Actor Choi Min-sik has revealed the behind-the-scenes story of casting Choi Hyun-wook for the series 'The Boy at the Back Row.'

On the morning of June 24, a press conference for the Netflix original series 'The Boy at the Back Row' was held at Hotel Naru Seoul MGallery in Mapo-gu, Seoul. Actors Choi Min-sik and Choi Hyun-wook, along with director Kim Kyu-tae, attended the event to share their thoughts and build anticipation for the series.

'The Boy at the Back Row' is a suspense drama that follows Heo Moon-oh (played by Choi Min-sik), a failed writer and literature professor, who discovers the genius of a student named Lee Kang (played by Choi Hyun-wook) sitting in the very last row of his lecture hall and becomes increasingly obsessed with his writing.

The project has garnered significant attention for bringing together legendary actor Choi Min-sik and rising star Choi Hyun-wook. It was revealed that Choi Min-sik personally attended the audition for the role of Lee Kang. An anecdote recently surfaced that Choi Hyun-wook was the only actor Choi Min-sik invited to "have a meal together" after the audition, leading to Choi Hyun-wook being dubbed "the junior actor chosen by Choi Min-sik."

Explaining why he participated in the audition for the character of Lee Kang, Choi Min-sik said, "I wanted to see the actor in person. I was curious about what kind of boy he would be. I couldn't get a feel for it just by looking at profile photos or videos, so I went to the audition out of curiosity." He added, "I'm not very familiar with young actors these days, so I wanted to see their raw, natural state. I asked if I could sit in, and that's how I ended up participating."

He continued, "There is a rumor going around that 'Choi Min-sik cast Choi Hyun-wook,' but that is nonsense. The director made the decision," clarifying the process of Choi Hyun-wook's selection. "The director did consult with me, asking 'Which friend do you think is good?' We narrowed down our opinions together with the director and the producers."

Regarding the meal with Choi Hyun-wook at the time, Choi Min-sik joked, "Everyone else had finished their auditions and left, and Hyun-wook was the only one left," while sharing the minor detail that Choi Hyun-wook's agency paid for the meal. However, Choi Min-sik acknowledged that the invitation was a sign of his interest, saying, "I was very drawn to Choi Hyun-wook's eyes—the kind of eyes where you can't tell what he's thinking. That's why I asked him to have a meal with me."

Choi Hyun-wook also recalled the audition. "Actors of my generation grew up watching senior Choi Min-sik's films; there isn't one I haven't seen. I was very nervous to act in front of a senior I had only ever seen on screen. But I did my best, just as I had prepared," he explained.

With the release of 'The Boy at the Back Row' approaching, Choi Min-sik expressed great satisfaction with Choi Hyun-wook. "Looking back on it, I am very satisfied. I am grateful to junior actor Choi Hyun-wook, and I feel very proud," he said.

'The Boy at the Back Row' is highly anticipated for the stylish direction of director Kim Kyu-tae, who has meticulously portrayed the psychology of various human groups through Netflix series such as 'The Trunk' and dramas like 'Our Blues' and 'It's Okay, That's Love.' Attention is focused on how Choi Min-sik, Choi Hyun-wook, and director Kim Kyu-tae will unfold the suspense between a professor trapped in inferiority and defeat, and the mysterious student who shakes his world.

'The Boy at the Back Row' consists of six episodes and will be released in its entirety on Netflix at 5:00 PM on Friday, June 26.

(Photo: Baek Seung-chul)

Reported by Kang Seon-ae

(SBS Entertainment News, Reporter Kang Seon-ae)