Choo Young-woo Reveals the Discipline Behind His Rapid Rise: 'I'm Not Naturally Gifted, I Just Study Scripts Obsessively'

After winning both the Best Actor and Icon awards at AAA 2025 in December, actor Choo Young-woo says he's not a natural. In a full interview, the 26-year-old credits obsessive script study, daily boxing, and mentorship under demanding directors for the explosive growth that made him the most-called actor across Korean broadcasters and studios in 2024.

Choo burst onto the scene as the tall, confident lead in dramas like School 2021 and Oasis. But 2024 proved he's far more than a pretty face: he commanded both the small and big screens, moving seamlessly between the medical drama Trauma Center, the historical rom-com The Tale of Lady Ok, the indie film Plaza, and the December box-office romance Even If This Love Disappears From the World Tonight. The range and volume caught the attention of AAA voters, who handed him dual wins at the Dec. 6 ceremony in Kaohsiung.

"That scale of awards show was my first," he tells reporters, visibly still processing the moment. "I was overwhelmed. I didn't answer the interviewers properly when I accepted, everyone else seemed so calm. But the weight of those award names made me think, I have to work even harder."

One of the ceremony's most talked-about moments came when Choo stepped onstage for a surprise umbrella performance with singer Chae Yena. "I really admire singers," he explains. "The day before, I went to rehearsal and saw how much work goes into one stage, what the audience doesn't see. Yena prepares everything solo as a female artist, and it's so impressive. Behind what we see is incredible effort. I felt it on stage next to her, and it made me wonder if I'm being too comfortable as an actor. But I think we pulled it off."

That self-reflection is characteristic. Asked if he ever regrets turning down an idol offer from JYP Entertainment early in his career, Choo laughs. "I'm so glad I didn't. Watching idols perform and talking with them, I realized acting is something many can do, but taking a stage like that is rare. The discipline and timing they master... in my next life, I'd want to try it. If acting is like the moon, singing feels like the sun to me. Actors wait for their work to be edited and released. Singers deliver live, right now."

His latest project, tvN's Dating Coach with actress Kim So-hyun, wrapped recently. The drama follows a PhD physics student and his chemistry with a younger lead, a role that clicked for Choo partly because he was a science student in high school. "It felt natural when I was teaching or presenting," he says. "That real experience helped. I thought, 'Thank goodness.' As an actor, everything you've lived through eventually becomes useful."

Choo has developed a reputation for electric chemistry with female co-stars, especially more experienced actresses. His secret? "I loosen the tension in romantic scenes. I approach the character, not the actress. Most of my partners have been older than me, and I'm still more comfortable with that dynamic. I put myself in the emotion, offer ideas, and the actresses feel more at ease."

When asked what drives his rapid improvement, he's noticeably stronger with each role, Choo is blunt: "I was not born with acting talent. I remember a few years ago, I was really bad. But I've gotten multiple chances, and I work hard. My friends say my acting grows every project. I study scripts constantly. When others rest and play, I'm still grinding on my craft. Early on, I met some intimidating directors. I was terrified of criticism and hungry for praise, so I really pushed myself."

That discipline extends to his body. He boxes every single day, even on days off, until his knuckles bleed. "It's not just for fitness," he explains. "I want to do action roles properly someday. A real noir or crime thriller, or even a sports action film. I'd love to play a criminal, too." Friends tell him he'd nail a villain role; he grins at the idea.

Looking ahead, Choo's ambitions are high but measured. "I tell my friends: some shows just entertain, you laugh or cry and move on. But some work stays with you for years. I want to make something that leaves people in awe, something they'd call their 'life drama' or 'life movie' when asked their favorite. Just one. That's my goal."