I lost my ‘sleek visuals’ and gained ‘chief of investigation’… Choi Woo-sung gains 28kg in weight

“Until I did ‘Investigation Chief 1958,’ I had mainly worked on roles that looked visually sharp and cool. This time, I gained weight and took on a character full of justice. Through ‘Investigation Chief 1958,’ I tried a variety of things I had never done before. And I put in a lot of effort to break out of the mold, but in the beginning, I looked like ‘Choi Woo-sung’, but as I got more and more I felt like ‘Cho Kyung-hwan’, so I was proud.”

An in-house interview with Choi Woo-sung, who performed passionately in MBC's 'Investigation Team Leader 1958' (hereinafter referred to as 'Investigation Team Leader'), was conducted at Ten Asia's headquarters in Jungnim-dong, Seoul, on the morning of the 20th of last month. Choi Woo-sung, whose first interview was with Ten Asia after the show ended, greeted politely while showing a bit of nervousness. Appearing with much sharper visuals than in the drama, he honestly said, "I've lost 60% of my target weight, and I still have 40% left."

Choi Woo-sung, who played the role of Cho Kyung-hwan in 'Chief of Investigation', increased his synchronization with the original by gaining 25 kg in a month and a half to play a character with a sturdy physique. Since his debut in 2019, he has been steadily managing his work as an actor, but he joked that it was good to be able to eat with peace of mind for the first time while working on 'Investigation Chief'.

'Investigation Chief' is set in 1958 and tells the story of Detective Park Young-han, who specializes in apprehending petty thieves in a barbaric era, as he teams up with three unique colleagues to break down the absurdities of corrupt power with common sense, and is reborn as a detective for the people. It's a work of art. In the play, Choi Woo-sung left a strong impression on viewers with his detailed visuals and acting, which he paid attention to to resemble 'Investigation Team Leader' Kyung-hwan Cho, from his tone of voice to his gait.

'Investigation Chief', which first aired on the 19th of last month, recorded a viewer rating of 10.1% from the first episode and brought laughter to the actors and cast. Choi Woo-sung said, "No one expected it. As soon as the viewer ratings came out, everyone loved it. I think it's also amazing that they didn't drop until the final episode. I think the prequel was also loved a lot because the existing 'Chief of Investigation' was such a great work." revealed. The viewership rating for the final episode of ‘Investigation Team Leader’ was 10.6%, achieving a great success.

After his debut, he attempted the action genre for the first time through ‘Chief of Investigation’. Choi Woo-sung said, "I attended action school diligently. It was my first time punching someone. I was scared at first, but the instructors at action school continued to give me courage. Thanks to that, I was able to do well." He expressed his wish, "Senior Choi Deok-moon's actions are really cool. If I get a chance in the future, I would like to try a new type of martial art that involves simple striking rather than throwing."

Choi Woo-sung revealed the moment when he felt rewarded, saying, "I thought I had done well to gain weight while doing martial arts. My body was like this, so it was worth it. If I hadn't increased my weight, it would have been difficult." He said that the bank robbery scene was particularly memorable and expressed satisfaction, saying, "I was able to easily lift an adult man. I realized that they didn't ask me to lift him for no reason."

It is said that Choi Woo-sung was slim, measuring 186cm and 72kg before appearing on ‘Chief of Investigation’. Choi Woo-sung said, "I auditioned while filming 'Running Mate' and ended up doing 'Investigation Chief' at the same time. When I was doing 'Running Mate', I tried to look as thin as possible by doing cardio on an empty stomach, and when I was filming 'Investigation Chief', I ate ramen right before shooting. “I tried to look swollen after eating,” he said, revealing that he did his best in each work.

When asked about the synchronization with Kyung-Hwan Cho's role, he replied, "It's very different. I think it's about 40% similar." Choi Woo-sung said, "We are similar in being sensitive, but we don't usually show off our strength. That's because we aren't really that strong. We're not angry personalities either. Rather, we tend to just tolerate it and get over it." He said that the differences are greater than the similarities.

"Before 'Investigation Chief', I had a strong image of a cute 'tsundere' younger brother. Even when he got angry, it felt like he was just complaining. However, I think I have created a trustworthy image through my new work. The acting area that I can express. “As an actor, I am very grateful for this work because it was a new challenge.”

This is his 6th year since he debuted in the 2019 drama ‘Moment of Eighteen’. Before appearing in the work, Choi Woo-sung said, "I once appeared in a photo on 'Touch the Truth'. The work had an entertainment agency in the background, with three male actors hanging in the background. Among them, my photo was hanging in the middle. It was simple, but “I was so proud and happy,” he said with a smile. He expressed his strong will to act, saying, "I was so obsessed with it that I've been working as an actor ever since. I still remember those days very vividly. I've never thought about doing anything else."

“It’s great to be able to participate in a work, but I think the process of collaborating and preparing with the staff is the biggest charm of being an actor. Isn’t it a ‘miracle’ to create great results with many new people?”

Choi Woo-sung's film debut is 'Room Sharing', released in 2022. He worked with his senior, Na Moon-hee. It is such a meaningful work that it is still vivid even after two years. Choi Woo-sung said, "I was so nervous. I felt a huge sense of responsibility to carry out a work. It was unbelievable. Teacher Na Moon-hee is the same age as my grandmother. Thanks to that, I was able to exchange lines like my real grandmother."

He brought out a valuable memory, saying, "Teacher Na Moon-hee memorizes the entire script. Looking at that aspect made me reflect and I learned a lot in many ways."

The number of TV talk shows has decreased significantly compared to before, so new actors can now promote themselves mainly through their work. When asked if he had any regrets, Choi Woo-sung said, "If I had worked at a time when programs like 'X-Men' and 'Strong Heart' were popular, I would have always been nervous and made many mistakes. I think it would have been fun in its own way, so it's a shame, but... “I’m not good at it, so on the other hand, I’m glad,” he said honestly.

"I really want to do a work in the medical genre. I also like courtroom dramas. I want to grow by challenging difficult fields. I have a desire to learn medical terminology. I can do it on my own, but I have to do it through work to indirectly experience the lives of those people. “I’m definitely motivated because I can do it.”

Choi Woo-sung said that he wants to play unusual roles and that he prefers traveling to new places rather than going back to places he usually goes.

He chose Cho Seung-woo as his role model and said with a twinkle in his eye that he wanted to be recognized by the public as an 'all-rounder' while working in various activities. He also added that he is working hard to become a 'reliable actor' like Namgoong Min and Lee Je-hoon.

Choi Woo-sung said, "I'm so happy that people around me recognize me since 'Investigation Chief' was broadcast. There are people who are shy and ask for photos, and I'm also embarrassed because I'm unfamiliar with this, but I'm actually very happy. I can't reply to DMs, but I'm working hard for each and every one of them. “I am receiving great strength from reading this, so I would like to take this opportunity to say thank you,” he said warmly.

Ten Asia Reporter Lee So-jeong forusojung@tenasia.co.kr