The Art of Cross-Cultural Communication in "To Be an Actor" Manhwa

When I first read the manhwa To Be an Actor, I didn't expect it to make me think so much about communication. I thought it was just going to be another story about fame, acting, and hard work. But as I read more, I realized that this story actually talks about something much deeper. It's not only about becoming a great actor; it's also about learning how people understand each other, even when they come from totally different backgrounds. It shows how emotions, empathy, and human connection can go beyond language and culture.
To Be an Actor isn't just about acting in front of a camera. It's about understanding people. Every time the main character performs, he has to put himself into someone else's shoes. And to do that, he must communicate in ways that are not always verbal. When I think about it, that's actually what cross-cultural communication is all about: finding meaning and understanding between people who see the world differently.
A Short Summary of To Be an Actor
The story follows Jang Young-guk, a man who dies and wakes up in the body of a young actor. He gets a second chance at life, but with all the wisdom and memories of his past life still intact. In his new life, he joins the entertainment industry and tries to make a name for himself. At first, he struggles because he's living in a completely different time and in a much younger body. But as he starts acting, he discovers that his real strength isn't his looks or talent. It's his ability to understand people deeply.
He studies every character he plays, not only by reading the script but by researching how those people lived, what they believed in, and what emotions they carried. In one scene, for example, he acts as a farmer from a poor countryside family. To do it right, he visits a small village and talks with real farmers. He listens to how they speak, how they joke, and how they show respect. This is a simple but powerful example of intercultural communication. Even though they come from different worlds, one is a celebrity, and the other is an ordinary worker. They still find a way to connect through stories and emotions.
Over time, he realizes that to really communicate across time or culture, he needs empathy, the ability to imagine what someone else is feeling.
Acting as a Form of Communication
Communication experts like Samovar, Porter, and McDaniel (2017) say that intercultural communication happens when people from different cultures exchange and interpret messages in ways that are influenced by their cultural backgrounds. It's not only about speaking another language. It's about understanding the meanings and values behind what people say or do.
In To Be an Actor, acting becomes a form of this kind of communication. When Young-guk performs, he is not just reciting lines. He is interpreting the emotions and thoughts of people from different times and backgrounds. A lot of the times when he is acting, he isn't actually reciting any lines but through movements and body language. This also is a form communication which could be conveyed to someone who may not understand the language that one is speaking but the emotions, and message are still understood.
This reminds me of what Ting-Toomey (2017) calls "mindful intercultural communication." It means being aware of cultural differences and trying to respond to them with empathy and respect. Young-guk does exactly that. He becomes mindful of other people's ways of expressing themselves. He learns when to speak, when to stay quiet, and how to show respect even when words fail.
Cross-Cultural Sensitivity in Everyday Life
One of the things that struck me most about this manhwa is how it connects the idea of acting to real life. In a way, everyone is an actor in their daily life. We all adjust how we talk, behave, and react depending on who we are with. For example, you talk differently to your teacher than to your best friend, right? That's already a form of cross-cultural communication because each group or person has their own "mini culture" of communication.
In To Be an Actor, Young-guk learns to navigate different "mini cultures" on set. Each director, actor, or crew member has their own communication style. Some are direct and blunt, while others are polite and subtle. When he first returns to the acting world, he sometimes gets misunderstood because his older mindset doesn't match the younger generation's way of talking. But instead of getting angry or defensive, he listens and adapts. That's how he earns respect.
This part of the story made me realize that being a good communicator doesn't mean being the loudest or smartest person in the room. It means being able to adjust, to empathize, and to make others feel understood. It's the same in real life when people from different countries or backgrounds work together. Emotion as a Bridge Between Cultures
One of the most beautiful messages of To Be an Actor is that emotions are universal. Even when people don't speak the same language, emotions can still connect them. In the manhwa, there's a touching scene where Young-guk performs a role about a child losing his a friend while living with the friend's name. He draws from his own painful memories and performs so realistically that the director who wrote that story based on himself felt deja vu just by watching Young-guk act.
That moment shows that emotional expression is a form of intercultural communication. As Gudykunst (2004) explains, effective communication depends not just on exchanging words but also on building emotional understanding. When Young-guk performs, he doesn't rely only on dialogue. He uses his eyes, his tone, and his body movements to express meaning. And those are things that every human being can understand, no matter where they come from.

This idea reminds me of how movies, music, and art connect people across the world. Even if you don't understand the language of a song, you can still feel its emotion. Acting, as shown in To Be an Actor, is the same kind of universal art form.
Cultural Misunderstandings and Learning
Of course, cross-cultural communication isn't always smooth. There are moments in the manhwa where misunderstandings happen because of different cultural expectations. For example, in one episode, Young-guk accidentally offends a senior actor because he forgets to use a polite honorific. In Korean culture, respecting elders through language is extremely important. That small mistake causes tension, but later he apologizes sincerely and learns to be more careful.
This scene really highlights how communication isn't just about what you mean, but also how others interpret it. Hall (1976) once said that "culture is communication," meaning that every culture has its own unspoken rules about how to behave and speak. In the manhwa, Young-guk grows by learning these rules not only from books but through mistakes and reflection.
The Actor as an Intercultural Messenger
When I think about it more, the main character is like a messenger who connects people from different worlds. He brings emotions from the past into the present, translates human experiences across social classes, and even connects audiences from other countries. That's what makes him a great actor.
In one later scene, he gives advice to a young actor who only cares about fame. He tells him, "If you can't feel for others, you can't act." That line really stuck with me. It means that acting, and communication in general, starts with empathy. Without empathy, you can't truly understand someone else's story.
Conclusion
To Be an Actor may look like a story about the entertainment industry, but it's actually a story about how humans connect. Through Jang Young-guk's journey, we learn that communication is not just about language; it's about understanding emotions, culture, and perspective. Every role he plays teaches him something about humanity. Every mistake he makes teaches him humility and patience.
In the end, the manhwa shows that acting is not only about pretending, it's about translating human emotions across boundaries. And in that way, actors are like cultural bridges. They help us see ourselves in others, no matter where we come from.Reading this story made me realize that intercultural communication is something we practice every day, in every small interaction. Whether we are sharing a story, watching a movie, or simply listening to someone, we are communicating across experiences.
To Be an Actor reminds us that to truly understand another person, we have to do what Jang Young-guk does. Open our hearts, listen carefully, and be brave enough to step into someone else's world.
References Gudykunst, W. B. (2004). Bridging differences: Effective intergroup communication (4th ed.). Sage Publications.Hall, E. T. (1976). Beyond culture. Anchor Books.Samovar, L. A., Porter, R. E., & McDaniel, E. R. (2017). Communication between cultures (9th ed.). Cengage Learning.Ting-Toomey, S. (2017). Communicating across cultures (2nd ed.). Guilford Press.