes. One thing that makes me sad would be missing out on classes due to the drama schedule. I really feel sorry towards the professors. But even more, I get depressed not attending school. Today, I really like taking classes and learning about new things.
 
CAH: From now on, what or how do you want the audience to remember you? In other words, what kind of actor do you want to become?
Cha: I want to be remembered by everyone as a great actor, who not only acts professionally, but also influentially. I want the audiences to not remember me as a person, Cha In-ha, but as a character in the movie or a drama. I want them to be impressed by the whole film, the plot, and the characters. This is what I think of successful and great actors and actresses.
 
CAH: Thank you and we are very appreciative for your interview. Please give any advice for Chung-Ang University students who also dreams to become actors or actresses. 
Cha: Just like my motto, I want to tell everyone at Chung-Ang University to try their best at all times! I want to advise them to spend each day preciously like they only have that one day. Everyone does not need to be the best one or always be the first one to achieve or succeed. However, note that it is crucial to keep trying and always try your best. 
 
           New rising star. Handsome actor. These words perfectly describe the actor Cha In-ha. He has not only the killing smile on his face but also has the confidence towards his career. As Cha In-ha is also in the group “Surprise U”, and already has been casted in a drama, CAH hopes to see him more actively and lively on TV in the future. Through active work in various programs on TV such as drama and movies, we hope he does not lose his enthusiasm, passion and grit throughout his career life. 
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