[Exclusive]"Second Place in the 'Staring Contest' Choi Won-young: 'I Often Stare Blankly Even in Daily Life... It's Not Meaningless' [Interview]"

*This content was translated by AI.

Actor Choi Won-young achieved an unusual record by placing second in a "staring contest."

Choi Won-young told StarNews on the 16th, "Although I heard some questioning whether it was something to be happy about, given that I received an award for just zoning out, it felt like a meaningful moment to have shared comfort and empathy that the time spent was not meaningless."

When asked about the secret to his high achievements, he replied, "I'm not sure there's any special know-how, but I think the bruises I got from hitting things early in the morning might have helped."

Earlier, he participated in the "2026 Gwanghwamun Staring Contest" held on the 14th at the Yujoma-dang area of Gwanghwamun Plaza in Jongno-gu, Seoul, securing second place among 70 teams. The event was organized to propose a "collective pause" free from the compulsion to constantly produce, and to rediscover the "value of worthlessness" within the urban hanbok district.

The competition was held at Gwanghwamun Yukjo Madang, where citizens sat side by side for 90 minutes doing nothing and staring blankly, with the most stable state determining the outcome. Participants were disqualified if they spoke, looked at their mobile phones, or fell asleep. Rankings were determined by combining stable heart rate data with citizen voting. Participants were allowed to wear hats, umbrellas, and sunglasses.

Choi Won-young, one of the actors appearing in JTBC's new Saturday-Sunday drama "Everyone Is Fighting Their Own Worthlessness" (hereinafter "Moja-Mu-Ssa"), which premieres on the 18th, participated in the competition as part of the work's promotion and achieved an unexpectedly meaningful result. Although he showed a somewhat elevated heart rate in the early stages of the competition, he quickly regained his composure and maintained stability throughout, ultimately securing second place.

Choi Won-young said about the points gained from participating in this tournament, "The times when I tried hard to escape from my own anxiety and impatience while doing nothing, being consumed by thoughts, or just staring blankly, felt like a gentle reassurance that 'it's okay to be like that sometimes.' And I think I gained confidence that doing nothing allows me to recharge my inner time more deeply."

Choi Won-young emphasized that the message of his new work "Mojamussa" resonates with his experience at this tournament.

"Moja Mussa" is a work that follows a human driven to madness by the pain of envy and jealousy, feeling left out among accomplished friends, as they seek peace. In the drama, Choi Won-young plays the role of Choi Dong-hyun, the film PD to whom Byun Eun-ah (played by Ko Yoon-jung) belongs, under Choi Pil-reum-ui (CEO).

He said, "I vividly remember that while filming, whenever I received the script, I would burst into laughter, yet I was also deeply moved by touching and heartwarming stories. When I realized that the character I portrayed, Choi (CEO), was someone who came to understand within their own generation that the value they perceived might be nothing more than a hollow facade built upon inner worthlessness, a broad smile spread across my face. On the other hand, I am looking forward to seeing how the completed video will turn out, and I hope to be able to enjoy these stories together with the viewers Navy Headquarters," he added.

Meanwhile, the "Staring Contest" was first held in South Korea in 2014 and has since spread to seven countries, including Japan, China, the Netherlands, and Australia, over 12 years. Singer Crush gained attention in 2016 by winning first place at the "Han River Staring Contest." This year's championship was claimed by a 27-year-old university student.

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.