Birthday Interview with Sangwoo Choo of Semantic Error

Semantic Error fans – we have a birthday gift to unwrap!

Ever imagined what a birthday looks like for someone like Sangwoo Choo—the most logical, meticulous, rule-bound coding genius with zero time for social nonsense? In this special birthday-themed interview, we sit down with the ever-serious Sangwoo himself (well, really the author J. Soori) to talk cake, gifts, and what birthdays even mean to someone who treats emotions like bugs in the system. Will he short-circuit under the spotlight, or surprise us all with a hidden soft side? Keep reading to find out!

1. What's your dream way to spend your birthday?

"I’ve always found it puzzling how people attach fantasies or romantic notions to birthdays, and I still don’t quite see the rationale. If society truly regarded birthdays as significant, companies would give their employees the day off. This year mine falls on a Wednesday, so I’ll do what I normally do: go to work, return home, and spend time with my husband."

2. What would you want as a birthday gift?

"I could use a new keyboard, but I can buy it myself."

3. What’s your favorite cake flavor? Or do you prefer ice cream?

"I don’t have a personal preference for cake or ice cream, but I tend to choose strawberry cake and vanilla ice cream, as those happen to be my husband's favorites."

4. What would you do if Jaeyoung were to plan a birthday for you? What would you be most afraid he'd include?

"He consistently comes up with ideas I can’t anticipate, so I’ve given up trying. I just hope it doesn't involve nudity or anything else that would make us public nuisances…"

5. What would you get Jaeyoung for his birthday? Do you know when that is?

"I really want to get him a new graphics card — I noticed his PC struggling when we were gaming recently — although I doubt I’ll wait until his birthday to give it to him. As for your second question, I’m not entirely sure what you’re asking here. Are you testing whether I actually know the date, or implying something else? It almost sounds as if you’re asking for proof of our relationship. Should I show you our marriage certificate?"

6. Is there anything you'd tell your younger self (Age 15) if you could go back to a past birthday?

"First, I would tell myself to sleep properly and take ocular and dental health seriously. And then, I’d advise myself to take a train straight to Seoul, find a boy named Jaeyoung Jang at Gyeongwon High School, and do everything I possibly can to seduce him and never let him go."

7. Do you have any birthday wishes/resolutions for next year?

"At present I have a comfortable home, a cute spouse, a stable job, solid finances, and excellent health, so I don’t have any particular wishes for myself. My husband has recently taken interest in hiking, so I expect we’ll be spending more time in the mountains next year... So my one wish is to never find ourselves stranded in the wild."

. . .

Thanks for joining us in celebrating Sangwoo's birthday with this short, behind-the-scenes look into the mind of Sangwoo! Want to keep the party going? Dive (back) into the chaotic chemistry of Semantic Error—because the sparks between Sangwoo and Jaeyoung don’t stop at birthdays.

Volumes 1-3 of the comic are available now in print and digital, with Volume 4 releasing November 2025. And in case you didn't already know – the Ize Press editions of the manhwa contain never-before-seen UNCENSORED panels! Volume 1 of the novel releases in January 2026, and includes new artwork from the artist Angy, so pre-order your copy today as a gift to Sangwoo!

For those who prefer narration, the audiobook adaptation is also coming January 2026, so get ready to blush and squirm on your commute as you listen to the BL flirtations!