K-Interview: Choi Daniel (Actor)

Interviewer: Riya Choudhary (Delhi, India)

Translator: Tejaswini Rao (Telangana, Hyderabad, India)

Editor: Jayati Bhardwaj (Delhi, India)

Meet Choi Daniel, a South Korean model turned actor who holds a special place in the hearts of many K-Drama fans all around the world. He is a versatile, charming, and handsome actor who has also garnered popularity as an actor who looks good with glasses. Born in Gangdong-gu, Seoul, on Feb 22, 1986, he was named after a character in the Bible. He started his acting career in 2003 as a model through a Lotte Pepero advertisement, and later in 2005, he debuted as a supporting actor for the KBS drama Golden Apple. His popularity skyrocketed through the K-drama High Kick Through the Roof. He is best known for his roles in K-Dramas such as School 2013, Jugglers, Today’s Webtoon, etc.

He also made special appearances in dramas like My Fellow Citizen, It’s Okay to Not Be Okay, My Sweet Mobster, Romance in the House, Mask Girl, etc. His recent works include the K-drama Sorry Not Sorry, where he plays the role of a lawyer, Cha Hyun-woo, and the K-movie Sunny Day, which was released in theaters on February 19th, 2025.

First of all, thank you so much, Choi Daniel 배우님(Actor), for taking out time for this interview. Could you please introduce yourself to our readers?

Hello. Hallyuism Readers! I am Korean Actor Choi Daniel. I am glad to be here today and share my experiences with you all through Hallyuism.

What made you choose acting as your career? And, what inspired you to take this plunge?

Well, when I was in high school, I worked as an assistant staff member on the set. While working, I found myself having thoughts of acting. So, I took admission in the theatre and film department in college and spent all my time and efforts to learn and master the basics of acting. And ever since then, I have been acting.

You’ve established yourself as a powerhouse in rom-coms through various K-dramas. Do you love acting in this genre? Are there any other genres you would like to explore in the future?

I love the genre of romantic comedy. I am someone who loves making people laugh, and with this genre, I can bring joy to people. So, I like that. I am also a playful person; I like to play jokes. I also enjoy chatting with people. However, someday I really want to try the Melo (멜로) genre. It is my goal to try Melo once in my career.

You kicked off your career as an actor, and during your peak time, you transitioned to a radio DJ. So, what was the motivation behind this sudden decision, and how was your experience?

During my mid-20s, I hurt my knee to the point that it became hard for me to even walk. During this time, I transitioned to Radio, which is also my favourite media. My time as a radio DJ has been nothing less than wonderful. I enjoyed communicating with the listeners in real time. And listening to my favourite music with them was the best part. Since then, I have been doing both acting activities and radio steadily side by side. If in the future I get the chance to become a radio DJ again, I will take up the opportunity in a heartbeat.

When you take on a role, how do you prepare for it? What is the first thing you do when you receive a script?

Well, after I receive the script, I read it once, and after that, I don’t look at it for a while. I take my time imagining how the character would live, behave, and react in situations to understand the story better and to understand my character better. I take this approach because I do not want my character to be trapped inside the limitations of the script. In this way, a lot of characters appear in my head, and I am also able to imagine their lives outside of what the script tells me. And once my idea of the character becomes concrete, in the sense that I feel like I know them better, I study the script again after that.

I enjoyed watching your recent K-drama, Sorry Not Sorry, where you play the role of a divorced lawyer. Describe your experience portraying Cha Hyun-woo. Did you face any hardship while preparing for the character?

I have never been married or divorced, so it was difficult for me to imagine how to approach this character. However, after listening to stories of people around me who have been through similar experiences and by reading various stories through the media, I was able to imagine and add depth to Hyun-woo. I wanted to indirectly express a character who has experienced a great sense of loss and grief, so my appearance was… well, not so wonderful. Umm..The Hyunwoo’s charm and his greatness don’t come from outside. Ah.. It’s ironic, is it not? (Laughs)

What was it like working with your co-star Jeon So-min, who is also the female lead? Apart from her, who else had good camaraderie on the sets with you?

The experience of working with Jeon So-min 배우님 (actress) was wonderful and unforgettable. She is a very charming and amazing actress. I was able to learn a lot of things from her while working on this project. She has a great personality as an actor. And as a person, she has great manners. The experience of working with her, like I said, was incredible, and I hope to work on another project with her again.

As a long-time watcher of your dramas and movies, I loved the character you played in School 2013 and Today’s Webtoon. Which character is your personal favourite that you’ve played until now, and why?

There is a sitcom called High Kick Through The Roof which aired on MBC in Korea. And another drama named Baby Faced Beauty, which aired on KBS. I have lots of good memories from the two characters in these dramas. Through my character Seok Ji-hyeong in Today’s webtoon, I tried to portray like Mr. Long Legs to Kim Sejong 배우님 (actress) who played On Ma-eum. She is a wonderful actress and musician. She is also really funny. There was no end to the laughter while working with her.

Are there any other dramas that you’ve enjoyed watching lately? Do you perhaps have a favorite actor/actress?

I like old Korean dramas. It has a different charm from the pretty colours and sophisticated vibe that dramas possess these days. As for my favourite actor, I really like to Cho Seung-woo 배우님 (actor) very much. I haven’t met him yet, but if I ever get to meet him, I don’t know if I will be able to act well due to nervousness.

You named your fandom Long Tam (롱탐이); how did you come up with this name?

The name long tam comes from the English phrase Long time. Its pronunciation in Korean is “Longtam”. And the message behind this name is my gratitude-filled heart: Thank you for loving me for a long time, and let’s stay together for a long time. I’m always grateful to the fans who love me unconditionally. And seeing them (Long-Tam) having fun and being happy by my side makes me even more grateful.

Last year you held a fan meeting LONG TIME NO SEE in Seoul. What is your most memorable part about that fan meeting?

The most memorable moment for me was when I sang at the fan meeting. If I am being honest, I don’t think the fans expected it at all. (laughs) I am someone who is very shy when it comes to singing in front of people. But I really wanted to sing a song to my fans as a gift. However, singing in front of people was a very difficult task for me, so that moment was the most memorable one because firstly it wasn’t easy, but seeing the reaction it brought ease my mind.

When you founded STAR ROAD COMPANY last year, what inspired its name, and what vision did you have for it?

Like how star light shines or illuminates one’s path, I wanted to give a name with a similar meaning of “Walking under a dark night sky through the help of Star Light.” I had many visions, but the first one was to take on new challenges in my entertainment career. I will be thankful if you keep on supporting me and cheering me on in the future as well.

You also bagged the Best Entertainer award at the MBC Entertainment Awards in 2024. What was your reaction, and how did you feel during that particular moment?

I was flustered because I did not expect the award, but I was very happy that I got it in such an unexpected way. I was extremely touched that I was able to make people happy. After I got the award, I thought to myself that I wanted to show better performances to my fans in the future.

Coming to your next big release this year, what was your reaction when you found out about the movie Sunny Day, where you are portraying the role of pure-hearted man Jo Dong-pil? You are returning to theaters after 7 years. We saw the trailer. It looks amazing. Please tell us more about it.

The movie Sunny Day is a story about reuniting with your first love. It’s a story about Jo Dong Pil, who is living in a reality after giving up on his dreams and Oh Sun hwe, his first love, who visits him by chance. Well, I believe the story is more about courage than love. I am sure this movie will give courage to all the people who are carrying the weight of the world and reality. It will also give courage to have a fresh start again.

On a lighter note, walk us through a day in your life when you are not shooting. What activities do you usually indulge yourself in?

When I am not working, I usually like sitting in a cafe with my laptop to either work or relax while enjoying a cup of coffee. And I regularly go for walks with my puppy. Since I don’t like drinking, I like going to a cafe even when I am meeting people, I prefer cafes over any other place else.

What are your plans for 2025? Would you like to share anything that your fans can look forward to this year?

I want to try new things in 2025. So, I want to take up a challenge to appear in a Korean entertainment program, which I have not appeared in much in the past. I am participating in a new travel entertainment program and will also appear on SBS’s Running Man.

You also have a huge fan following in India; would you like to share a message with our Indian K-Drama fans? Do you plan to visit our country someday?

Firstly, I want to send my gratitude to the fans in India. Thank you so much for loving me even when I am so far away in Korea. If opportunities align and things work out, I want to come to India and meet all of you in person. Just thinking and imagining it makes me happy, and I am looking forward to it. Till then, I hope and wish all my fans and the readers of Hallyuism to stay healthy and be at peace.

On behalf of the entire team at Hallyuism, we would like to extend and express your precious time and share insights about your journey, Choi Daniel배우님(Actor). We wish you all the best for your future projects. And lots of love from India!

We hope you all loved reading this interview as much as we loved conducting it. Let us know your thoughts in the comments!