[Dispatch=Reporter Lee Myung-joo] "I've heard of this somewhere, haven't I?" (Choi Min-sik)

Choi Min-sik received a phone call one day. Juan Mayorga's play "The Boy in the Last Row" was being produced as a Korean drama. The work is also well-known domestically as a theatrical production.

He recalled, "When I was offered the role, I thought, 'I've heard this story before,' and it turned out there was an original work. I said, 'I see. Send me the script.' I read the script and was instantly drawn in."

"There are many popular and entertaining works, but not many with room for thought. 'The Boy in the Last Row' had a literary scent to it. I decided to take the role right away."

The Netflix series "The Boy in the Last Row" held a production presentation on the 24th at Hotel Naru Seoul M Gallery in Mapo-gu, Seoul. Director Kim Gyu-tae attended along with actors Choi Min-sik and Choi Hyun-wook.

"The Boy in the Last Row" is a suspense drama. It tells the story of Korean literature professor Heo Moon-o (played by Choi Min-sik) discovering the genius of a boy named Lee Gang (played by Choi Hyun-wook) sitting in the last row of his classroom and becoming obsessed with his writings.

The original work is a play of the same name written by Juan Mayorga. It was staged a total of four times as a theatrical production. It was also reinterpreted as the French film "In the House" (2012).

When asked about his directing motivation, Director Kim said, "The script itself was interesting. It was six episodes total, and I kept flipping through without stopping."

"I was curious about the next story. The unpredictable situations and the way the characters' emotions were expressed simply and clearly. I was greedy because it had both popular entertainment value and literary depth at the same time."

This drama drew attention before its release for record-breaking casting. "Great actor" Choi Min-sik and "hot trend" Choi Hyun-wook had chemistry as mentor and student. "Trusted actors" including Junho, Kim Yoon-jin, and Jin Kyung also made their appearances.

Director Kim said, "I had a desire to work with Choi Min-sik at least once, and I'm so happy it came true. I learned a lot from watching how he enjoyed being on set and wanted to emulate him."

"(Watching Choi Min-sik's acting) felt like a fan intuitively understanding an artist. It was so thrilling and gave me chills. I was amazed at how he could express such complex emotions in that fleeting moment."

Regarding Choi Hyun-wook, he recalled, "(Choi Hyun-wook) was truly subtle. He was perfect for a character with innocence on the surface but depths underneath. He was calm and quiet, yet had a glint in his eye as if something was about to happen."

"Despite being a young actor, he showed maturity. He would remain silent and then, 'swoosh,' explode with explosive energy."

Choi Min-sik plays Professor Heo Moon-o, consumed by inferiority complex. He is a character who published only one novel twenty years ago and has since been unable to write a new book. While frustrated with reality, he discovers Lee Gang's (Choi Hyun-wook) writings.

Choi Min-sik introduced the character, saying, "Heo Moon-o loves literature and has a strong desire to leave behind his own writing, but he has put down his pen due to external circumstances."

He feels defeated by the thought of being a failed novelist. He added, "He vents his frustrations on students, then meets Lee Gang and reaches a turning point. He becomes obsessed with his writings and falls into a whirlpool."

To highlight the character's nature, he drew out his shabby side. Choi Min-sik explained, "Doesn't everyone have inferiority complexes they can't talk about to others? Heo Moon-o has a particularly severe one, and I discussed a lot with the director to find the right direction for the performance."

Choi Hyun-wook plays Lee Gang, an engineering undergraduate student with excellent writing skills. He is a character who takes private literature lessons at Heo Moon-o's suggestion.

He said, "He's a student who always sits in the last row of the classroom," and added as his reason for taking the role, "I thought I could show the restrained yet diverse aspects that the character Lee Gang can display."

He handles the drama's suspense. As the narrative progresses, Lee Gang's mysterious aspects are highlighted. As Heo Moon-o becomes obsessed with what he has written, unexpected incidents unfold.

Choi Hyun-wook said, "I tried to bring subtle reactions within restrained expressions," and explained, "It's about Lee Gang observing someone else's home, and I was careful to make it so you can't tell what he's thinking."

The key point to watch is the chemistry between the two actors. Choi Min-sik said, "Without exaggeration, I thought this work would flow well if I just reacted well to Choi Hyun-wook's acting."

"Lee Gang stands at the center of the drama and manipulates everyone. Especially with Heo Moon-o, he picks him up, puts him down, slams him, and throws him to the sky. (laughs) All I had to do was be thrown around well whenever he moved."

He said, "I tried to catch and not miss Choi Hyun-wook's acting. The more we shot, the more I couldn't think of any other actor besides Choi Hyun-wook. I felt moved with every shoot."

Choi Hyun-wook in turn said, "I was overwhelmed by Choi Min-sik's tiger-like energy," and expressed gratitude, "Without Choi Min-sik, I couldn't have done this much."

Finally, Choi Min-sik expressed confidence, "'The Boy in the Last Row' is a work that feels like reading a book you love page by page at a late hour. You will have much to think about after watching it."

Director Kim emphasized the ending. "I recommend the eye expressions of the two. I was surprised again during the final editing process. I hope it's an enjoyable watch until the end," he urged.

Meanwhile, "The Boy in the Last Row" will be released on Netflix on the 26th.

<Photo by Reporter Song Hyo-jin>