Following his Oscar-winning performance in the 2019 film Parasite, actor Choi Woo-shik has been busy starring in films such as the dystopian thriller Time to Hunt (2020), and even tried his hand at a Korean television reality show by acting in Youn’s Stay last year.
Last year, the actor made a comeback to television, starring in the romantic comedy series Our Beloved Summer. He last starred in a TV drama four years ago, in the TV series The Package, when he played a supporting role.
There was a lot of pressure on me to lead. The pressure grew higher as the debut date approached. The response to the series is vastly different than the response I would receive if I were to star in a film.
“You get responses for each episode, and there are so many different perspectives and critiques from people of all ages, so I felt a lot of pressure.”
The romantic series, which ended on January 25, is based on Han Kyoung-webcomic chal’s of the same name. It follows Choi Ung (Choi), a free-spirited illustrator, and Kook Yeon-su (Kim Da-mi), a workaholic PR specialist, who were high-school sweethearts.
When a documentary they made in high school resurfaces on the internet and becomes viral, the two are dragged back into each other’s lives five years after their breakup to film a follow-up documentary. Newcomer Kim Yoon-jin directed the series, which was penned by playwright Lee Na-eun.
With a 3.2 percent viewership rating on December 6, the series had a relatively dismal start, with a 3.2 percent viewership rating. The drama’s increasing popularity on Netflix is due to the nuanced, genuine coming-of-age storey of a couple going through a devastating separation and a beautiful reconciliation, as well as the actors’ riveting performances.
After appearing on the list in December, Our Beloved Summer ranked fourth on Netflix’s official weekly top 10 non-English TV programmes ranking in the second week of January.
After reading the script, Choi stated he fell in love with the show. “The series’ script was fantastic.” I felt compelled to join after reading it. He stated, “I was yearning to play the part.”
The character portrayed Choi’s calm, natural image from reality shows (the writer said she got inspiration from watching Choi on Summer Vacation), and he said his major goal in designing his character was to make him appear natural.
“I was afraid that if I got too excited and tried to add characteristics to my persona, it would come across as uncomfortable.” So when it came to stepping into the role, I tried to be as natural as possible. “I had faith in the screenplay, my co-star, and the director, so I just did what was stated on the script,” he said, adding that he loved working with the cast and crew of the show, as well as actress Kim.
For the first time since Hogu’s Love in 2015, Choi said it was nice to play the lead in a romantic comedy series.
“I’ve been playing characters who either kill someone or get killed, or flee from something and strive to survive. As a result, it was a lot of fun to play such a sweet, endearing character. He stated, “I aspire to continue to be a part of stories that reflect realistic romance.” He will, however, prioritise getting some rest before deciding on his next assignment.
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