In a surprising turn, actor Choi Won-young grabbed headlines after taking second place at an offbeat event by, quite literally, doing nothing.
On the 14th, at Gwanghwamun Yukjo Madang in Seoul, Choi entered the '2026 Gwanghwamun Space-Out Contest' as a participant and finished second. Held under the theme "Everyone is fighting their own worthlessness," the event urged people to step away from the pressure to be constantly productive and rediscover the value of pausing.
The scene was striking: citizens sat still for 90 minutes, doing nothing at all. The collective zoning out in the middle of the city offered a fresh sense of liberation and drew curious stares.
Adding to the buzz, the cast of the upcoming JTBC drama Everyone is fighting their own worthlessness joined the event. Choi Won-young and Jo Min-guk competed alongside citizens, taking on the 90-minute space-out challenge and embodying the drama’s core message in real time.
The outcome exceeded expectations. With rankings determined by a combination of public votes and heart-rate graphs, Choi’s steady heartbeat pushed him into the top tier, ultimately landing him in second place and on the podium. Though his heart rate spiked early on from nerves, he regained composure as time went on — a key to his result, observers said.
After receiving his award, Choi said, "I prepared to win. I was nervous because there were so many strong competitors, so I didn’t expect to actually get an award," sharing a lighthearted reaction. He added, "It was meaningful to experience firsthand the message our project aims to deliver."
Other actors were also on site. Cast members including Koo Kyo-hwan and Go Youn-jung visited the experience zones set up at the venue, previewing the drama’s concept and building anticipation. Interactive elements themed around "worthlessness" captured visitors’ interest.
Meanwhile, Everyone is fighting their own worthlessness follows characters who face setbacks in life as they search for meaning. The series premieres on JTBC at 10:40 p.m. on the 18th.