IT MAY have just been an exclamation of "Woi” or a few lines of dialogue such as "Hati-hati dengan ketua kau” (Be careful of your boss), but Malaysian actor Muhammad Amir Haiqal Azhar, from Semenyih, Selangor, managed to capture the attention of international audiences with his brief exchanges in Bahasa Melayu in the South Korean drama series ‘Taxi Driver 3’ and ‘Dead End Job’.
In fact, the 27-year-old’s appearance in the two series has sparked considerable buzz on social media.
Both productions have been made available to global audiences through digital streaming platforms, bringing international attention to Malaysian talent making its mark on the global acting scene.
For Amir Haiqal, the opportunities have been deeply fulfilling as he has realised his ambition of working in an industry he is passionate about, while also promoting his mother tongue in major South Korean television productions.
"I feel proud and happy to be working in a field I love, while bringing Malaysia’s name into Korean dramas. However, this is only the beginning of my acting journey in (South) Korea,” he told Bernama.
Sharing his experience working on ‘Dead End Job’, which premiered recently in October, Amir Haiqal said the audition involved two to three rigorous rounds of screening, beginning with the submission of his profile, followed by a self-recorded audition video and, finally, an in-person audition.
He was not only required to perform in front of the camera but was also entrusted by the director with crafting the Bahasa Melayu dialogue himself, as none of the production crew members spoke the language.
"The script was provided in Korean, after which I was asked to translate it into Malay to suit the scenes. Some of the dialogue was inserted spontaneously during the filming process,” he said.
Although he had previously appeared in several South Korean productions, including ‘Taxi Driver 3’, which was released in December last year, Amir Haiqal’s acting journey actually began by chance while he was pursuing his studies at Konkuk University in Seoul. He initially specialised in animation but decided to switch to film production as he believed he lacked an aptitude for drawing,
"A friend used to invite me to join acting classes, but I turned down the offer several times because I used to suffer from stage fright.
"Eventually, I decided to give it a try and those classes helped me overcome my fear of performing in front of an audience. That was also when I discovered my interest in acting,” said Amir Haiqal, who has since appeared in seven television dramas, two feature films, eight independent films, two theatre productions and three YouTube dramas in South Korea.
He also had the opportunity to interact with seasoned South Korean actors, including Ko Chang-seok and Lee Min, who willingly shared their insights and acting tips with him.
He is also impressed by South Korea’s film industry, which continues to provide opportunities for emerging talent, including through various independent film festivals and smartphone filmmaking projects.
"Although I have completed my studies, I feel my acting knowledge is still far from complete. There is so much more to learn on set, and it would be a waste to return to Malaysia now without building on the momentum of my acting career here.
"My dream is to earn the trust of directors to take on leading roles in Korean dramas and films. I want to work towards becoming the most sought-after actor from Southeast Asia among directors here,” he said, adding that he would also remain open to suitable offers from Malaysian productions in the future. - BERNAMA