On July 2, during a press interview for the Netflix series Notes from the Last Row held at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, Choi Hyun-wook shared his thoughts on the intense acting chemistry he shared with Choi Minsik.
Notes from the Last Row is a suspense drama that follows Heo Moon-oh (played by Choi Minsik), a failed writer and literature professor, who discovers the genius of a student sitting in the last row of his class, Lee Kang (played by Choi Hyun-wook), and becomes obsessed with his writing. Choi Hyun-wook plays Lee Kang, a college student who appears to be a pure student with exceptional writing talent but gradually creates cracks in Professor Heo Moon-oh's life, driving the tension of the series.
Acting opposite a veteran like Choi Minsik would be both a massive opportunity and a source of pressure. However, Choi Hyun-wook did not shrink away, instead meeting that intensity with his own powerful energy. He explained his motivation for joining the project, saying, I don't think there are many opportunities for an actor in their 20s to work with senior actor Choi Minsik. The genres available are limited, so when a project like this came along, I really wanted to do it. I was very ambitious about it.
Regarding his first meeting with Choi Minsik, he smiled and said, When I was acting right in front of him, rather than feeling burdened or pressured, the experience of working with him made acting itself more fun. He guided me so that I could feel that way, and that became the driving force that allowed me to finish Notes from the Last Row successfully. I think I will be able to continue acting with more enjoyment and find answers within myself in the future.
Watching the veteran actor on set was a continuous series of moments of awe. Choi Hyun-wook praised Choi Minsik's unique aura, saying, When I talked to him or acted with him, seeing the delicate expressions he used made me think that someone with such profound experience has so much contained within a single face. When he laughs, he is full of boyish charm, but when he gives advice as an adult, he looks like a true senior. Sometimes he is even like a mischievous boy. I was amazed to find that he seemed like a character regardless of the topic of conversation, even when he wasn't acting. I felt that actors with this level of experience are truly different.
He also shared behind-the-scenes stories of the special affection he received from Choi Minsik both on and off set. Regarding the episode where he offered to pay for dinner during the audition period for Notes from the Last Row, he laughed shyly and said, As I recall, he suggested we have dinner, and I think I said, I will pay, thinking that he would naturally stop me.
Describing their first dinner, which was filled with nerves, he replied, So many stories were exchanged, but I was so nervous that I don't remember one specific thing. We talked about the projects he has done, his acting career, how we should approach our work in the future, and also shared thoughts on music and drama. I listened intently. Choi Hyun-wook recalled that passionate moment, adding, I tried not to miss a single piece of advice.
The praise Choi Minsik gave to his junior, Choi Hyun-wook, on set was always warm. Choi Hyun-wook expressed his gratitude, saying, Whenever filming ended, he would always tell me, You worked hard. Since we mostly talked about the project, he didn't often give me praise to my face, but he would say it after everything was finished. There was something I could feel in those words, You worked hard. It felt good when he said that after we were done.
So, what kind of growth did Choi Hyun-wook achieve as an actor while facing the massive mountain that is Choi Minsik? Choi Hyun-wook's eyes sparkled as he said, I felt that positive energy always circulated on set when he was there. Everyone, not just me, but all the staff and people on set, enjoyed filming and were happy, so the atmosphere was really great. 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 often thought that I want to be someone like that when I act later on. This is due to his inherent character and strength, so I want to continue gaining experience and become that kind of actor.
The strong mentor-mentee chemistry between the two was evident even on the last day of filming. Choi Hyun-wook shyly revealed that he gave a handwritten letter to a senior actor for the first time in his life. He said, He finished filming before me, but he came to the set on my last day of filming to cheer me on. I worried about how to convey my gratitude for everything I felt while watching him, so I wrote a short handwritten letter containing my thanks and my wishes for his health. He read it quietly by himself, and I am very grateful that he read it well.
When asked about the senior's reaction to the letter, Choi Hyun-wook recalled the touching moment, saying, He is not the type to say things openly to your face. But it felt like he understood that the letter was sincere to some extent and kept it in his heart. When he sent a message with his eyes, I received it with mine, and it felt like we had a kind of silent conversation thanking each other for everything.
Meanwhile, the 6-episode drama Notes from the Last Row, based on the play of the same name by Spanish playwright Juan Mayorga, was released in its entirety on Netflix on June 26.
[Photo = Netflix]
Reporter Kang Sun-ae sakang@sbs.co.kr
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.