The Next ‘Face Genius’ After Cha Eun-woo? Meet the Rising Star Born from a Top Model Legacy

Choo Young-woo, who stars as Sung Yoon-gyeom in JTBC’s The Tale of Lady Ok, has made headlines with the revelation of his father’s identity. According to Xports News on January 9, Choo’s father is none other than Choo Seung-il, a top model from the 1990s.

Known for his exotic features and intense gaze, Choo Seung-il was a trailblazer in the modeling industry before retiring early. Adding to the family’s star power, Choo Young-woo’s younger brother, Cha Jung-woo, is also an aspiring actor. With a physique strikingly similar to his older brother, Cha Jung-woo recently garnered attention for his dual-role body double work in The Tale of Lady Ok. He is also set to debut as the lead in Watcha’s upcoming series, Secret Relationship, slated for release in the first half of this year.

Fans were quick to react to the news online, leaving comments such as, “His father is stunningly handsome,” “No wonder he’s so tall—his parents were models,” and “The resemblance to his father is uncanny.” Many even compared his dark and exotic features to the likes of the infamous 'face genius,' Cha Eun-woo.

Born in 1999, Choo Young-woo made his acting debut in the 2021 web drama You Make Me Dance. He has since gained recognition for his performances in Police University, School 2021, O’PENing 2022: Babel Syndrome, and Once Upon a Small Town. His ability to seamlessly embody diverse roles, from donning police uniforms to traditional hanbok, has earned him praise for his versatility.

In The Tale of Lady Ok, his first historical drama, Choo Young-woo has been applauded for his nuanced portrayal of Sung Yoon-gyeom, with many calling it his “career-defining role.”

The 9th episode, which aired on January 4, showcased escalating tension as Ok Tae-young (Lim Ji-yeon) was framed by the magistrate, who burned family records and imprisoned her. Song’s wife (Jun Ik-ryung) further stirred chaos by taking over the household and mistreating its members. Tae-young appeared to accept her fate, but the arrival of Sung Yoon-gyeom at the magistrate’s office turned the situation around dramatically.

The episode achieved a 10.6% viewership rating in the Seoul metropolitan area and 10.3% nationwide, according to Nielsen Korea, ranking it as the top weekend miniseries.

The Tale of Lady Ok airs every Saturday and Sunday at 10 p.m. on JTBC.