Choi Hyun Wook shared his deep respect for Choi Min Sik after working with him in Netflix’s suspense drama “Notes from the Last Row”.
During a press interview on July 2 in Seoul, Choi Hyun Wook talked about acting alongside the veteran actor and how the experience helped him grow.
“Notes from the Last Row” follows Heo Moon Oh, a failed writer and Korean literature professor played by Choi Min Sik, who becomes fascinated by the writing talent of Lee Kang, a student sitting in the last row of his class. Choi Hyun Wook plays Lee Kang, a mysterious student who slowly brings tension into the professor’s life.
Choi Hyun Wook said he strongly wanted to take the role because it was a rare chance to act with Choi Min Sik. He shared, “I do not think actors in their 20s have many chances to work with senior Choi Min Sik. When a project like this came to me, I really wanted to do it.”
The actor said he did not feel only pressure while acting with Choi Min Sik. Instead, the experience made acting more enjoyable for him.
He said, “When I acted in front of him, rather than feeling burden or pressure, acting itself became more fun as I experienced senior Min Sik”. He added that Choi Min Sik helped lead him until the end of the project.
Choi Hyun Wook also praised Choi Min Sik’s presence on set. He said that while watching Choi Min Sik’s detailed expressions, he realized that “a senior actor with this much experience really has so many things inside one face.”
He continued, “When he smiles, he has a lot of boyish charm, but when he gives advice as an adult, he looks like a great senior. Sometimes he also feels like a playful person.”
The actor also remembered how Choi Min Sik supported him during filming. He shared that after filming, Choi Min Sik would often tell him, “You worked hard,” and said those simple words meant a lot to him.
Choi Hyun Wook said Choi Min Sik’s positive energy affected the whole set. He explained that everyone on set worked happily, but once filming started, Choi Min Sik had the power to make everyone fully focus.
He added that seeing this made him want to become that kind of actor in the future.
Choi Hyun Wook also revealed that he gave Choi Min Sik a handwritten letter on his final filming day. He said the letter included his thanks and his wish for Choi Min Sik to stay healthy.
He shared, “I felt like he understood that the letter was sincere and kept it in his heart.” He added that it felt like they shared a silent message of gratitude through their eyes.
“Notes from the Last Row”, a 6 episode Netflix series based on the play by Spanish playwright Juan Mayorga, released all episodes on June 26.
