A Piece of Writing Handed Over by the Boy Sitting in the Last Row: The Psychological Drama Choi Min-sik Chose for His First Netflix Project, 'The Boy in the Last Row'

The last row of the classroom. A student sitting in that spot, where no one pays attention, completely shakes up a professor's daily life with a single piece of writing submitted as an assignment one day. The Netflix series 'The Boy in the Last Row' will be released worldwide on June 26, 2026. While it is making headlines simply for being the first Netflix project of '10-million-ticket actor' Choi Min-sik, knowing the texture of the story this work holds deepens the anticipation even further. A Story That Began in the Last Row At the center of the plot is Korean literature professor Heo Mun-o. Having lost his passion for writing and leading a boring daily life, he discovers an extraordinary talent in the writing submitted by Lee Kang, a student sitting in the last row of his classroom. It was just an ordinary assignment, but it contained a precarious gaze looking into a friend's family. The professor becomes fascinated by the boy's genius, and as he gets increasingly involved to draw out that talent further, the boundary between reality and fiction begins to blur. To what extent can the perspective of viewing someone's life as 'material for a story' be permitted? — the work uses this uncomfortable question as the driving force of its suspense. Choi Min-sik's First Netflix Appearance, and Rookie Choi Hyun-wook The role of Professor Heo Mun-o is played by Choi Min-sik. Given that he, who has shown a massive presence on the silver screen for a long time, is appearing in a Netflix series for the first time, this work is an event in itself. Choi Hyun-wook has been cast as Lee Kang, the boy in the last row, completing a picture where a seasoned master actor and a young actor face off tensely on the same screen. Heavyweight actors such as Huh Joon-ho, Yunjin Kim, and Jin Kyung join the cast to further thicken the tension between the characters. The Director of 'It's Okay, That's Love', Kim Kyu-tae Director Kim Kyu-tae takes the helm. Beloved for works that delicately delve into the inner lives of characters like 'It's Okay, That's Love' and 'Our Blues', he is a director who also possesses the ability to direct chilling atmospheres, as shown in the Netflix series 'The Trunk'. How the melodramatic perspective that densely outlines the characters' emotional lines meets the unique tension of a psychological drama is a key point to watch in this work. The Original is a Spanish Hit — The Play 'The Boy in the Last Row' This work is not an entirely original creation but is based on a solid original piece. The eponymous play by representative Spanish playwright Juan Mayorga serves as its starting point, and it premiered as a play in Korea in 2015, receiving strong support from a devoted fanbase. Anticipation is building on how the original work's critical consciousness — dealing with the relationship between the 'observer' and the 'observed', and the precarious boundary between writing and voyeurism — will expand into visual language within the vessel of Netflix. How to Prepare Before the Release Rather than being a work that pushes forward with flashy action or fast-paced plot development, 'The Boy in the Last Row' is a type of story that gradually tightens its grip by following the psychology between characters and the texture of their dialogue. Before watching, it is recommended to keep in mind the question posed by the original play — 'To what extent is it right to consume a person's life as a story?'. The moment you become conscious of that question, every single word exchanged between the professor and the boy takes on an entirely different weight. If you are planning a binge-watch, keep June 26 open. ※ Information regarding the cast, release date, and original work is based on released press materials and official announcements, and specific details may change at the time of release.