Cha Hak Yeon is showing off a fresh transformation in the new Coupang Play series Absolute Value of Romance. Known for mastering intense concepts like vampires and voodoo dolls during his days with the K-pop group VIXX, Cha is now captivating audiences by seamlessly jumping between two polar-opposite characters in the world of reality and fantasy.
In Absolute Value of Romance, high school student Yeo Ui Ju (played by Kim Hyang Gi) writes BL novels about her handsome teachers, only to find herself entangled in a series of chaotic real-life encounters with them. Cha Hak Yeon plays Ga Woo Su, a math teacher who is both a member of the school’s “flower boy” quartet and Ui Ju’s primary antagonist.
On screen, Ga Woo Su is the definition of cold and fastidious. Whether he’s embarrassing Ui Ju in front of the class for scoring a 4 on a math test or using a pair of broken glasses as an excuse to make her run errands, he is remarkably petty. Known in real life for his sweet personality, Cha worked hard to lower his vocal tone and sharpen his delivery for the role. He even sought advice from actor Jung Kyung Ho, who famously played a star instructor in Crash Course in Romance, to make his math lectures look authentic.
The real highlight of Cha’s performance is his near dual-role portrayal. In the novels that Ui Ju writes at night, Ga Woo Su is reimagined as “Ju Si On”—a completely different character with smoky makeup and heavy silver chain accessories.
According to his agency, Cha spent nearly eight hours and tried on over 50 different outfits to perfect Ju Si On’s look. During an appearance on Yoo Yeon Seok’s YouTube channel, Cha shared, “We brought 50 outfits to the set. I wanted to create a unique vibe for Si On with bold pieces like a red leather trench coat.”
While fans still affectionately remember him as the “Azalea Boy” from his viral, eccentric graduation photo, this role proves how much he has matured.
Since making his acting debut in 2014’s Hotel King, Cha has built an impressive resume with projects like A Familiar Wife, Mine and Castaway Diva. From a chaebol heir and a baseball player to a Joseon-era judge and now a math teacher, Cha Hak Yeon continues to prove that his range as an actor is virtually limitless.
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