📍 This post is part of my ongoing coverage of our canoe trio — Park Ji-hoon, Hong Kyung, and Choi Hyun-wook — tracking their careers, projects, and the cultural stories that don’t always make it into subtitles.
Honestly, I wasn’t expecting to start 2026 this way.
Our canoe trio’s baby maknae Hyun-wook is barely catching his breath — his 2026 lineup alone makes him look like that office worker who clocks out at 10 PM, collapses on the bed for three hours, then drags himself back to work at dawn 😂
The kid is booked and busy. And before we even get to his drama work this year, we’re getting him in a variety show first.
The “After School Teacher Taeri(Curtain Up, Class!)” teaser dropped, and I was completely struck — by Choi Hyun-wook’s skincare dedication.
The Parallel Universe Nobody Asked For
Here’s the funny thing.
My subscriber Asuka and I once spent a good amount of time analyzing Su-ho’s character from Weak Hero, and one of our theories was that Su-ho would be really clean. Working at a charcoal meat restaurant, he’d care about the smell. He probably hated cigarette smell too, which is likely why he never smoked. We even had this theory that he’d frequently visit the laundromat.
And we replayed Su-ho’s shower scene an unhealthy number of times 😂, so we were convinced this guy showers a lot.
Then the teaser drops and the real Hyun-wook is… exactly the same. Is this a parallel universe? 😂
The 2 hour Situation
That skincare routine? Easily a 2-hour situation. Thirty minutes soaking, twenty minutes showering — and we haven’t even started the skincare yet. Toner on, face mask on, blow-drying his hair while the mask does its thing, body lotion, and yes — concealer and nose shading. The full deal.
The comments were hilarious.
“Wook-ah, your skin is already good… what are you even covering up?”
“This man isn’t going to the jungle alone, he’s asking if he can shower… even the staff cracked up”
I totally agree. If all men came out like Hyun-wook after a 30-minute bath, 20-minute shower, toner, face mask, blow-dry, body lotion, and shading… the world would be a more beautiful place 😂
Watching Hyun-wook feels like watching today’s Gen-Z guys who genuinely take care of themselves. 🔗Being an ex-athlete, you’d think he wouldn’t be into this kind of thing — total plot twist. Turns out he’s into his whole glow-up routine.
Our Sieun On the Other Hand
Meanwhile, actor Park Ji-hoon is on the complete opposite spectrum.
To me, Ji-hoon is a box of paradoxes. He seems so carefree yet incredibly private at the same time. He’s also cutesy — did you see that bed photoshoot? Loose shorts, boxers slightly showing… are they trying to spike my blood pressure? Social media sighting stories say he just walks around casually but his face shocks people. With that face, why bother dressing up, right?
The contrast between these two is honestly one of my favorite things about the canoe trio era.
The Jabdori Chronicles
And the chemistry with actress Kim Tae-ri in the teaser? Insane 😂 Total close noona-dongsaeng vibes — or maybe like newlyweds, if we’re being honest.
“I love seeing Wook and Taeri unnie getting along… the unnie taking care of him is sweet”
Jabdori is slang for nagging.
But what Taeri does to Hyun-wook? That’s nagging with love. After “Twenty-Five Twenty-One” wrapped, the two have been meeting once a month and even doing life consultations together. Taeri has said that after the show ended, she gave Hyun-wook a lot of jabdori — and it never really felt like nagging to her. It felt like something a good person would say. And now, watching the teaser, he’s starting to find his voice with her too.
Add to Hyun-wook’s to-do list: “Get jabdori’d by Teacher Taeri.”
More Love More Hurt
Beyond the Taeri chemistry, watching Hyun-wook build his career resume, I find myself wanting something specific for him.
I hope he expands his artistic world. I hope he experiences deep love — and yes, gets hurt too. My subscriber Asuka once said something that stuck with me:
“Are they expecting this young man to be a saint while emanating sex appeal? It’s sick.”
The public wants him to radiate sex appeal but also never make a mistake like some perfect saint. That’s a contradictory, impossible standard.
I also love seeing this actor struggle. But unlike the malicious crowds who secretly want him to fall in reality, I hope he’ll bleed and struggle in his works — not to satisfy their expectations, but to showcase his craft.
Because how can you deeply portray loving someone without experiencing love yourself? Crying in love, laughing in love, going through heartbreaking farewells — that’s how you become richer as an actor.
So seeing him work non-stop, try variety shows, expand his horizon — I’m proud of him.
Show Info
“After School Teacher Taeri” — officially titled Curtain Up, Class! for international audiences — premiered February 22nd at 7:40 PM on tvN. Kim Tae-ri, Choi Hyun-wook, and Kangnam teach theater to elementary students in Mungyeong in what is Kim Tae-ri’s first fixed variety show appearance since her debut.
International viewers, the show is streaming on VIU in Singapore, Indonesia, and Thailand starting February 23rd. For North American fans, stay tuned — I’ll update as soon as official streaming info drops.
Want to keep up with the latest on our canoe trio — Ji-hoon, Hong-kyung, and Hyun-wook — plus their projects and all things K-drama? Subscribe here:
Read More: This Is How Choi Hyun-wook Shows Up | Curtain Up, Class! Teaser Review
- Weak Hero isn’t just an action drama; It’s a cautionary tale — Renewed Version
- This Is How Choi Hyun-wook Shows Up | Curtain Up, Class! Teaser Review
- Your Reactions to The King’s Warden: From Wet Raft Scenes to Hamster Cheeks
- The King’s Warden: Hidden Details You Completely Missed
- THE KING’S WARDEN Opening Day Review: Worth It?
⛔️ Copyright Disclaimer: All drama footage, images, and references belong to their respective copyright holders, including streaming platforms and original creators. Materials are used minimally for educational criticism and analysis with no intention of copyright infringement.
🚫 Privacy Policy: This site follows standard web policies and does not directly collect personal information beyond basic analytics for content improvement. We use cookies to enhance user experience and may display advertisements.
답글 남기기