In common parlance, he is ‘Will be a successful person’ (short for ‘Will be a successful person’). People who are meant to be successful will succeed no matter what. Actor Choo Young-woo is one of those. With JTBC‘s Saturday-Sunday drama ‘Madame Ok’s Story’ (written by Park Ji-sook, directed by Jin Hyeok and Choi Bo-yoon) and Netflix original ‘Trauma Center’ (written by Choi Tae-kang and directed by Lee Do-yoon) both achieving good results, Choo Young-woo has also stood out as a popular actor.

“I couldn‘t go anywhere during the Lunar New Year holiday, so I was working out at the gym, and he recognized me and said hello. He asked me a lot about my work. He took a lot of pictures of me. I felt really good. It was a pleasant change. I’m really grateful. I wonder why I‘m receiving this much attention. Thank you for loving me.”

In ‘Lady Ok’s Tale’, he played two roles: Jeon Ki-su, a prisoner, and Sung Yoon-gyeom, the eldest son of a noble family and a sexual minority. In ‘Trauma Center’, he played Yang Jae-won, a severely traumatized patient. Not only did Chu Young-woo increase his recognition, but he also grew as an actor.

In ‘Lady Ok‘s Tale’, I think I learned a lot in terms of practical skills. I learned horseback riding, archery, pansori, and Korean dance. I also learned martial arts. I like acting when I learn a lot of practical things like this. It’s fun. It‘s my first time acting in a historical drama, and since I’m playing two roles, there‘s a lot to do, so I learned a lot. Im Ji-yeon prepares really well and shows it on set. I think that’s cool and I envy her. Senior Lee Jae-won‘s sense was also a big help. I have a desire to be funny, so I learned a lot about comedic acting. Thankfully, my seniors are careful because I’m an actor even though I‘m young. The consideration of those seniors was warm and I was grateful. That’s why I think I asked them more on set.“


‘Madam Ok‘s Story’ and ‘Trauma Center’ have clear differences in many ways, in addition to the difference between a historical drama and a modern drama. What are the differences in the main works that Choo Young-woo felt after visiting each site?

“‘Trauma Center’ is based on an original work. So I tried to act the character like in a comic book. There were a lot of comic book-like expressions, but when I monitored them, I often heard that those choices weren’t bad. That‘s why I think ‘Trauma Center’ was easier for me to act in. Of course, I received a lot of help from senior Joo Ji-hoon and the director.

The biggest burden in ‘Madam Ok’s Story’ was playing two roles. Since the two characters are completely different people, I tried to make them different so that the viewers wouldn‘t get confused. I widened the gap and paid a lot of attention to the tone and expression. When I felt my limits in acting, Im Ji-yeon helped me a lot. She told me not to act like Jekyll and Hyde. She told me to pay more attention to the simple details in my words and actions. She said that Cheon Seung-hwi is someone who risks his life for Gu Deok-i (played by Im Ji-yeon), and Sung Yoon-gyeom is a sexual minority, so his gaze is different. Thanks to that, I gained confidence.

As Im Ji-yeon said, Cheon Seung-hwi in ’The Story of Lady Ok‘ is a character who gives up everything for a woman. Then, what kind of man is Choo Young-woo, who plays Cheon Seung-hwi? ”Cheon Seung-hwi really gave up a lot. He gave up small things, from his financial power to his name, job, and family, and in the end, he even gave up himself. He lives as someone else. I wonder if there is anyone who can do this level of sacrificial love. I don’t think there is. That‘s why I envy him. The breakup scene between the two was so heartbreaking that I cried a lot. I want to experience this kind of love at least once.”


Although he has appeared in many works, ‘Madame Okssijeon’ is the first work that has received rave reviews for his acting. The response was positive that he showed good acting despite it being his first historical drama. Above all, the response was that he expressed the difference between the two characters through his gaze, playing two roles.

“I saw responses that said the difference between Cheon Seung-hwi and Sung Yoon-gyeom is the ‘Dynamic gaze’ and the ‘Ecological gaze’. I am grateful that you summarized the parts that I missed through video and text. It was a stimulating experience. When I think that they gave me this much love and attention, and that they looked at the project with such meticulous care, I was inspired to act more meticulously the next time I act like this.”

Although the reviews are all favorable, Choo Young-woo himself is picky about his acting scores. He says he wants to film it again even now.

“You’re being so kind, but I personally feel regretful. If I had to rate it, I’d give it a 50. I think I could do better if I filmed it now. I only saw the scenes where Im Ji-yeon noona filmed alone in the script, and I didn’t see her filming, but when I watched the broadcast, it was so desperate. That’s why I want to love her more as Chun Seung-hwi. I’m also confident that I’ll be hated more as Sung Yoon-gyeom. (Laughs).”

He seems to have a special affection for “The Tale of Lady Ok.” “As an actor, it was a production I was so grateful for, but I’m so sad that it ended as a viewer and a fan of the production, leaving me as an actor. I like works that are sad but have wit in them. Those works stay in my heart. That’s why I rewatch them sometimes. I think ‘The Story of Lady Ok’ will be one of those works. It‘s touching.“

After successfully completing two works, Choo Young-woo was momentarily immersed in happiness, but then she became the subject of gossip due to an unexpected SNS controversy. Among her SNS followers, there were influencers and streamers who dealt with revealing content, and several controversial figures, which caused her to be criticized online.


”I enjoy watching ‘Reels’ and ‘Memes’. There was absolutely no special intention or reason. I’m sorry for making you feel uncomfortable. I promised myself to be careful with my words, actions, and thoughts as I receive so much attention and love. There were some pleasant changes, but since this is my first time as a celebrity, I‘m also scared (of this interest and reaction). I’m worried that not only me but also those who love me will have a hard time.”

The trend is the trend. Both positive and negative attention are pouring in at the same time. The works are also expected to pour out one after another. Filming for the next work is already in progress and the following works have been confirmed, so it seems that he will have a busy schedule. What kind of actor will Choo Young-woo, who has risen to the top as the trend, grow into and leave an impression on the public? The future is drawing attention.

Hong Se-young, Donga.com Reporter projecthong@donga.com

This article is automatically translated using Google AI. If you notice any inaccuracies, please let us know at allkstar@donga.com.