Actor Choi Dae Hoon, who plays the role of Bu Sang Gil in the Netflix series 'When Life Gives You Tangerines,' drew attention for his recent appearance in a variety talk show.

In 'When Life Gives You Tangerines,' Choi Dae Hoon takes on the role of Bu Sang Gil, the captain of a squid fishing boat. Initially portrayed as a villainous character, he often shouts, "Hak-ssi" whenever he's in a tight spot, earning him the nickname "Hak-ssi Ahjuhssi (Mr. Hak-ssi)" among fans. His character later received immense love as he portrayed the Korean father, reserved in expressing affection, yet conveying his love in his own way.

On April 23, Choi Dae Hoon appeared as a guest on the popular talk show 'You Quiz on the Block' and talked about his career and his role in the hit Netflix series. Choi Dae Hoon, now a trending figure thanks to his “Hak-ssi Ahjuhssi” persona, made a guest appearance and revealed a surprising side of himself that viewers had never seen before.

During the episode, Choi Dae Hoon opened up about his life and expressed affection for his wife, Jang Yoon Seo, a former Miss Korea.

He shared, “After we got married, things were uncertain. I gave her 1 million KRW (approx. $730) a month for living expenses during our newlywed days. I felt so sorry and asked her to wait for me for 12 years. I’m grateful she waited. She's so happy these days, and seeing that makes me emotional.”

He also revealed that when his daughter was born, he didn’t have an agency representing him and struggled to speak up about money. He said, “I’m not the type who can ask for a raise, but when my wife was pregnant, I asked for more for the first time. I blurted it out, and they agreed. That’s when I realized, ‘Ah, I need to be more assertive.’ I told them, ‘If you give me 300,000 KRW (~209.30 USD) more, I’ll give you work worth 1 million KRW.’ It was the first bold promise I ever made in my life.”

In particular, Choi Dae Hoon also shared his perspective on his role as Bu Sang Gil in the drama. He portrayed Bu Sang Gil across different stages of life - from youth to old age - which was different from the other characters, who were portrayed by different actors.  He confessed he was nervous about seeming like he was just “imitating an old man.” He said he closely observed elderly people in parks and on subways for reference.

He added, “There’s a part of my father in Bu Sang Gil. The outfit in the bike scene was actually the same as what my father used to wear. That red button-down shirt."

Choi Dae Hoon explained, "My sisters are all in the U.S., and they called me crying after watching the drama. They said to me, 'Hey, you brought that red shirt (on the set) right?' I told them, 'No, the costume team gave it to me.' I was shocked when I received the costume. It was so similar, I stared at it for a long time before putting it on.”

He continued, "My father was 178 cm (5' 10") tall and 100 kgs (220 lbs), he had a big voice. When I put on the costume, with the big stomach and aged makeup, and put on that red shirt, I momentarily saw my father in the mirror. I... received encouragement from that and played the role well."

Yoo Jae Suk then asked,  "I heard your father's speech influenced you a lot in this role." The actor elaborated, "Oh yes. There's a way he speaks. When he says, 'Take this.' I would say, 'It's okay,' and he would say, 'Just take it~. Just sit still~' There's this intonation." Choi Dae Hoon also explained that his father's nonchalant and sarcastic way of speaking was also applied to the way Bu Sang Gil spoke in the drama.

Choi Dae Hoon also shared a deeply personal story about his father, saying, “He collapsed from a stroke and cerebral hemorrhage that severely damaged the right side of his brain. It happened while he was sleeping on the floor. I saw him sleeping on the floor, so I covered him with a blanket. The next morning, he didn't wake up. We missed that golden time. No matter how hard I slapped his face, he wouldn’t wake up.”

His father then endured an 11-year battle with illness. Choi Dae Hoon said his father passed away during the pandemic after contracting COVID-19, which meant he couldn’t even visit him in the hospital.

Meanwhile, tvN’s 'You Quiz on the Block' airs every Wednesday at 8:45 PM KST.

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