Choi Jin-hyuk Reveals Debut Story: "Choi Soo-jong Was My Angel"

Actor Choi Jin-hyuk shared the story behind his acting debut, expressing profound gratitude towards veteran actor Choi Soo-jong.

On the SBS entertainment show ‘My Little Old Boy’ (MiWooSae) aired on the 9th, Choi Jin-hyuk revealed Choi Soo-jong as the pivotal figure who enabled his acting career.

Choi Jin-hyuk, who was a trainee under Park Kyung-lim at the time, explained that he was able to achieve his dream of becoming an actor after winning the grand prize in an audition program. "I came to Seoul aiming to be a singer, but I owe my acting career to senior Choi Soo-jong," he said. "Even now, it feels surreal. I am so grateful."

Choi Jin-hyuk recalled that the final mission for the audition program that led to his debut was to remake a scene from the drama ‘First Love’. Struggling with the iconic public phone scene, he confided in Park Kyung-lim, who then reached out to Choi Soo-jong for assistance.

"I thought, 'How could I possibly learn from a senior like him?' But Park Kyung-lim asked on my behalf," he shared. Park Kyung-lim added, "Even though he must have been busy, senior Choi Soo-jong readily suggested, ‘Why don’t you come to my house?’"

Choi Jin-hyuk vividly remembered the coaching session. "It was past 10 PM, and he came out in his pajamas to guide my acting. That first scene is still deeply etched in my mind," he reminisced. Panelists like Seo Jang-hoon and Shin Dong-yup marveled at Choi Soo-jong's generosity in dedicating his time to an aspiring actor who hadn't even debuted yet.

He further shared the impact of Choi Soo-jong demonstrating the scene himself, with tears welling up in his eyes. "He sat on the living room sofa and acted it out for me, with tears in his eyes. It was so shocking," Choi Jin-hyuk said. Choi Soo-jong recalled, "I think I told Jin-hyuk, 'You need to act as your own version of Chan-hyuk,' emphasizing, 'You must act with sincerity.'"

Ultimately, with Choi Soo-jong's help, Choi Jin-hyuk won the audition's grand prize and launched his acting career. "I was so moved, thinking, 'Could I ever be like that senior in 20 years and help a junior actor like this?'" he concluded, expressing his deep respect and gratitude.

Korean netizens expressed their admiration for Choi Soo-jong's continuous good deeds, with comments like 'Choi Soo-jong's good deeds never end!', 'His passion for acting is incredible,' 'Choi Jin-hyuk must have been so thankful when he debuted,' and 'I want to emulate his sincere approach to acting.'