Actor Choi Hyun-wook expressed his deep respect for veteran actor Choi Min-sik, his co-star in the series 'The Boy at the Back Row.'
On July 2, during a press interview for the Netflix series 'The Boy at the Back Row' held at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, Choi shared his thoughts on his intense acting chemistry with Choi Min-sik.
'The Boy at the Back Row' is a suspense drama that follows the story of Heo Moon-oh (played by Choi Min-sik), a failed writer and professor of Korean literature, who discovers the genius of Lee Kang (played by Choi Hyun-wook), a boy sitting in the last row of his class, and becomes obsessed with his writing. Choi Hyun-wook plays Lee Kang, a college student who appears to be an innocent student with exceptional writing talent but gradually creates cracks in Professor Heo Moon-oh's life, driving the tension of the series.
Taking on a role opposite a legendary actor like Choi Min-sik would be both a massive opportunity and a source of pressure. However, Choi Hyun-wook did not shrink away and instead matched his intense energy. "I don't think there are many opportunities for an actor in their 20s to work with senior actor Choi Min-sik. The genres you can do are limited, so when a project like this came along, I really wanted to do it. I was very ambitious about it," he said, explaining his reason for joining the project.
Regarding his first meeting with Choi Min-sik, he said, "When I was acting right in front of him, rather than feeling burdened or pressured, experiencing senior actor Min-sik actually made acting itself more fun. He led me in a way that allowed for that, and that became the driving force that helped me finish 'The Boy at the Back Row' well until the end." He added with a smile, "I think I will be able to enjoy acting even more in the future by finding the answers within myself."
Watching the veteran actor's performance on set was a continuous series of awe. Choi Hyun-wook praised Choi Min-sik's unrivaled aura, saying, "Seeing the delicate expressions he used while talking or acting with me, I thought, 'A person with this much experience really has so much contained in one face.' Sometimes he is full of youthful charm when he laughs, other times he looks like a great senior when giving advice as an adult, and sometimes he seems like a prankster. I was amazed to find that he felt like his character in every conversation, even when he wasn't acting. I realized that actors with this level of experience are truly different."
He also shared behind-the-scenes stories of receiving special affection from Choi Min-sik both on and off set. Regarding the episode where he offered to pay for dinner when the senior actor suggested they eat together during the audition period for 'The Boy at the Back Row,' he laughed shyly and said, "As I recall, the senior actor suggested we have dinner, and I think I said 'I will pay' thinking that he would naturally stop me."
On their first meal together, which was filled with tension, he replied, "So many stories were exchanged, but since I was so nervous, I don't remember one specific thing. We talked about the works the senior actor has done, his acting career, how we should approach our work in the future, as well as concerns about music and drama, and I listened intently." Choi Hyun-wook recalled the passionate moment, adding, "I tried not to miss a single piece of advice."
The praise Choi Min-sik gave his junior, Choi Hyun-wook, on set was always warm. "Whenever filming ended, the senior actor would always tell me, 'You worked hard.' We mostly talked about the project, so he didn't often praise me to my face, but he would say it after everything was finished. There was something I could feel in that one phrase, 'You worked hard.' I felt good when he said that after we were done," he said, expressing his gratitude.
So, what kind of growth did Choi Hyun-wook achieve as an actor while facing the massive mountain that is Choi Min-sik? "I felt that a positive energy always circulated whenever the senior actor was on set. The atmosphere was great because not only I, but all the staff and everyone on set were filming happily and enjoying themselves. Yet, when it came time to immerse himself in filming, he had another charm that made everyone around him completely focused as well. Seeing that, I thought a lot about wanting to become someone like that when I act later on," he said, his eyes sparkling. "This is because of the character and strength that senior actor Min-sik naturally possesses, so I want to become that kind of actor as I gain more experience."
The strong mentor-mentee chemistry between the two was evident even on the last day of filming. Choi Hyun-wook shyly revealed the behind-the-scenes story of how he gave a handwritten letter to the veteran actor for the first time in his life. "The senior actor finished his filming first, but he personally came to the set on my last day of filming to cheer me on. I was worried about how to convey the gratitude I felt while watching him, so I wrote a short letter containing my thanks and wishes for his health. He read it quietly by himself, and I was truly grateful that he read it so well," he said.
When asked about the senior actor's reaction to the letter, Choi Hyun-wook recalled the moving moment: "The senior actor isn't the type to say things openly to your face. But it seemed like he understood that the letter was sincere to some extent and kept it in his heart. When the senior actor sent a message with his eyes, I received the meaning with my eyes as well; it felt like we had a kind of silent conversation where we thanked each other for everything."
Meanwhile, the 6-episode drama 'The Boy at the Back Row,' based on the play of the same name by Spanish playwright Juan Mayorga, had all its episodes released on Netflix on June 26.
(Photo: Netflix)
Reported by Kang Sun-ae
※
Copying, redistribution, and unauthorized use in AI training are strictly prohibited.