Before making his name as an actor, Cho Jun Young was once an SM Entertainment trainee who practiced alongside future RIIZE members.
While many trainees dream of debuting in a K pop group, he decided to walk away from the idol path and focus fully on acting.
Through the tvN Monday Tuesday drama “Spring Fever”, Cho Jun Young is now proving that his decision was the right one.
In the drama, he played Seon Han Gyeol, a calm and kind character who hides his own pain while taking care of others. The series received positive reviews for its story about youth, romance, and personal growth, and Cho Jun Young’s performance drew attention from viewers.
One of his biggest challenges was acting in a regional dialect for the first time. He revealed that he started practicing right after his audition in January last year.
He studied everyday speech patterns, asked friends from the Gyeongsang region for advice, and closely observed senior actors. His manager, who is from the same region, also helped him adjust his tone on set.
Despite his hard work, Cho Jun Young rated himself “4 out of 10” for his dialect performance. He honestly shared, “If I look at only the dialect, the barrier was very high. I did my best, but the small differences in tone were very difficult.”
He also talked about receiving support from co star Ahn Bo Hyun, who is from Busan. According to Cho Jun Young, Ahn Bo Hyun told him his acting was “much better than expected”, which gave him a lot of strength.
Still, he admitted he stayed nervous during the broadcast because “the viewers’ evaluation is a different matter.”
As a former SM trainee, Cho Jun Young addressed the label that he “almost became RIIZE.” He clarified, “It is not that I almost became RIIZE. I did go through idol trainee training, but my dream of becoming an actor was much bigger. I kept working toward acting, and I debuted as an actor first.”
He added that working on dramas has taught him how much effort goes into one production, with many staff members contributing behind the scenes. Although the responsibility can feel heavy, he continues to grow step by step.
Now, Cho Jun Young hopes to expand his acting range through different genres, including romantic comedies, action, and fantasy. He also shared his interest in overseas projects in the future.
From training room to drama set, Cho Jun Young is steadily building his career as an actor and showing that choosing his true dream over an idol debut was a meaningful decision.
Source: [1]
