Choi Hyun-wook: "After School Teacher Tae-ri, A Time to Grow Together with the Children"

*This content was translated by AI.

Actor Choi Hyun-wook shared his thoughts on his first variety show appearance ahead of the conclusion of "After School Teacher Tae-ri."

tvN's "After School Teacher Tae-ri," directed by Park Ji-ye and Hwang Seul-woo, which concludes on the 26th, is a reality variety program that opens an after-school drama club at an elementary school in a small village with only 18 students, featuring cast members taking on the challenge of teaching children as teachers. Choi Hyun-wook, who played "Teacher Potato," left a deep impression by approaching the children with an unadorned, honest demeanor and communicating with sincerity. He is praised for drawing viewers' empathy with his honest and human charm in his unpretentious daily life. Despite his first variety show challenge, he naturally elicited laughter with his clumsy and quirky moments, skillfully balancing sincerity and cheerfulness at the right moments, thereby elevating the program's overall quality.

Through his agency Gold Medalist, Choi Hyun-wook stated, "It was a strange and unfamiliar experience to be able to objectively view my own side that I didn't know," sharing his reflections on his first variety show challenge. He continued, "I think it was a significant experience just to be able to participate in a program with good intentions, and it was a time to grow together with the children," expressing his gratitude to viewers.

◆ The following is a Q&A with Choi Hyun-wook regarding the conclusion of "After School Teacher Tae-ri."

Q. What are your thoughts on taking on your first variety show?

Taking on my first variety show allowed me to experience many new emotions I had never felt before. Above all, it was a strange and unfamiliar experience to be able to objectively view my own side that I didn't know through the broadcast. While I was accustomed to acting as an actor, portraying someone else and showing only a refined image, in variety shows, my unadorned, natural self was revealed as is, which I think felt awkward and embarrassing at times.

Q. Did you feel anything while teaching the children as "Teacher Potato"?

Taking on the challenge of being a teacher to children allowed me to feel a sense of responsibility along with many pure and warm emotions. It was a time for me to grow naturally as I learned how to communicate with people in different ways. Additionally, I think the various situations I experienced with the older sisters and brothers served as an opportunity to understand each other and strengthen our relationships.

Q. Did you grow or feel anything through "After School Teacher Tae-ri"?

I became much more deeply interested in the genre of drama than before and came to understand the meaning of the process of directly expressing and creating, rather than just watching. Especially while spending time with the children, I realized how important an unadorned, pure perspective and free imagination are. Watching the children express their emotions and stories in their own ways without being bound by frameworks made me realize and feel many things myself. I felt the charm of drama not merely as a performance, but as a space for communication where we can share thoughts and emotions and grow together, and it was a beneficial time to ponder my expressive abilities as an actor.

Q. A message to viewers on the conclusion of "After School Teacher Tae-ri"

As it was my first variety show challenge, there were many clumsy and insufficient parts, but I sincerely thank the viewers who watched and supported us with warm eyes until the end. I think it was a significant experience just to be able to participate in a program with good intentions, and it was a time to grow together with the children. Thank you.

Meanwhile, Choi Hyun-wook has gained popularity by appearing in numerous hit works since his debut in 2019, including "Twenty-Five Twenty-One" (2022), "Weak Hero Class 1" (2022), "D.P. Season 2" (2023), "Sparkling Watermelon" (2023), "High Cookie" (2023), and "That Black Dragon" (2025).

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*This content was translated by AI.