At a press conference Friday afternoon at SBS headquarters in Mok-dong, Seoul, the cast of the new Friday-Saturday rom-com "Would You Marry Me" (written by Lee Ha-na; directed by Song Hyun-wook and Hwang In-hyuk) ― Choi Woo-shik, Jung So-min, Bae Nara, Shin Seul-gi and Seo Bum-june ― joined director Song to preview the series.
"Would You Marry Me" follows two strangers who enter a sweet-but-cutthroat 90-day pretend newlywed arrangement to hang on to a luxury newlywed home giveaway. Director Song Hyun-wook teams with writer Lee Ha-na.
Choi Woo-shik plays Kim Woo-joo, the fourth-generation heir to Myeongsundang, billed as Korea’s first bakery ― a guy “born with a bread spoon.” Jung So-min is Yoo Meri, the head of Meri Design, a bride-to-be who gets hit with a broken engagement and a rental scam that wipes out her dream home in one blow. Seo Bum-june appears as Meri’s cheating ex-fiance ― also named Kim Woo-joo ― who barges back into the picture to stir up trouble.
“When I first met with the director, he said, ‘I hope the ex Woo-joo doesn’t come off as hateful. I don’t want viewers to change the channel,’” Seo shared. “I kept asking myself how to make Woo-joo feel lovable as I played him.”
Because his character cheats after five years of dating and triggers the breakup, Seo knew he’d be easy to hate. “I used to joke he’d be ‘pretty trash’ ― the kind of handsome jerk you love to hate,” he said. “After we wrapped, I heard, ‘He doesn’t come off as too hateful,’ and I was relieved.”
“The script sparked my competitive side,” he added. “On the page, the ex Woo-joo’s words and actions aren’t easy to digest. I kept thinking, ‘How can I make this guy a lovable, pretty piece of trash?’ It was a challenge for me, too. I’m curious and excited to see how viewers respond. Don’t hate him too much just yet ― if you stick with him to the end, I think he’ll be remembered as a pretty piece of trash.”
Choi Woo-shik co-signed the transformation. “Bum-june kept asking how to make the character less unlikeable,” Choi said. “We even talked it through at the first table read. As soon as it ended, I told him, ‘Just do it exactly like that.’ Bum-june’s kind of an all-rounder ― he has an energy people don’t dislike. He was great this time.”
"Would You Marry Me" premieres tonight at 9:50 p.m. KST on SBS.
Photo: Baik Seung-Chul
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Sun-ae)