Choi Hyun Wook, 22, is primarily known for his exuberant characters in K-dramas Twinkling Watermelon and Twenty-Five Twenty-One. On November 13 (KST), he shared an Instagram update on his Stories for his nearly 6 million followers.
At first glance, onlookers merely paid attention to the snap’s focus on a Bearbrick figure, with no Choi in sight. However, the K-drama loyalists’ side of social media exploded with a discussion surrounding the South Korean actor’s possibly nude reflection caught by the glistening figurine. The Internet uproar instantly led Hyun Wook to delete the SNS update.
Also read | Kim Tae Ri, Park Shin Hye triumph over K-drama heartthrobs Kim Jae Young, Hwang In Youp in November actor rankings
Scrambling for answers, South Korean media outlets resorted to hounding the actor’s agency, Gold Medalist. The entertainment company, which also manages Hyun Wook’s Twinkling Watermelon co-star Seol In Ah and Queen of Tears’ actor Kim Soo Hyun, consequently curtly responded to the unprecedented development. “We have no comments to give at this point.”
Despite the High Cookie actor’s effort to erase the presumably embarrassing slip-up, the Internet didn’t let him have an easy out. The hot topic became a contentiously viral issue, with countless netizens pushing out screenshots of the 22-year-old’s already deleted image. Some even resorted to zooming in on Choi’s accidental reflection on the figurine. However, that evidently ticked off others as they pointed out how unsettling it was to see people excessively share the actor’s erroneously posted photo.
Netizens react to Choi Hyun Wook accidentally flashing himself on social media
A K-drama enthusiast wrote on X, formerly Twitter, “Choi Hyun Wook is only 22 and he is not problematic so the way yall are laughing and posting clearer version of a young boy is such a shi**y behaviour.” Someone commented that it was unwarranted to expect something like that to stay concealed on the Internet. “this is the internet girl… once something is out there, it is out there. there’s no turning back once something has been put out there. and you can’t really convince the internet to have some compassion or respect towards someone, especially when it’s something like this.”
Others mostly picked on the issue as a joke and passed it off for laughs.
Also read | Squid Game 2 controversy surrounding ex-BigBang’s T.O.P casting addressed: Director never expected backlash to blow up
Choi Hyun Wook’s yesteryear controversy
This isn’t the first time the K-drama star has become a hot topic in K-media headlines. Last year, he became the subject of heavy scrutiny after footage of him smoking on the street while holding hands with an unidentified woman went viral. He was also seen throwing a cigarette butt on the ground in a parking lot—Choi’s engagement in the typically illegal act in Seoul, disregarding no-smoking rules in certain public areas. The now-22-year-old star ultimately posted a handwritten apology. The viral controversy broke out in the days leading up to the highly anticipated premiere of the U+Mobile TV series High Cookie. So, it ended up overshadowing the anticipation around the K-drama release.
The rising Korean star will reportedly make his 2025 K-drama comeback with True Beauty actress Moon Ga Young (or Moon Ka Young) in the tvN drama My Dearest Nemesis.