[Sportschosun Jiyoung Cho] A mentor-student chemistry that transcends 40 years and feels unlike anything viewers have seen before is coming to living rooms.
On the morning of the 24th, Netflix's series The Boy at the Back of the Class, written by Jang Myung-woo and directed by Kim Gyu-tae, held its production presentation at Hotel Naru Seoul MGallery in Mapo-gu, Seoul. Choi Min-sik, who plays Heo Moon-oh, a prickly Korean literature professor trapped in inferiority and defeat, Choi Hyun-wook, who plays the mysterious student Lee Kang who sits in the back row and shakes up Heo Moon-oh, and director Kim Gyu-tae attended the event.
Based on Juan Mayorga's play of the same name, The Boy at the Back of the Class is a suspense drama about a failed writer and Korean literature professor who discovers the genius of a boy in the back row and becomes obsessed with his writing. The series was written by Jang Myung-woo, who adapted the film Bogota: Land of the Last Chance, and directed by Kim Gyu-tae, who has earned praise for his delicate portrayal of the psychology of diverse human characters in Netflix's Trunk and the dramas Our Blues and It's Okay, That's Love.
In particular, The Boy at the Back of the Class is drawing attention as Choi Min-sik's first series in three years, following Casino Season 2, which was released in 2023. With rising star Choi Hyun-wook joining the cast at Choi Min-sik's choice, the two deliver a fresh yet overwhelming acting ensemble.
At the event, Choi Min-sik said, "At first, I only heard a rough explanation of the project, and it sounded like a story I had heard many times before. As it turned out, it was based on an original work. I thought, 'This is it!' and asked for the script. I had missed a work with a literary feel. These days there are many very popular and entertaining projects, but this one felt like something that could still make people think. Heo Moon-oh in the story even made me wonder if it might be my own story. Viewers can also project their own situations onto it, and although the theme of the student-teacher relationship feels a bit far from current trends, that actually made it feel fresh."
Speaking about inferiority, he added, "Don't we all get caught up in inferiority at least once or twice in life? Sometimes I thought Elon Musk seemed enviable. I would look at his eccentric side and think about it. There are probably people like Heo Moon-oh. For actors, comparing ourselves to others is actually meaningless. People call it an acting showdown, but we have never fought even once. Every actor has strengths and weaknesses." He joked.
Choi Hyun-wook said, "This project has many charms, but the biggest ones are Director Kim Gyu-tae and senior Choi Min-sik. When I first read the script, I was instantly drawn in. I thought Lee Kang was a character who could show many restrained yet varied sides, and that really appealed to me."
Earlier, The Boy at the Back of the Class held auditions to cast the role of Lee Kang. Choi Min-sik reportedly took part in the auditions himself to choose the actor he would work with. Choi Min-sik, who was said to have been the only one to suggest a meal to Choi Hyun-wook on the day of the audition after he beat out many competitors for the role, laughed and said, "Actually, Choi Hyun-wook was the only person I could have dinner with."
Born in 1962, Choi Min-sik and born in 2002, Choi Hyun-wook are set to show mentor-student chemistry that overcomes a 40-year age gap. Choi Min-sik said, "There were stories that I had cast Choi Hyun-wook, but that makes no sense. I was simply curious about him. I went to the audition because I wanted to see the raw side of young actors these days. I wanted to see what he felt like in person. I was curious about what kind of boy he was. You can't really tell from profile photos or videos, can you? That's why I went to the audition. I discussed it with Director Kim Gyu-tae, and after many conversations, we decided on Choi Hyun-wook. That day, Choi Hyun-wook also said he would buy me a meal. I got to eat something delicious. I think his agency paid for it," he joked.
He continued, "This isn't just empty talk, but I honestly thought that if I could just do a good job reacting to Choi Hyun-wook's acting in this project, it would still be a good one. Lee Kang is the center of the story. He tosses Heo Moon-oh around, knocks him down, and then lets him back up. I just needed to be well shaken up. I tried to catch and use Choi Hyun-wook's performance without missing a beat. The more we worked, the more I couldn't imagine any actor other than Choi Hyun-wook playing Lee Kang. I kept seeing him become Lee Kang. One of Choi Hyun-wook's charms is that you can't tell what he's thinking. That resembles Lee Kang. Watching Choi Hyun-wook made me wonder whether I had ever acted with that kind of focus, that kind of gaze, and that kind of detailed performance. It made me think back to my younger days. It's truly captivating. As you'll see in this project, you'll be drawn in by Choi Hyun-wook's eyes."
Choi Hyun-wook also reflected on the audition and said, "Choi Min-sik was a senior I had seen on screen like a textbook. Acting in front of such a senior made me nervous, but I tried to do what I had prepared as best as I could." He added, "Our chemistry on set was really good. He matched me beyond what I had prepared. He guided me a lot. He was a senior with great back-and-forth energy. I was overwhelmed by Choi Min-sik's tiger-like energy. It was an honor to feel that energy anywhere. I also don't think I could have played Lee Kang this well without senior Choi Min-sik."
Director Kim Gyu-tae said, "When I first read the script, I remember finishing it in one sitting very quickly. It was that entertaining. It had been a long time since I read a six-episode drama without stopping. Jang Myung-woo's writing has a way of making situations and characters easy and concise to follow, while also making you curious about what comes next and keeping things unpredictable. It had both popular appeal and literary depth, so I was eager to direct it."
About the casting process for Choi Min-sik, the director said, "As a director, I was so happy. I had wanted to work with Choi Min-sik at least once, and that wish came true. He made the atmosphere on set cheerful and pleasant. He has the charm of a pure child, almost boyish, and at times even a kind of enlightened look. Watching how much he enjoyed being on set made me want to capture him even more. As for his acting, there is nothing more to say. I was like a fan witnessing an artist up close, and every moment was thrilling. I came to respect him deeply as a director and even found myself wanting to be like him. He was the kind of actor I could watch over and over without ever getting tired of it."
On Choi Hyun-wook, he said, "He was truly fascinating. Lee Kang himself has a strangely dual nature, and Choi Hyun-wook was the perfect fit. His eyes themselves feel like suspense. He has a very calm and quiet gaze, peaceful yet somehow suggesting that something is about to happen, and I think he expressed that side of Lee Kang very well. Even when he was quietly standing by, once filming began he had explosive energy, as if he suddenly transformed. Despite being young, he gave off a sense of maturity. I look forward to seeing how far he will grow, given his potential."
On expectations for the show's success, Kim also compared it to the widely talked-about The Real Lesson and said, "I was really envious of Director Hong Jong-chan's success with The Real Lesson. I hope our project does just as well. We worked hard on it, and the process itself was happy. As a director, I am very satisfied with the quality."
The Boy at the Back of the Class will be released on Netflix on the 26th.
Jiyoung Cho, Sportschosun, soulhn1220@sportschosun.com
