Byun Woo-seok‘s ‘worries’ are deepening.

Through his leading role in ‘Seonjae Up and Run’ this spring, he gained syndrome-level popularity and has not been able to decide on his next project for over half a year, drawing attention both inside and outside the broadcasting industry.

This is in contrast to top stars such as Kim Soo-hyun and Park Bo-gum who have decided on their next projects early on and are continuing their trend even before finishing their leading role dramas. Kim Hye-yoon, who acted with him, is also busy filming her next project amidst a flood of offers.

Contrary to fans’ expectations that Byun Woo-seok would decide on his next project within the year and show a new side of himself next year, he has been appearing as an ambassador and ‘model’ while filming over 15 commercials.

According to an entertainment official, no project has yet captured Byun Woo-seok‘s heart.

It has been reported that there are no dramas that are being ‘positively reviewed’ or ‘wanted’ until his appearance is confirmed, as there are many things to look into or coordinate in detail.

Byun Woo-seok said, “I will take my time and decide (on my next project) calmly,” but as he is currently receiving scripts for over 20 dramas regardless of TV or OTT, not only the broadcasting industry but also fans are curious about his ‘choice’.

Byun Woo-seok was loved by women of all ages, from their teens to their fifties, for his innocent love that cannot forget his first love from his school days in ‘Seonjae Pick Me Up and Run’.

Thanks to this, he rose to the top for the first time since his debut and held an Asian fan meeting, rising to the ranks of a ‘Hallyu star’. At the time, there were about 700,000 people waiting for tickets to Byun Woo-seok’s fan meeting in Korea.

In order to retain Byun Woo-seok, who has become the most ‘hot’ actor, it has been reported that various drama production companies have made unprecedented demands, such as “We can adjust the characters, settings, and even filming schedules to Byun Woo-seok, and we can pay him whatever we want (for his appearance fee)”.

The entertainment agencies that the actors belong to are also on edge, saying, “We want to appear in a drama that Byun Woo-seok is appearing in, even as a supporting role.

The reason his ‘value’ has increased is because he has captivated overseas fans with his tall height of over 180cm and his good looks, and when Byun Woo-seok appears, the broadcast schedule and topicality are a ‘free pass”.

Byun Woo-seok‘s struggles are recurring.

After the drama ended, he said, “I want to act well. I felt sorry for the parts that were lacking, such as the depth of emotional expression, pronunciation, and enunciation. As he said, “I will do my best to improve the parts that were clearly visible to my eyes,” it seems that he will make a comeback by joining hands with a director who will improve these parts.



Reporter Lee Jeong-yeon annjoy@donga.com