KOREA FOUNDATION

ASEAN IN KOREA

Becoming an actor who is remembered
Christian Lagahit

The sensation created by the Netflix original series Squid Game is showing no signs of slowing down. Christian Lagahit, who first features as Player 276 in episode 4 (“Stick to the Team”), came to Korea in 2015 with the intention of teaching English. Since setting foot? - purely by chance!? - in the world of acting in 2016, Lagahit is building up an increasingly noteworthy reputation through supporting roles in the movie The Negotiator, tvN drama Miss Lee, and Netflix film Space Sweepers.

Christian Lagahit strikes a pose on the stairs.

You came to Korea in 2015. What is it that brought you to this country?

I had a job in the Philippines but wanted to find an avenue for more in-depth professional growth. A friend who was working in Korea eventually made me decide to come here to pursue an occupation that I am passionate about. I believed that going to Korea would bring me more lucrative opportunities career-wise.

Your first appearance as Player 276 in the fourth episode of Squid Game has made you very famous. What made you pursue acting? What was your first TV or film role?

I followed a friend to a set in 2016. Seeing that my friend didn’t speak much Korean, the director offered to hire me as an extra. After working as an extra for a while, I got a manager, who helped me create a portfolio and send it to agencies and production companies that need actors of (non-Korean) Asian ethnicity. My first speaking role was in 2017 for The Negotiator.  In 2019, I played Kisan, a foreign laborer, in Miss Lee  from episodes 1 through 16.

Were you interested in auditioning for Squid Game from the start? How did you end up in the audition room?

I didn’t know about Squid Game at first: I learned about it after my manager signed me up. I auditioned for the role of Ali, but was given the role of Player 276.

Is there a role you really want to play? If so, can you elaborate on why you want to play that figure?

I want to keep acting because I believe I have something to offer to viewers through roles that, regardless of size, are memorable. If given the chance, I would like to take on a serious character?someone who has a story and conveys a message rather than being solely defined as a foreign laborer or “bad guy.” I want people to remember me not as an extra or a lead but simply as a talented actor.

What are your plans for the near (or far) future?

I’ll be auditioning for larger roles to become more known in Korea. As a foreigner, I am aware that my work is cut out for me, but I still want to try. Until that “big break” arrives, I will keep working as a teacher in Bucheon, where I currently live, and a leader of my community.