Top Star Born After 10 Years
Jangchung Fan Meeting 'Sold Out' Sparks "Get a Grip" Backlash
Music, Film, Ads: The 'Byeon Wooseok Effect'
It was truly a frenzy. Actor Byeon Woo-seok rose to fame as the male lead Seon-jae in the tvN drama Seon-jae Upgo Twieo, which was so popular it was called a cure for the "Monday blues." Tickets for Byeon Woo-seok's first domestic fan meeting scheduled for July sold out in the blink of an eye, with over 700,000 people waiting in line. As ticket scalpers drove prices up to 5 million won, jokes circulated saying, "Like Lim Young-woong, Byeon Woo-seok should also get a grip." There have been outcries demanding the fan meeting venue be moved from the 4,500-seat Jangchung Gymnasium to a larger location.
Seon-jae Upgo Twieo, which ended on the 28th, is a time-slip romance about an ardent fan, Im Sol (Kim Hye-yoon), who was devastated by the death of top star Ryu Seon-jae (Byeon Woo-seok) and travels back to 2008 to save her "ultimate favorite." Adapted from the web novel Tomorrow's Euddeum, the series sparked an explosive syndrome especially among the 20s and 30s generation. It ranked first in TV-OTT buzz surveys (Good Data Corporation) throughout May, and Byeon Woo-seok topped both drama and non-drama categories for the first time in 10 years.
Byeon Woo-seok portrayed Seon-jae at 19 as a spirited student, at 20 as a fresh university student, and at 34 as a top star. Each version revealed different facets of youth, evoking nostalgia among the MZ generation (Millennials + Gen Z). His portrayal of unwavering romantic love was particularly praised as impressive and heartfelt.
It feels like no star has been this hotly spotlighted since Kang Dong-won and Park Bo-gum. Like Seon-jae in the drama, Byeon Woo-seok has become a "top star." Wherever he goes, fans swarm like clouds. He is suffering from "sasaeng" fans who illegally obtain personal information and follow him to hair and makeup shops, residences, and even secret schedules. His agency warned, "We will take legal action against privacy violations such as illegal acquisition of personal information." It is rare for an actor who rose to stardom from a single work, rather than a global idol group, to attract this level of attention.
The level of interest in him can be seen in the popular "fan meeting." Byeon Woo-seok will hold the 2024 Byeon Woo-seok Asia Fan Meeting Tour - Summer Letter on July 6 and 7 at Seoul's Jangchung Gymnasium. Tickets sold out immediately when sales began at 8 p.m. on the 27th. Over 700,000 people waited online, causing server crashes due to the surge in traffic. Almost no cancellations have occurred, but when they do, tickets sell out at lightning speed.
Scalpers are thriving amid "Lim Young-woong-level popularity." On secondhand trading sites, fan meeting tickets for Byeon Woo-seok are resold for between 200,000 won and 1.7 million won, and on social media, prices have soared up to 5 million won. He plans to tour Asia, starting in Seoul and visiting Taiwan, Thailand, Hong Kong, and more.
The Byeon Woo-seok effect is huge in the content market as well. The OST song "Sonagi" from Seon-jae Upgo Twieo, sung by him, reached number 5 on Melon's Hot 100 new song chart. It is rare for an OST sung by an actor to enter the top 10, a space usually dominated by traditional music powerhouses like IU and NewJeans, and it has maintained its position for over a week.
The tvN variety show You Quiz on the Block featuring Byeon Woo-seok recorded its highest number of unique viewers (UV) on the TVING live channel since 2022, and its video-on-demand (VOD) views more than doubled compared to the previous week. SBS variety show Running Man, in which he appeared, recovered to a 4% viewership rating after three months. YouTube content featuring him from the past has also seen a resurgence in views.
Multiplex CGV will hold special screenings of Byeon Woo-seok's starring film Soulmate (directed by Min Yong-geun) starting from the 31st. This was his screen debut film, released in March last year. CGV's content scheduling team leader Jeon Jeong-hyun said, "Due to the enthusiastic response, with some theaters already sold out, we have expanded the number of theaters showing the film."
The advertising industry is engaged in a "Byeon Woo-seok recruitment" war. Thanks to the "Seon-jae effect," his market value has multiplied. He was recently selected as a model for an outdoor brand and is reportedly negotiating various advertisements that fit his image. On You Quiz, he said, "There are so many projects that the company staff often work overtime for me." When asked how much advertising inquiries have increased, he replied, "About 10 to 20 times."
Previously, in a 2022 interview with Asia Economy, Byeon Woo-seok expressed his desire to appear in good films. It seems his wish will soon come true. Following the Seon-jae syndrome, several production companies have already offered him "customized scripts." With the drama's huge success, the industry is bustling with efforts to secure him.
Another huge advantage is that Byeon Woo-seok has already fulfilled his military service. Born in 1991, he enlisted in the army as an active-duty soldier in November 2011 and was honorably discharged as a sergeant from the 37th Infantry Division in August 2013. This fact adds to his appeal in the film and advertising industries. A "golden path" lies ahead for Byeon Woo-seok, with only success awaiting him.
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