"I Really Wanted to Say This"…Choo Young-woo Shares Behind-the-Scenes Story of His 6-Year-Old 'You Quiz' Appearance

Actor Choo Young-woo has shared the behind-the-scenes story of his appearance on 'You Quiz' six years ago.

With back-to-back hits from the JTBC drama 'Ok-ssi's Story' and the Netflix original series 'The Severe Disease Center,' Choo Young-woo has emerged as one of the hottest actors in his 20s in South Korea. His rising popularity has sparked interest among netizens about his past, particularly a segment from September 2019 when he appeared on the tvN variety show 'You Quiz on the Block' (hereafter referred to as 'You Quiz').

At that time, Choo Young-woo was a 21-year-old college student studying acting at the Korea National University of Arts. He briefly appeared on the show, where he answered questions from the production team about how he managed his college tuition and living expenses. He stated, "I earn my pocket money through tutoring, and my parents cover my tuition." He also elaborated on his tutoring, saying, "I was really interested in Korean history during middle and high school, so I got a teaching certificate and tutored Korean history."

Since that segment aired six years ago, Choo Young-woo's striking looks have garnered significant attention online, even landing his name on real-time search rankings on various portals. Now, as a rising star, his past appearance on 'You Quiz' is once again a hot topic.

During a press interview held on the 4th to celebrate the conclusion of 'Ok-ssi's Story' at a cafe in Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam, Choo Young-woo directly addressed his appearance on 'You Quiz.' When a reporter asked about it, he responded, "I really wanted to mention this during the interview," eliciting laughter from those around him as he seemed eager to clarify his past remarks.

Choo Young-woo explained, "At that time, I was trying to go to the convenience store to buy protein chips, but it was pouring rain. I didn't have an umbrella, so I was debating whether to go or not. I ended up running about 500 meters in the rain. On my way, I saw cameras and staff members. Yoo Jae-suk and Jo Se-ho weren't there. The staff called me over and asked if I could do a quick interview, which lasted about 10 minutes."

He continued, "It was just a brief interview, but when I watched the footage later, I realized I was completely soaked. People commented, 'Does he not wash his hair?'" explaining the reason for his notably wet hair during the interview.

Choo Young-woo also clarified his tutoring claims, saying, "I probably mentioned it because I didn't have anything else to brag about at the time. I didn't tutor professionally. If friends or someone needed help, I would charge a small fee to their parents. It was definitely not professional."

Reflecting on that time, he recalled, "I even made it to the 6th spot on the real-time search rankings. It was a surprising and grateful experience."

Now that he has become a well-known actor, Choo Young-woo is in a position where he could be invited back as a star guest on 'You Quiz.' When asked how he would feel if he received another invitation to appear on the show, he smiled and said, "I would be very grateful if you called me."

[Photo provided by J-Wide Company, captured from 'You Quiz']

Kang Sun-ae, reporter  

[SBS Entertainment News | Kang Sun-ae]