Choi Woo-Jin –– Walking With Him

Biltman met with Actor Choi Woo-Jin, the guest whom we invited to grace our covers in the last month of the year. He has had the most eventful year on the 10th anniversary of his debut, and Biltman wanted to hear his honest anecdotes. However, such an excuse was just a filler used to fill the page.

Is there truly a need for such a reason to meet with Choi Woo-Jin to have a conversation with him face to face? Meeting the person in question was the real purpose behind this interview.

Buzzing with excitement, the place where we met Choi Woo-Jin was a cafe located in nature, away from the city center. Despite filming in a close by location up until the day before, he greeted us without showing any signs of fatigue.

He was in this splendid place where the warm light shone in, putting the barren branches that were seen through the window to shame. He wore a stylish gray glen plaid suit with a fancy solid purple tie. The moment he stood up and held out his hand, I was reminded of the first time I met him.

He was a young rising star back then, but he was mature and upright for his age. He was filled with radiance and warmth that couldn’t be found in the darkness shown in his debut film.

Even though years have passed, his looks and appearance did not change. He is still as upright and radiant as before, and with the passing of time, the scent of a mature adult made him even more beautiful.

[Lee Yoo-Jung] I suddenly recalled the day we first met.

[Choi Woo-Jin] Ah, it was the day I had my very first photo shoot and interview. Come to think of it, just like that day, both you and Photographer Kim Jun-Yeol are here again today.

Choi Woo-Jin’s eyes became dim for a moment. For him, it was an unforgettable memory with Biltman; and for his fans, it was the day where a rare and legendary pictorial was born.

[Lee Yoo-Jung] It felt like it just happened yesterday, but it’s already been ten years. However, you haven’t changed much apart from the vibe you give off. And your eyes –– there’s more depth and maturity to them.

[Choi Woo-Jin] It’s been ten years. I’m now at the age where I can’t claim to be twenty years old.

His birthday was in March, so Woo-Jin said he was already thirty, he had a gloomy look on his face. Even though he appeared to look the same on the surface, The change from his twenties to thirties seemed to begin with his mind.

[Lee Yoo-Jung] Speaking of age, you even played the role of a high school student in the recent drama. However, there was no sense of incongruity, so a lot of people initially mistook you for a child actor who resembled Choi Woo-Jin.

Choi Woo-Jin unexpectedly chose a drama, titled Memories – The Memory Trap, to mark the tenth anniversary of his debut. Returning to the small screen with a drama for the first time in five years, he is currently portraying a character named Kang Seok-Cheol, who has the ability to modify a person’s memories.

In the drama, Chae Woo-Jin portrays Kang Seok-Cheol up till his high school days. While he nailed the appearance of a high schooler, he also perfectly portrayed the emotions and vibe of a teenager. All without letting the viewers feel a sense of incongruity, thereby eliciting admiration.

Choi Woo-Jin is always one step ahead –– the moment one thinks that he has no more tricks up his sleeve, he will appear before us in a newer and more astounding form.

[Lee Yoo-Jung] Did you choose this drama as a way of providing fan service to celebrate the tenth anniversary of your debut? It’s a well-known fact that you love your fans very much. And acting in a drama is the most effective way for an actor to reach out to the public.

[Choi Woo-Jin] Many people see it that way, but frankly, I chose this drama because I like it.

[Lee Yoo-Jung] In that case, was the reason why you haven’t acted in a drama for the past five years because you didn’t come across a drama that appealed to you?

[Choi Woo-Jin] No. There were two dramas that I really wanted to act in, but I had to let them go because of an overlap in schedules with my other contracts.

[Lee Yoo-Jung] It’s my first time hearing about this. If you had revealed your interest in acting in those dramas, the production companies would have arranged the broadcast and filming schedules to fit yours.

As soon as I asked why the broadcasting company and production team didn’t do that, Choi Woo-Jin responded with an awkward look.

[Choi Woo-Jin] The broadcast schedules of both dramas had been agreed upon with the broadcasting companies before they started casting. I was late in reading the synopses and scripts. It’s absurd for them to change their schedule because of me.

[Lee Yoo-Jung] Of course, but it would’ve been a different story if you were the lead actor.

[Choi Woo-Jin] Once you’ve come to an agreement, I don’t think it’s right to make any changes. It’s a matter of principle.

[Lee Yoo-Jung] You’re still as firm as ever in that regard. May I know the titles of those dramas?

[Choi Woo-Jin] I fell in love with the production after reading the synopses and scripts, but I made the decision to let them go. The production teams weren’t aware of it either. Those dramas can be considered as my unrequited love, so I’ll cherish them in my heart.

Choi Woo-Jin refused to mention the names of the dramas which he had let go of. He added that it would be very disrespectful to the actors that had already starred in those dramas if he mentioned the titles in this interview.

[Lee Yoo-Jung] You can add this to the total score in your quest to become Korea’s poster boy for unrequited love.

[Choi Woo-Jin] Korea’s poster boy for unrequited love –– it’s been a while since I heard that.

[Lee Yoo-Jung] At some point, all the characters you played had achieved love. Either that, or there was no romance at all. Which is the case this time?

[Choi Woo-Jin] Kang Seok-Cheol is a character who’s not suited for romance, but there’s someone named Ma Yu-Mi, who’s had a crush on him since high school. So, you’ll never know. But is there really a need for romance in dramas?

Currently, 18 out of 24 episodes of the drama that showed no signs of romance thus far had been aired, and Choi Woo-Jin dropped a major bomb. It was expected that there would be two episodes left by the time this issue of the magazine is published.

[Lee Yoo-Jung] There’s no need for romance in dramas?

[Choi Woo-Jin] It’s just a personal opinion that has nothing to do with the ending of the drama.

[Lee Yoo-Jung] Indeed, there hasn’t been a drama with a male lead like Kang Seok-Cheol so far. He’s a character who is more than capable of existing on his own without a romance storyline. But I’m very curious about how his relationship with Ma Yu-Mi will unfold. Since you finished the final shooting yesterday, I’m sure you know how it ends. Give me a sneak preview.

[Choi Woo-Jin] Shh! You know I can’t.

Choi Woo-Jin put his finger to his lips and shook his head. Two-thirds of Memories – The Memory Trap has already been filmed and aired. Currently, they have just wrapped up filming.

However, the production team has been working hard to prevent the contents from leaking to the public. And Choi Woo-Jin is right at the apex. The man that is keeping this secret would never show us any mercy –– just like Kang Seok-Cheol in the drama.

Choi Woo-Jin’s character, Kang Seok-Cheol, is called Dol-Soe[1] by his friends and family, but his image and personality was nothing like his nickname. Instead, he is sophisticated and intelligent, level-headed and very self-centered; he’s a character who would never sacrifice himself.

Kang Seok-Cheol’s wish is to change his name to ‘Brian’. He brazenly introduces himself to the people he meets for the first time as ‘Brian Kang.’ Ma Yu-Mi’s nickname is ‘milady’; Kang Seok-Cheol was so immature that he was jealous of Ma Yu-Mi because he thought it was beautiful. So even when Ma Yu-Mi didn’t take a sip of alcohol at a company get-together, he told her she wasn’t allowed to drive. Kang Seok-Cheol then took Ma Yu-Mi home, but he made sure she paid him for driving her back. Be it ten or twenty years, he’s the type of person who would never forget a grudge, and would one day seek revenge out of the blue and gloat over it.

Although there are many women who are attracted to him because of his handsome looks and outstanding abilities, thanks to Ma Yu-Mi sabotaging those women’s efforts, Kang Seok-Cheol mistakenly thought he is unpopular because of his name.

However, he is so clueless that even though Ma Yu-Mi has been actively expressing her feelings for him for more than ten years, he is still unaware of it.

Currently, the fans of the drama are divided into two factions –– those who wish for Kang Seok-Cheol to be alone until the very end, and those who wish for him to end up with Ma Yu-Mi.

[Lee Yoo-Jung] What is your personal opinion on Kang Seok-Cheol as a character?

[Choi Woo-Jin] I think of him as an innocent person. But he’s so innocent that it makes him cruel at times. Frankly, if not for that side of him, it must’ve been hard for him to withstand the hurt inflicted on him, unbeknownst to him, from modifying people’s memories. Personally, I hope everything goes well between him and Ma Yu-Mi, as she’s someone who loves even his shortcomings.

Choi Woo-Jin didn’t see a need for romance in dramas, but he thought it would be good for Kang Seok-Cheol to end up with Ma Yu-Mi.

[Lee Yoo-Jung] Exactly! There’s no one like Ma Yu-Mi. I wonder if Kang Seok-Cheol erased himself from her memory.

As soon as I brought up the scene that made many viewers upset and angry, Choi Woo-Jin smiled broadly. It was a moment where the image of Kang Seok-Cheol within him surfaced.

Kang Seok-Cheol had erased Ma Yu-Mi’s memories of him. The next day, he walked past her while whistling as though nothing had happened. He’s a cruel and bad guy, who is very cool at the same time. Anybody who has watched the drama will agree with this statement.

[Choi Woo-Jin] You'll find out the reason tomorrow. By the time the readers read this interview, everyone who watches the drama will know why.

[Lee Yoo-Jung] This is why it’s hard to talk about an ongoing drama. But it’s truly been a long time since I felt scared about a drama ending. It’s not just me –– several viewers said that they don’t want to part ways with Kang Seok-Cheol, and a lot of people said that the closer the drama gets to the finale, the more their hearts ache. I think that actors say goodbye to the characters from a different standpoint. How do you normally feel?

[Choi Woo-Jin] I have mixed feelings about it for sure. I said goodbye to him after shooting the last scene yesterday, but it still feels empty here.

He continued, while stroking the area around his heart.

[Choi Woo-Jin] I can’t simply put it in words, but there are times it feels like a part of me has been ripped out.

[Lee Yoo-Jung] This is surprising because you’re known for getting out of character shortly after a production ends.

[Choi Woo-Jin] Just because I get out of character quickly, it doesn’t mean I don’t feel anything. The feelings of relief, loneliness and longing linger for a while before leaving. And at that moment, it would become a real farewell.

[Lee Yoo-Jung] Looking at your face right now, it seems like there are still traces of Kang Seok-Cheol.

[Choi Woo-Jin] He has an eccentric personality, so he’ll probably linger for a few more days before leaving.

The conversation with Choi Woo-Jin naturally segued into plans for his next project.

[Lee Yoo-Jung] You were recently cast as the main lead of A Fragment of Enigma.

[Choi Woo-Jin] Coughs. Ahem, ahem. I’ve been offered the role, but I have yet to come to a decision.

Even though it has been years since its publication, the news about the best-selling fantasy novel, A Fragment of Enigma, being adapted into a film has shocked the world. The producers and the director have selected Choi Woo-Jin as the male lead right off the bat, and the public agreed with their decision.

Normally, opinions are divided when there are talks about a particular actor being cast as a main character, but this time around, everybody unanimously approved of it.

However, as someone who was at the center of the topic of discussion, Choi Woo-Jin looked very embarrassed and troubled. Strangely, there was a boyish vibe in his shy expression as he looked out of the window.

For some reason, rather than negative feelings of dislike, he seemed conflicted because of his feelings of embarrassment as well as some other ambiguous feelings.

[Lee Yoo-Jung] Originally, the author of A Fragment of Enigma had no intention of making a film adaptation, but there were rumors that the agency and Ilya Turner persuaded him to sign the contract. Do you know anything about it?

The friendship between Ilya Turner, who is dubbed as a literary colossus, and Choi Woo-Jin was already a well-known fact. When asked if he knew anything about the inside story behind the film adaptation of A Fragment of Enigma, Choi Woo-Jin shook his head softly.

[Lee Yoo-Jung] Of course you’re going to do it, right?

[Choi Woo-Jin] Well, I’m turning them down respectfully because I’m not ready yet.

[Lee Yoo-Jung] It may sound rude, but as a fan of the novel, I hope to see you act in that movie. Just like L. Dmitri, the author is also a famous writer without a face to his name. Judging by how his name is also ‘Woo-Jin’, it’s not just an ordinary coincidence. For some reason, I have a feeling that you and the novel are connected by a deep destiny.

More importantly, the producers and director even announced that they would plan the filming schedule around Choi Woo-Jin’s schedule. Taking everything into consideration, such as the novel’s cinematic quality, director, production environment, etc., A Fragment of Enigma is a movie that provides a great impetus to Choi Woo-Jin. And for the fans of the novel, there wasn’t anyone else who is more suited for the role.

However, he looked embarrassed and it felt like there was some sort of background story that we are unaware of. So I changed the subject of the conversation.

[Lee Yoo-Jung] Come to think of it, there are talks about you becoming the main character in L. Dmitri’s second work.

As the author of Confession of White, L. Dmitri’s second novel is a masterpiece as well. Although the film adaptation of the novel has not been confirmed yet, many people hope it will happen, and there has been a lot of buzz about it. The most solid opinion out of all of them is that Choi Woo-Jin should be the main character.

There is even an anecdote about how the picky fans of L. Dmitri had written a letter as a group to him, telling him to cast Choi Woo-Jin as the main lead, should there be a film adaptation of the novel.

This time, Choi Woo-Jin looked slightly excited and happy instead of embarrassed.

[Choi Woo-Jin] Even though there haven’t been talks about the film adaptation yet, I want to do it if I get the chance.

[Lee Yoo-Jung] Your reactions to both works are very different.

[Choi Woo-Jin] That’s the difference between a sense of burden and anticipation. Naturally, I’m worried I might end up getting ahead of myself at this rate.

[Lee Yoo-Jung] Regardless of the choice you make, I’ll support you.

[Choi Woo-Jin] Thank you.

Regardless of the production he chooses, or even if he decides not to do either of them, it does not change the fact that Choi Woo-Jin is already the best actor in our eyes.

[Lee Yoo-Jung] Among the many surveys that was conducted at the end of the year, you were selected as the number one celebrity. Of course, that has been the case every year.

The person you want to spend Christmas and New Year’s Eve with; the person you’re most grateful to be born in the same era as; a friend you’re not ashamed to introduce to your parents; a son-in-law you want your daughter to bring home; the person who can get you to join a pyramid scheme, etc.. Choi Woo-Jin proudly took first place in several surveys.

As soon as we told him about the surveys he took first place in, Choi Woo-Jin said it was very fun doing all the various surveys.

[Lee Yoo-Jung] There are a lot of photos of you with kids these days –– Song Jae-Hee’s daughter, Dustin’s twin sons, as well as your friend’s children.

[Choi Woo-Jin] At some point, my friends and acquaintances have become parents.

He remarked that time has gone by just like that and laughed in dismay. But one can tell how much he loves those children by looking at his face in those photos. The photos of him and his friends’ children have been trending because of his clear affection for them.

[Lee Yoo-Jung] You’re now at the age where there’s a social pressure to get married.

[Chae Woo-Jin] The average age for marriage has increased these days, so I’m still safe.

[Lee Yoo-Jung] Have you met anyone who makes you feel at ease around them?

[Choi Woo-Jin] Even if there is, I won’t tell you.

He has insisted on keeping his relationships secret ever since a long time ago. He shook his head without hesitation.

[Lee Yoo-Jung] If there isn’t anyone, wouldn’t it be okay for you to simply say there isn’t anyone?

[Chae Woo-Jin] It’s easy to say there isn’t anyone when it’s the truth, but it’ll become a trap when you find that special someone in the future. If I were to keep saying no, and then I evade the question one day, it’s akin to acknowledging it. And if I were to say no when I do have that special someone, I’ll feel sorry towards my girlfriend, so it’s better not to make any comments now.

[Lee Yoo-Jung] In that case, are you really going to tell us a month before your wedding?

When asked if he would ever announce it publicly, he gave a firm answer.

[Choi Woo-Jin] I’ve been saying this for a very long time, so I want to keep my promise.

[Lee Yoo-Jung] You don’t have to keep such a promise. Normally, we can make a rough guess by looking at someone’s face, but it’s impossible to tell just by looking at yours.

In truth, even though the public might not know much when it comes to other people, there are rumors circulating among the reporters in the entertainment industry. But when it comes to Choi Woo-Jin, it is just silence. There is not a single rumor about him.

[Choi Woo-Jin] I don’t think anyone else has experienced as many scandals as I did. In the past few years, I’ve experienced all kinds of scandals that others would only experience over the span of a few decades.

Choi Woo-Jin was secretly proud of his scandals. What he said wasn’t far-fetched –– his private life is so well-managed that reporters complained about not having anything to write about Choi Woo-Jin, aside from his work in the entertainment industry. It was uncommon for celebrities to suffer from all kinds of scandals like he did.

Ultimately, the incidents that turned out to be nothing but rumors were those that happened at the beginning of his career, and Choi Woo-Jin had never been the main target of rumors ever since.

After a couple of incidents, journalists and reporters have also learned from their mistakes. They reviewed articles about Choi Woo-Jin over and over again. If the circumstances or evidence were unclear, they would not publish the article. After cross checking and examining the allegations several times, most of them turned out to be false, so several reporters simply sighed afterwards.

Could that be the reason why? From some point on, even if Choi Woo-Jin went out with other women in broad daylight, there wasn’t any scandal. Looking back, they were truly people he met via work, so his personal life gradually became dull and uneventful.

Frankly, meeting and dating someone wasn’t a big issue for him. We’re not curious about his personal life, but we are interested in his acting that showed us an unfamiliar yet beautiful world.

[Lee Yoo-Jung] During your first interview with me, you said you wanted to be an actor with many names. How did that go? Did you achieve it?

[Choi Woo-Jin] I think ten years is too short and insufficient to confidently say I have achieved my dream.

[Lee Yoo-Jung] It’s short indeed. In that case, shall we talk about this again in thirty years? You’ll have another interview with me when the time comes, right?

[Choi Woo-Jin] Of course. Until then, I’ll do my best to maintain my spot as the number one actor whom people want to interview.

[Lee Yoo-Jung] If so, the competition will still be as stiff as ever by then.

Choi Woo-Jin is friendly, but it wasn’t easy to score an interview with him because there are many interviewers who are queuing up to hear his story. But he doesn’t grant everyone an interview. For some reason, imagining how he would age like fine wine even after thirty years alone made my heart pound.

[Lee Yoo-Jung] Do you have any last words for the readers who are reading this interview?

[Choi Woo-Jin] Among the surveys you mentioned earlier, there was one about being grateful for living in the same era. My interpretation of it is this: being able to share a sympathetic bond on our culture with people living in the same era brings us joy. And the unique aura and appreciation for the arts of an era were created by us as a whole. Hence, I hope we can advance together at the same pace. I may be the main character in dramas and movies, but in this era, all of us are the protagonists.

Choi Woo-Jin was smiling brightly; he was still dreaming, just like before. And we are in his dreams as well. Hence, I was sure that our descendants in the distant future will be very envious of the era we are currently creating; of the existence of this beautiful and brilliant star that is walking with us, and next to us.

1. Traditional name given to servants ☜