Every work contains numerous perspectives. Although the director and actors share the same space and time, their experiences may differ significantly. 'Choi Song-hee's B-Cut' focuses on the vivid behind-the-scenes moments that go beyond the 'A-Cut' captured on screen. It reconstructs the intense 'B-Cut' moments through interviews with the director and actors, revealing a deeper narrative.
Netflix's series 'The Boy in the Last Row' is a suspense drama that tells the story of a peculiar Korean literature professor, Heo Mun-oh (played by Choi Min-sik), who is consumed by feelings of inadequacy, and a mysterious student, Lee Gang (played by Choi Hyun-wook), who sits in the last row of the classroom. What begins as a personal literature class proposed by Heo Mun-oh spirals into an obsession with Lee Gang's writing, leading their relationship to evolve into an unpredictable tension that defies typical teacher-student dynamics.
In 'The Boy in the Last Row,' Lee Gang is the character who most accurately touches on Heo Mun-oh's desires and insecurities. Choi Hyun-wook aimed to portray Lee Gang differently in the early and later parts of the series, considering the blending of fiction and reality. He sought to create distinctions in Lee Gang's speech, voice, and actions.
“In the end, you can't tell what's fiction. I thought the scenes at Se-hyun's house or Heo Mun-oh's actions reflected Lee Gang after they grew closer during personal lessons and built their relationship through interviews. So, as Heo Mun-oh and Lee Gang spent more time together, I tried to approach him more intimately, and in the end, I aimed to create differences in behavior, speech, and voice to contrast with the real Lee Gang's feelings,” said Choi Hyun-wook.
Regarding Lee Gang's obsessive plans against Heo Mun-oh, Choi Hyun-wook reflected on childhood traumas. He did not view Lee Gang as an emotionless character.
“I believed Lee Gang had experienced trauma with Heo Mun-oh. The wounds he suffered when he opened up as a child would have felt like a significant trauma for a friend who grew up without parents. I thought that might be the starting point for his actions. Even while reading the script and filming, I didn’t see Lee Gang as a completely emotionless psychopath. He is kind and caring towards the orphanage director, so I thought he had some emotions and acted accordingly,” Choi Hyun-wook explained.
Choi Min-sik, who portrayed Heo Mun-oh, found the character difficult to understand. However, he acknowledged that he had to accept aspects of the character that were hard to comprehend as an actor.
“Humans can be quite disgusting. I wondered if someone could be this repulsive. Judging him through my values and experiences often led to many contradictions. But I have to act him out. To enter this character, I need to understand everything about him. I believe there is nothing in this world that cannot be understood,” Choi Min-sik stated.
However, Choi Min-sik noted that his own feelings of inadequacy differ from Heo Mun-oh's. He described the character as someone who does not crumble under comparisons with others.
“I didn’t say I have no feelings of inferiority. Why wouldn’t I? I envy Elon Musk. When I see rockets parking, I think, ‘Wow, he’s doing that.’ A few crazy people change the environment. But I live as myself, so I don’t get stressed by others. I think, ‘You’re great, but I have my own things,’ and I’ve always felt that way,” Choi Min-sik added.
'The Boy in the Last Row' is based on the French-Spanish co-production film 'In the House' and its original play. Choi Min-sik revealed that he did not read the original work before filming, believing it could influence his portrayal of Heo Mun-oh.
“I plan to read the original play now. If I read it beforehand, I can’t help but be influenced. That would not help me in portraying Heo Mun-oh in 'The Boy in the Last Row.' From what I’ve heard, the original is more serious and has a richer literary quality. Our work incorporates Korean thriller and suspense elements. I think it’s different from the original. I don’t believe it’s just a matter of becoming more commercial. The director and writer have different things they want to express, and that’s what is being shown now. I agreed with that adaptation, which is why I participated,” Choi Min-sik explained.
Choi Hyun-wook also approached the script without having seen the original work. He expressed shock when the true nature of Lee Gang's writing was revealed.
“I hadn’t seen the original. I was reading the script and was shocked when I realized the writing was fictional. I thought, ‘None of this was real,’ and that was a shocking moment. I remember enjoying the reading experience,” Choi Hyun-wook said.
After the success of his plans, Choi Hyun-wook interpreted Lee Gang's character as someone who would not feel regret or emptiness but would continue to live a life similar to before.
“I don’t think Lee Gang would feel emptiness or regret after his plans succeeded. I believe he would continue to live like an ordinary person. He seems like a character who doesn’t receive much affection and has clear negative traits. I acted with that in mind, so I think viewers should see him in a negative light,” Choi Hyun-wook noted.
Choi Min-sik praised Choi Hyun-wook, calling him “an actor who knows exactly how to act.” He was impressed by Hyun-wook’s understanding of the meaning of lines and the psychology of scenes.
“Choi Hyun-wook did well. I was genuinely surprised. I wondered if I acted like that at his age. The important thing is that he knows exactly what he’s doing. There’s a difference between knowing how to deliver a line with a certain feeling and doing it without understanding. When he first says, ‘Stay,’ and talks about how Lee Gang envies Kim Soo-hoon, there’s a line where he asks, ‘Professor, do you know that feeling?’ Heo Mun-oh is taken aback. Knowing the psychology and meaning behind that is different from just saying it. It shows he has thought deeply and understood. He’s reliable and impressive. I hope that lasts. He did so well, and I hope he continues to grow as an actor, performing diligently in different roles,” Choi Min-sik said.
For Choi Hyun-wook, working alongside Choi Min-sik was a special experience. He felt more enjoyment in acting than pressure.
“I think it’s rare for a young actor to have the opportunity to work with Choi Min-sik. The genre is limited, so I really wanted to do it. When I acted in front of him, I felt that the experience of acting with him made it more enjoyable than feeling pressure. He treated me in a way that allowed me to feel that way. I think 'The Boy in the Last Row' will motivate me to continue searching for answers within myself as I act,” Choi Hyun-wook reflected.
Seeing Choi Min-sik up close left a lasting impression on Choi Hyun-wook. He recalled the different impressions Min-sik conveyed during conversations, acting, and moments of advice.
“When talking or acting, I noticed the subtlety in his expressions and thought, ‘So much can be conveyed in one person’s face.’ When he smiles, he exudes boyish charm, and when he gives advice, he feels like a great senior, yet he can also be playful. It was astonishing. Even when discussing topics unrelated to acting, he felt like a character. I realized that a senior with this level of experience is different,” Choi Hyun-wook concluded.
Netflix's series 'The Boy in the Last Row' is a suspense drama that tells the story of a peculiar Korean literature professor, Heo Mun-oh (played by Choi Min-sik), who is consumed by feelings of inadequacy, and a mysterious student, Lee Gang (played by Choi Hyun-wook), who sits in the last row of the classroom. What begins as a personal literature class proposed by Heo Mun-oh spirals into an obsession with Lee Gang's writing, leading their relationship to evolve into an unpredictable tension that defies typical teacher-student dynamics.
In 'The Boy in the Last Row,' Lee Gang is the character who most accurately touches on Heo Mun-oh's desires and insecurities. Choi Hyun-wook aimed to portray Lee Gang differently in the early and later parts of the series, considering the blending of fiction and reality. He sought to create distinctions in Lee Gang's speech, voice, and actions.
“In the end, you can't tell what's fiction. I thought the scenes at Se-hyun's house or Heo Mun-oh's actions reflected Lee Gang after they grew closer during personal lessons and built their relationship through interviews. So, as Heo Mun-oh and Lee Gang spent more time together, I tried to approach him more intimately, and in the end, I aimed to create differences in behavior, speech, and voice to contrast with the real Lee Gang's feelings,” said Choi Hyun-wook.
Regarding Lee Gang's obsessive plans against Heo Mun-oh, Choi Hyun-wook reflected on childhood traumas. He did not view Lee Gang as an emotionless character.
“I believed Lee Gang had experienced trauma with Heo Mun-oh. The wounds he suffered when he opened up as a child would have felt like a significant trauma for a friend who grew up without parents. I thought that might be the starting point for his actions. Even while reading the script and filming, I didn’t see Lee Gang as a completely emotionless psychopath. He is kind and caring towards the orphanage director, so I thought he had some emotions and acted accordingly,” Choi Hyun-wook explained.
Choi Min-sik, who portrayed Heo Mun-oh, found the character difficult to understand. However, he acknowledged that he had to accept aspects of the character that were hard to comprehend as an actor.
“Humans can be quite disgusting. I wondered if someone could be this repulsive. Judging him through my values and experiences often led to many contradictions. But I have to act him out. To enter this character, I need to understand everything about him. I believe there is nothing in this world that cannot be understood,” Choi Min-sik stated.
However, Choi Min-sik noted that his own feelings of inadequacy differ from Heo Mun-oh's. He described the character as someone who does not crumble under comparisons with others.
“I didn’t say I have no feelings of inferiority. Why wouldn’t I? I envy Elon Musk. When I see rockets parking, I think, ‘Wow, he’s doing that.’ A few crazy people change the environment. But I live as myself, so I don’t get stressed by others. I think, ‘You’re great, but I have my own things,’ and I’ve always felt that way,” Choi Min-sik added.
'The Boy in the Last Row' is based on the French-Spanish co-production film 'In the House' and its original play. Choi Min-sik revealed that he did not read the original work before filming, believing it could influence his portrayal of Heo Mun-oh.
“I plan to read the original play now. If I read it beforehand, I can’t help but be influenced. That would not help me in portraying Heo Mun-oh in 'The Boy in the Last Row.' From what I’ve heard, the original is more serious and has a richer literary quality. Our work incorporates Korean thriller and suspense elements. I think it’s different from the original. I don’t believe it’s just a matter of becoming more commercial. The director and writer have different things they want to express, and that’s what is being shown now. I agreed with that adaptation, which is why I participated,” Choi Min-sik explained.
Choi Hyun-wook also approached the script without having seen the original work. He expressed shock when the true nature of Lee Gang's writing was revealed.
“I hadn’t seen the original. I was reading the script and was shocked when I realized the writing was fictional. I thought, ‘None of this was real,’ and that was a shocking moment. I remember enjoying the reading experience,” Choi Hyun-wook said.
After the success of his plans, Choi Hyun-wook interpreted Lee Gang's character as someone who would not feel regret or emptiness but would continue to live a life similar to before.
“I don’t think Lee Gang would feel emptiness or regret after his plans succeeded. I believe he would continue to live like an ordinary person. He seems like a character who doesn’t receive much affection and has clear negative traits. I acted with that in mind, so I think viewers should see him in a negative light,” Choi Hyun-wook noted.
Choi Min-sik praised Choi Hyun-wook, calling him “an actor who knows exactly how to act.” He was impressed by Hyun-wook’s understanding of the meaning of lines and the psychology of scenes.
“Choi Hyun-wook did well. I was genuinely surprised. I wondered if I acted like that at his age. The important thing is that he knows exactly what he’s doing. There’s a difference between knowing how to deliver a line with a certain feeling and doing it without understanding. When he first says, ‘Stay,’ and talks about how Lee Gang envies Kim Soo-hoon, there’s a line where he asks, ‘Professor, do you know that feeling?’ Heo Mun-oh is taken aback. Knowing the psychology and meaning behind that is different from just saying it. It shows he has thought deeply and understood. He’s reliable and impressive. I hope that lasts. He did so well, and I hope he continues to grow as an actor, performing diligently in different roles,” Choi Min-sik said.
For Choi Hyun-wook, working alongside Choi Min-sik was a special experience. He felt more enjoyment in acting than pressure.
“I think it’s rare for a young actor to have the opportunity to work with Choi Min-sik. The genre is limited, so I really wanted to do it. When I acted in front of him, I felt that the experience of acting with him made it more enjoyable than feeling pressure. He treated me in a way that allowed me to feel that way. I think 'The Boy in the Last Row' will motivate me to continue searching for answers within myself as I act,” Choi Hyun-wook reflected.
Seeing Choi Min-sik up close left a lasting impression on Choi Hyun-wook. He recalled the different impressions Min-sik conveyed during conversations, acting, and moments of advice.
“When talking or acting, I noticed the subtlety in his expressions and thought, ‘So much can be conveyed in one person’s face.’ When he smiles, he exudes boyish charm, and when he gives advice, he feels like a great senior, yet he can also be playful. It was astonishing. Even when discussing topics unrelated to acting, he felt like a character. I realized that a senior with this level of experience is different,” Choi Hyun-wook concluded.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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