The duo discussed their upcoming project “The Midnight Romance in Hagwon.”
ELLE Korea unveiled a pictorial featuring “The Midnight Romance in Hagwon” stars Jung Ryeo Won and Wi Ha Joon.
The K-drama is set in Daechi, a neighborhood known for private education institutions.
Jung Ryeo Won initially had little knowledge about the Korean education system but learned from YouTube lectures and renowned tutors.
“Initially, terms like ‘college entrance exam,’ ‘regular admission,’ and ‘school grades’ were alien to me, and I had little knowledge about the Korean education system. I turned to YouTube lectures by renowned tutors and sought guidance from them. Any hint of clumsiness in my speech would be noticeable, so I quietly observed their classes in person and listened to recordings daily.”
Wi Ha Joon brought out charm in his character, leading to a great chemistry with Jung Ryeo Won.
“Wi Ha Joon brought out much more charm in the character Joon Ho. Consequently, aspects of my true self were mirrored more in Hye Jin. Ha Joon also said to me, ‘I’m glad that your loveliness is expressed well.’ At that moment, I felt we truly have great chemistry.”
Wi Ha Joon believes in the power of love to change the world, drawing from personal experiences.
“There is a reason that phrase is so common. We’ve all been deeply affected by love in our lives, and perhaps we yearn for it again because we have memories of how it felt to be truly loved.”
Wi Ha Joon underwent a transformation for his role, embracing romantic references and experiencing positive changes in his life.
“To really get into character, I listened to emotional music that isn’t typically my style and delved into romantic references. It’s amusing because the more I embraced Joon Ho, the kinder people seemed to be around me. Even my fashion sense changed, and my friends joked if anything was going o.,
Wi Ha Joon praised Jung Ryeo Won as an angel and described her as affectionate and charming.
“Initially, I expected her to be aloof, but she’s more like an affectionate puppy once you get to know her. She has a charm that invites playful banter. Working with Ryeo Won as Seo Hye Jin made the character much livelier and more appealing.”
Wi Ha Joon believes in the positive impact of genuine love and good-hearted people.
“I think I have also experienced positive changes because of genuine love. Meeting good-hearted people and being positively influenced by them is incredibly impactful.”
The full pictorial and interview will be available in the June issue of ELLE Korea.
