"After Becoming a Father, My Choice of Works Changed" Heartwarming Story Maker Choi Won-young

Rainbow Acting Across Eras and Characters
'Shuroop' and 'Geumsujeo' Dual Roles Shine
"Beautiful Princes, Proud to Watch"

Actor Choi Won-young. Photo by Saram Entertainment

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Isul] Actor Choi Won-young (46) showcased completely opposite personas in the second half of the year in the dramas 'Shuroop' and 'Geumsujeo'. He played a chaebol chairman who relentlessly pursues wealth, then transformed into a wise and virtuous king dressed in royal robes. His ordinarily cold expression soon blossomed into a spectrum of colors. His ability to gracefully navigate diverse roles, as if dancing, was fascinating.

Recently, at the People Entertainment building in Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Choi Won-young met with Asia Economy and expressed his joy, saying, "I'm glad both dramas received positive responses." He added, "The scripts were interesting from the start, and during filming, I was eager to see the completed works quickly."

In MBC's Friday-Saturday drama 'Geumsujeo' (written by Yoon Eun-kyung and Kim Eun-hee, directed by Song Hyun-wook and Lee Han-joon), which ended on the 12th of last month, Choi portrayed Hwang Hyun-do, the chairman of a group and father of Hwang Tae-yong (played by Lee Jong-won). Hyun-do is a top 1% chaebol who, contrary to his neat and restrained image, is consumed by obsession and desire for money. He dominated the latter part of the drama with his chilling and cold-blooded nature, willing to do anything for his own benefit.

While Yook Sung-jae and Lee Jong-won changed their lives as 'Geumsujeo' heirs, Choi Won-young was essentially the 'first-generation Geumsujeo.' He said, "Hwang Hyun-do is quite an attractive character. In the early episodes, he is a key player whose information is unknown, making the twists compelling. I saw him as a character at the starting point of the universe. The values Hyun-do holds dear, his ambition and desire, and the psychology of wanting to be a Geumsujeo were fascinating."

He continued, "Although the narrative of how Hyun-do was born and raised is not detailed, the surface of his turbulent life is clearly reflected. It was up to the actor to express the dense complexity of the character. I tried to act as plainly as possible, stripping away excess, and it came together well," showing his satisfaction.

'Geumsujeo' performed well, recording 6-7% viewership despite the recent slump in terrestrial dramas. Choi analyzed, "It feels typical yet atypical. The story unfolds with the motif of Geumsujeo, but ultimately, the message about family was well conveyed."

'Geumsujeo' still. Photo by MBC

Still from 'Shuroop'. Photo by tvN

In tvN's drama 'Shuroop' (written by Park Bara, directed by Kim Hyung-sik), which ended on the 4th, Choi Won-young delicately portrayed King Lee Ho, a wise ruler burdened with a complex about legitimacy. He skillfully conveyed Lee Ho's complicated emotions caught between numerous ministers, including Queen Daebi (played by Kim Hae-sook) and Queen Hwaryeong (played by Kim Hye-soo), earning praise.

He confessed, "He was a difficult character to act." He added, "On the surface, the drama reflects the era, but the narrative and message of 'Shuroop' are underpinned by the queen's struggles, moving together on a larger scale. The king has his own character arc, but I had to balance the attitude of a father whose plans don't go as he wishes with his eldest son, his demeanor as a husband toward his wife, and the conflicts and isolation between Queen Hwaryeong and Queen Daebi. Maintaining balance on this delicate scale was crucial."

However, he firmly stated that he did not refer to historical kings of Joseon. Choi said, "I deliberately avoided drawing ideas from royal records. Political conflicts and confrontations occur in any society, but that was not the main direction of the drama. I believed it should not be treated as a stereotype."

'Shuroop' also drew attention to young actors such as Seongnam Daegun Moon Sang-min and Gyeseong Daegun Yoo Sun-ho. Choi, who worked closely with them, smiled and said, "It was lovely to see the princes all together." As a father of two daughters, he smiled and said, "Whether daughters or sons, a parent's heart is the same." He continued, "If it were a son, I might have spanked him when he did something wrong, but as a father of daughters, it's different. I want to protect them."

"After becoming a father, my choice of roles has changed. In the past, I considered how I could be used as an actor first, but now I see things from the perspective of a father raising children. If possible, I want to avoid harsh roles that harm others. I try to live while fulfilling my calling and maintaining my standards. I feel a heavy weight and responsibility both upwards and downwards, but looking back, I am just grateful. I hope the people around me bloom beautifully, and that I can color someone beautifully as well."

Actor Choi Won-young. Photo by Saram Entertainment

Choi Won-young is known in the industry as a 'good reputation maker' due to his excellent reputation. Regarding this, he waved his hand and said, "I just try to live by keeping human decency." When asked if he often gives advice to juniors while getting along well with them, he laughed and replied, "If I do that these days, I end up eating alone."

"I try to give small but genuinely helpful advice to juniors. I remember gaining strength from seniors' advice when I was young. But I am happy just seeing juniors having fun and laughing together on set. I don't take it personally if they exclude me, thinking 'Why are you playing without me?' Not everyone can like me. On set, I don't have the energy to worry about why someone dislikes me. Even if I worry, nothing changes. I tend to accept it as 'I see.' I am sensitive and delicate by nature, but I try to build comfortable and flexible relationships with others by being considerate of small things."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.