Actor Choi Hyun-wook showcased a charming duality of on and off.
Choi Hyun-wook plays the role of Ban Joo-yeon, the head of strategic planning at Yongseong Group, a third-generation chaebol who hides his otaku side in the tvN Monday-Tuesday drama ‘That Guy is a Black Dragon’. Although he conceals his inner otaku, he is struggling to be recognized as the heir of Yongseong Group, bringing laughter to viewers with his cool yet humorous demeanor.
In the third episode, Joo-yeon left a strong impression with the iconic line “Hey baby, let’s go” to Soo-jung at a party. He began to lower his guard and open his heart to Soo-jung. As part of the Yongseong Department Store renewal project, Joo-yeon went on-site with Soo-jung, where he met the vocalist of his favorite band and couldn't hide his enthusiasm, radiating innocence and cuteness that made him forget his position as the head. Joo-yeon felt gratitude and excitement towards Soo-jung, who is the only one who understands his hobby, but after a mysterious capsule toy was discovered at the company, he treated Soo-jung coldly again due to childhood trauma. At the end of the broadcast, a tense ending was presented when Soo-jung accidentally confronted his secret.
In the fourth episode, the reasons why Joo-yeon wants to be recognized by his grandmother and why he created a secret room to hide his hobbies were revealed, evoking sympathy. Although Joo-yeon felt embarrassed to share not only the secret room but also his computer password with Soo-jung, he said, “It’s not bad to have someone who knows one secret,” and they developed into a relationship sharing unspoken secrets. Additionally, to cheer up Soo-jung, who was feeling down, he said, “The only person who can give me chocolate milk is Baek Soo-jung,” and they enjoyed an arcade date together, showcasing his charm as a younger man by tying her shoelaces at moments that made hearts flutter.
Choi Hyun-wook perfectly portrayed the head of the department, who is cold and only knows work, but has a hidden charm of loving bands, capsule toys, figures, and chocolate milk. While he showed a cold and confident demeanor as a head of department who only knows himself during work, after hours, he expressed his true fan side by carefully keeping the autograph of his favorite singer and cleaning each figure, demonstrating his passion and love for what he enjoys. He also showcased cute disguises to hide his identity, coloring the Monday and Tuesday evening dramas with his unique charm.
Moreover, Choi Hyun-wook's on-and-off styling also caught attention. At the drama's press conference, he mentioned, “The outfits will change according to Ban Joo-yeon’s mood, making it enjoyable to watch,” and he added an intellectual image to the head of department look with a colorful three-piece suit and glasses, while at the chaebol party, he revealed subtle sexiness in an all-black suit with a brooch. After work, he pursued comfort as ‘the real Ban Joo-yeon’ in a rock spirit Yong T-shirt and headset, raising curiosity about his double life in the future.
‘That Guy is a Black Dragon’ has been soaring high with enthusiastic responses since its first broadcast on the 17th. It proudly secured the number one viewership rating in its time slot across all channels, including cable and general programming, and the ratings are rising sharply, gaining significant word-of-mouth. ‘That Guy is a Black Dragon’ airs every Monday and Tuesday at 8:50 PM on tvN.
