Imagine this: One moment, Choi Hyun Wook is winning awards and stealing scenes in K-dramas like Twenty-Five Twenty-One and Weak Hero Class 1 – the next, he’s caught up in clubbing scandals, smoking controversies, and unverified rumors linking him to the latest Kim Soo Hyun drama. How did this rising star of My Dearest Nemesis go from fan favorite to public controversy? And what’s really going on behind the scenes? Stay till the end to find out what the industry doesn’t want you to know!

The Star That Came Out of Nowhere

Choi Hyun Wook’s story isn’t your typical K-drama fairytale. Born in 2002, he wasn’t even planning on becoming an actor. He was a baseball player, dreaming of making it big in sports – until an elbow injury changed his life.

That moment forced him to switch paths, and in 2019, he landed his first acting role in Real:Time:Love. It wasn’t an instant success, but something about him caught the industry’s eye.

Then came Racket Boys, where he proved his raw talent, and Twenty-Five Twenty-One, where his charisma made fans take notice. But it was Weak Hero Class 1 that changed everything. His performance was powerful, emotional, and most importantly – undeniable. He wasn’t just another rookie actor. He was the rookie actor to watch.

But as his career soared, so did the pressure. And that’s when the cracks started showing.

The Controversies That Changed Everything

First came the clubbing scandal in 2022. A simple night out in Seoul turned into headlines. Why? Because some fans thought a rising actor should be more careful with his public image. The internet was split – was he just living his life, or was he being reckless?

Then, in 2023, a video surfaced. Choi Hyun Wook, smoking in public, casually tossing away a cigarette butt. The backlash was immediate. He issued a handwritten apology, but the damage was done. Some fans defended him – after all, isn’t he just a 20-something-year-old living his life? But others weren’t so forgiving.

Then came 2024 – the moment that nearly broke his career. A nude photo mistakenly posted on Instagram. Deleted within minutes, but screenshots spread like wildfire. His agency, Gold Medalist, stayed silent. No explanations. No damage control. Just… silence. And when an actor disappears from the conversation, the industry starts whispering.

The Kim Sae Ron Connection

But here’s where things get Really murky. Remember Kim Sae Ron? The actress caught in a DUI scandal back in 2022? Well, a Chinese blog recently claimed Choi Hyun Wook was in the car with her that night.

However, today – March 13, netizens defended Choi Hyun-wook, citing 2023 reports that the passenger in Kim Sae-ron’s 2022 accident was a woman in her 20s, not a celebrity, and was fined 5 million won.

Given the latest Kim Soo Hyun scandal — and the fact that all three, Kim Soo Hyun, Kim Sae Ron, and Choi Hyun Wook, were under Gold Medalist — the internet went wild, accusing Choi Hyun Wook of skipping Kim Sae Ron’s funeral. But that narrative turned out to be straight-up false. Choi Hyun Wook’s fans clapped back with proof — an Ilgan Sports article published on February 12 confirmed he was there.

Can He Survive?

Choi Hyun Wook is who he is – he parties, he smokes, and he doesn’t exactly hide it. At the same time, he’s undeniably talented. He’s not trying to be a perfect role model, just a good actor. The real question is: Can you separate the art from the artist? Would you still support him?