Actor Choo Young-woo (25) is the hottest rising star of 2025. In the broadcasting industry, it is said that if there was Byun Woo-seok last year, this year it is Choo Young-woo. He made a strong impression through the JTBC weekend drama 'Okssi's Story,' which ended last month with a viewership rating of 13.6%, and he quickly rose to stardom with the global success of the Netflix series 'Severe Trauma Center.'
Just before the Lunar New Year holiday, Choo Young-woo, who had his first round interview after debuting with 'Severe Trauma Center,' sat down for another interview with 'Okssi's Story' just ten days later. His special affection for 'Okssi's Story,' which he couldn't just ride on the coattails of 'Severe Trauma Center,' was palpable.
On the 4th, Choo Young-woo, who met at a cafe in Hakdong, Gangnam, said, "It is a sentimental, warm, and nostalgic work for me," and added, "It feels like saying goodbye twice since I played dual roles."
In this drama, Choo Young-woo played the role of 'Cheon Seung-hwi,' the greatest romanticist of Joseon who would sacrifice his life for his beloved, and 'Seong Yoon-gyeom,' the first son of the local governor, in a dual role. Although 'Okssi's Story' aired first, it was the work he entered after completing filming for 'Severe Trauma Center.'
Choo Young-woo said, "In 'Severe Trauma Center,' I intentionally exaggerated my reactions to capture the feel of the original webtoon," and added, "These aspects helped me when filming 'Okssi's Story,' allowing me to use my body and perform with a playful attitude."
To portray two characters from the Joseon era, he mastered various skills including pansori, dance, swordsmanship, archery, and horseback riding, and even sang the OST. "It was my first historical drama, but I learned a lot of practical skills, which made acting enjoyable," he said. However, he expressed some regret about the singing due to time constraints. "Sister (Lim) Ji-yeon spread the word to the director that 'he sings well,' and the director suggested recording after hearing that. I only had one practice session before recording," he shared the behind-the-scenes story.
Regarding his dual role, Choo Young-woo said, "There was a narrative provided by the text, so I didn't have much difficulty acting."
"At first, I thought I needed to widen the gap, so I focused on differences in tone, expression, and breath. But Ji-yeon sister advised me not to obsess over that and to create my own details that would make it recognizable, like 'just by standing, they would know it's Seung-hwi.' She suggested paying attention to small things like body tilt, eye contact, and the end of my speech. She said I shouldn't approach it like 'Jekyll and Hyde.' I think the effort I put into it until the end of the work helped the viewers appreciate it," he explained.
Unlike 'Seong Yoon-gyeom,' who had no resemblance, 'Cheon Seung-hwi' contained a lot of his actual self. Choo Young-woo laughed, saying, "I think my real personality came out in the scenes where we had a back-and-forth." He also mentioned that he felt closest to the 'Yang Jae-won style' among 'Cheon Seung-hwi,' 'Seong Yoon-gyeom,' and the doctor 'Yang Jae-won.'
"When working, I’m light on my feet and diligent like Yang Jae-won. I’m also quite timid. In daily life or when meeting friends, I think I have a playful side like 'Cheon Seung-hwi.' Although I acted as 'Cheon Seung-hwi,' he was such a cool character. I want to be like him in terms of values, but since I can't realistically, I think he felt even cooler. I was always envious of Seung-hwi. He has confidence, is unrestrained, and has the ability to protect his love. I cried a lot while watching my own performance. The breakup scene with (Ok Tae-young) in the pavilion is one of my favorite scenes," he shared.
Choo Young-woo talked about his romantic chemistry with Lim Ji-yeon, who is a 10-year senior at the Korea National University of Arts, saying, "Personally, I have watched a lot of her works, and although there is a significant age difference, I had never met her at school, but she was warmer than I expected."
"Her affection for the work was immense even before we started. She contacted me before the full script reading, and we had a time to match our lines and discuss at the Artist Company practice room. I was grateful that she approached me first, even though she must have been busy, and I felt her tremendous affection for this work. I think I gained strength from that," he said.
The stage of the tightrope walker that appeared in episode 2 felt like watching a real performance. "We prepared for that scene for three weeks as if we were a real dance troupe," he said. "The stage was great, the music was great, the camera work was great, the direction was great, and the other cast members brought it to life," he praised, adding, "Even the hanbok I wore was so beautiful."
Regarding the setting of 'Seong Yoon-gyeom' being a sexual minority, he said, "I didn't feel burdened at all." "My debut work was also a queer piece ('You Make Me Dance'), which is a very precious and proud debut work," he said, adding, "This time too, it is a work I love very much, and the writer blended it well into the script, so I acted according to the script."
"If there's something I regret, it's that there are scenes where Seung-hwi is being flirtatious, and I thought, 'I could have done more.' There are times when I wonder, 'Is it okay to go this far?' but since he is a nobleman... People around me told me I could do more. If I get the chance next time, I want to explore that in another work. (laughs)"
After 'Okssi's Story,' he has become a major star with the global success of Netflix's 'Severe Trauma Center,' and he was recently ranked 3rd in actor brand reputation alongside Byun Woo-seok and Lee Joon-hyuk.
"I think I had the best Chuseok holiday," he said, "Although the number of times I went out has decreased to one-third, I am grateful that I feel it."
As Choo Young-woo rises to stardom, his family background has also attracted attention. His father, Choo Seung-il, was a top model in the 90s, and his mother, Kang Seong-jin, also worked as a fashion model. His younger brother is also a rookie actor, Cha Jeong-woo (real name Choo Jeong-woo). He even appeared as his own stand-in in scenes where the two characters meet.
"They are very happy and grateful that I keep them from being bored at home," he shared about his parents' reactions, adding, "My mother cried a lot while watching 'Severe Trauma Center.'
"I thought she would ask, 'How was that scene?' or 'How did you film that?' but she just cried a lot without saying anything. She said, 'You worked hard' and felt sorry for me. Friends told me that I looked different in that work. It was an immense source of strength and fulfillment for me."
His brief appearance on tvN's 'You Quiz on the Block' in 2019, when he was a student at the Korea National University of Arts, is also gaining renewed attention. At that time, when asked, "If you were to search for yourself on a portal site, what related search terms would you hope for?" he answered, 'Actor Choo Young-woo,' 'Choo Young-woo acting,' 'Choo Young-woo works.' Despite his youthful face, his passion for acting was burning bright.
"I was on a diet at the time, and I was on my way to buy protein chips at the school store. It was raining heavily, and I had no umbrella, so I ran back and forth, and there were cameras and staff. At that time, a staff member called me and said, 'Let's do a 10-minute interview,' and I did it, but when I saw the video, my hair was like that. (laughs) A week later, I was on the real-time trending search terms, and it was amazing."
Choo Young-woo's activities will continue this year. In April, Netflix's original series 'Gwangjang' will be released, followed by the tvN drama 'The Cowherd and the Fairy' in June.
"In 'Gwangjang,' I worked with senior actors So Ji-sub and Cha Seung-won, and it's a drama mainly in the action noir genre. I will also do action, but I think I can show a side where I use my head more. 'The Cowherd and the Fairy' will feel like a youth drama similar to 'The Master's Sun.'
In his fourth year since debut, he has been cast in consecutive major works despite having only a few appearances. When asked, "What do you think is the reason for that?" he replied, "I don't have much stubbornness."
"I like to listen and apply. I have my own thoughts, but I believe no one knows the script better than the director and writer. On set, I think of myself as a prop and want to be a useful prop that is well used. I want to be an 'actor who tells stories' that feels uniquely interesting even when telling the same story."
