Choi Hyun-wook has once again found himself at the center of controversy. The 'Twinkling Watermelon' star recently went live on Instagram, where he was enjoying a glass of whiskey while casually chatting with fans.
Choi Hyun-wook has once again found himself at the center of controversy. What did he do now, you ask? The '
Twinkling Watermelon' star recently went live on Instagram, where he was enjoying a glass of whiskey while casually chatting with fans.
As he went live at 7 AM, Hyun-wook joked about being drunk because '
Koreans are probably sleeping' and said he was happy there was no one to stop him.
As the livestream continued, he noticed the large number of international fans tuning in and decided to address them. However, it was his unexpected remark that quickly grabbed attention. The 'Notes from the Last Row' star appeared to tell his international viewers to 'be nice to Korean people.' Hyun-wook did not provide any explanation or clarify what he meant by the statement.
Here’s the video clip of Choi Hyun-wook that has all of K-ent social media in an uproar right now 😬
— I love KDrama (@ilovekdramatwt) August 30, 2026
"It seems like there are a lot of foreigners here. The auto-translation will probably work anyway, but you really should treat Koreans well. Seriously."
"No one is awake at… https://t.co/7oA44r9fuO pic.twitter.com/J9sVWz8f9W
The comment went viral, leaving fans divided. Some fans questioned why he felt the need to say something like this, whereas others came to his defense.
One wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter), "He said 'you have to be good to Korean people' and my thing is who the f*** does he think he is not so long ago he was liking misogynistic things on Instagram and following problematic pages... also do better." Another one commented, "'Treat Koreans well' from a man who lost to Soju at 7am is peak diplomacy no one awake to stop him and it shows the auto-translate is holding up better than he is."
Fans defend Hyun-wook's comments
One wrote, "Honestly, let's be real — there really are a lot of racist tweets lately. Anyone would get mad seeing so many toxic comments about their own country." Another fan commented, "What's wrong with people now? Leave him alone. He is young, just living his life."
Choi Hyun-wook's past controversies
Hyun-wook and controversies go hand-in-hand. In 2022, he landed in trouble after he was spotted holding a woman's hand while smoking and later tossing the cigarette butt onto the road. He later apologized for his actions. In 2024, he grabbed attention for uploading a photo of a Bearbrick figure, which captured his nude reflection.
Choi Hyun-wook's acting career
Hyun-wook made his acting debut in 2019 with '
Real:Time:Love.' He later appeared in projects like 'Twinkling Watermelon,' 'D.P.,' 'Twenty-Five Twenty-One,' 'Weak Hero Class' 1 and 2, 'My Dearest Nemesis,' 'Notes from the Last Row,' 'Good News' and 'Mantis.'
Choi Hyun-wook's upcoming project
The actor is set to appear in period mystery-thriller '
Portraits of Delusion' alongside Suzy and Kim Seon-ho. Directed by Han Jae-rim, the upcoming Disney+ series follows a struggling painter who gets trapped in a secret-filled hotel while painting a reclusive woman's portrait.ALSO READ | 'Notes from the Last Row' review: Choi Min-sik and Choi Hyun-wook's thriller never runs out of twists
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