Meet Alix Yumi Cho

We were lucky to catch up with Alix Yumi Cho recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alix Yumi , we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?

My resilience comes from overcoming challenges and faith. For instance, my first short film was born out of a moment of panic. It portrayed the true story of my friend Jin Hee Lee, who is now with God. She was very special to me because she was not only my best friend for 20 years, but also the only one who encouraged me to pursue my passion. During our last conversation, her last words were to keep pursuing my passion, no matter how hard it is. She asked me to finish my project and show it to her. Just a day before the shoot, my first assistant director, makeup artist, and production assistant notified me that they couldn’t be on set due to COVID. Despite finding a replacement PA, I had to work without the AD and makeup artist. There was a scene involving bleeding that required special effects makeup. On the day of filming, I had to decide whether to proceed with what I have or postpone it all together. I decided to seek guidance through tears and prayer rather than feeling scared and worried. I informed my team about the shortage of staff and asked permission to extend shooting for an additional day as a precaution against any delays. To create the special effects makeup, I mixed ketchup, Tabasco sauce, Korean spicy BBQ sauce, and acrylic paint. Surprisingly, it was very successful! It looked like real blood! Everything else also worked out too. All of our staff had a wonderful time, and I’ve been continuously working with most of the crew ever since. This experience taught me the importance of adaptability, teamwork, and strong will to complete the project. Over time, I’ve come to learned that overcoming obstacles and moving forward is a lifelong journey. Also, my best friend’s last words echo in my mind during new challenges. Even though she can’t physically be with me and watch my projects, I know she is watching over me. So, she continues to motivate me on my journey, and I honor her memory by facing challenges with courage and gratitude.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I am a founder of Story Castle, a film and TV production company, and also an actress. I have been creating stories ever since I was able to read and write. I wrote stories, turned them into plays, and then performed them in front of my parents and relatives. My first complete script was in 1997, a gender-reversed version of Cinderella and portraying Cindori as the male version of Cinderella. Following his marriage to the princess, he persuaded her to abolish the class system, ensuring equal rights for all nations. The name of my company, Story Castle, symbolizes storytelling as a refuge where narratives come to life. I believe stories have the power to provide comfort and unite people from different backgrounds. We span all phases of a project, from the initial concept development to distribution. Our expertise lies in creating a wide range of projects including commercials, online ads for social media, live event coverages, films, and OTT dramas. I have always had a keen interest in human rights, equality, and inclusion. With experience living in various countries, including China and the UK, I focus on diverse storytelling that highlights inclusivity, social issues, and high-quality production to provoke impactful change. Our team members are from diverse ethnicities, genders, and backgrounds. We believe that true innovation comes from collaboration and embracing different ideas with an open mind. Therefore, each content we create focuses on clarity, social relevance, and promoting an inclusive community.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

First and foremost, resilience has been the key element in my journey. Understanding obstacles is the nature of any creative process and seeing them as God’s gift to learn and grow from failures helped me to keep moving forward. Secondly, critical thinking and problem-solving are essential to accomplishing goals and produce a good quality of work efficiently. Each time I face challenges, I try to analyze the situation from various perspectives. Then I try to push myself to step out of my comfort zone to complete the work. This attitude really helped to grow. Lastly, prioritizing your team and community. I have seen individuals lose valuable team members and/or friends when they solely focus on their own interests. I believe shifting focus to supporting others creates a more compassionate and caring work environment. Even small acts of kindness can have a ripple effect. Also, I believe engaging in local events through volunteering without seeking profit or rewards can help create stronger and more empathetic communities.

Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?

I love collaboration. As I mentioned earlier, our team members are very diverse. I’m open to working with artists, writers, camera crew, and anyone from the entertainment industry. If you love the arts and are interested in promoting inclusivity through visual storytelling, reach out to me.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://storycastel.com/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Storycastel

Image Credits

Asian World Film Festival/Hero Theatre