'A romantic comedy with "healing," Our Universe comes to viewers.
On the 27th, the Our Universe production press conference was held online. The event was attended by Lee Hyun-seok, director Jung Yeo-jin, and actors Bae In Hyuk, Roh Jeong-Eui, and Park Seoham.
tvN's new Wednesday-Thursday drama Our Universe (directed by Lee Hyun-seok and Jung Yeo-jin, written by Sujin and Shin I-hyun, planned by Studio Dragon, produced by Scene & Studio Co., Ltd.) is a chaotic cohabitation romance that unfolds when a pair of in-law adults, who had a tangled first meeting, suddenly end up raising a 20-month-old nephew, Uju (played by Park Yu-ho).
On the day, director Lee Hyun-seok said of the work, "Our Universe is a rom-com about a pair of in-law adults raising a nephew, Uju, who suddenly appears one day. The stories that unfold are quaint, pleasant and lovingly made, so you will lose track of time watching it," he previewed. He continued, "I think the drama's biggest charm point is the existence called 'Uju.' In a typical rom-com the story is drawn by the meeting of the female and male leads, but with the appearance of a child named Uju, the two people's relationship becomes dramatic, chaotic and unpredictable. Uju will be the drama's biggest charm point," he explained.
Regarding filming with the child actor, he said, "We worried because we didn't know where Uju would go, and we thought a lot about how we could care for him. What I'm thankful to In-hyuk, Jeong-e and Seoham for is, as you can see, they cared for Uju very well. Even in emotional scenes, if Uju was ready they would stop and film Uju first. I was very grateful that they understood that. The moment Uju appeared, we fell into a happiness virus and it was so enjoyable. And recently, as Uju adapted, after filming we sent him home but he cried saying he wouldn't go home. That also remains in my memory," he said.
Director Jung Yeo-jin said, "These days, for young people living in an era where dreaming, love and children are hard to imagine, this may be a gentle fantasy story. It could feel like my own story, something I might dream about once, so I tried to make it fun and pretty," she explained.
About the actors, director Jung said, "Actor Bae In Hyuk brought a lot of detail with delicate acting, giving depth to his expressions. I want to keep watching him and cheering for him; he made Taehyung a charming character. Among actors in their 20s, I think he's uniquely wide in range. I relied on him the most on set. He's an actor I relied on a lot even here," he said.
He added, "Actor Roh Jeong-Eui is an MZ goddess. I thought she was fresh and mysterious, but when I actually met her I was surprised at how down-to-earth she was. She had a strong sense of responsibility on set and a professional mindset. Her image was very different from what I had thought, which was refreshing. Roh Jeong-Eui's personality seems to have seeped into Hyunjin, expressing resilience and the anxiety of 'am I pulling my weight?' that anyone in their 20s might feel. I think when people watch this work they will feel Roh Jeong-Eui's charm more deeply." He added, "Actor Park Seoham made me laugh the most on set. He makes you smile just by looking at him. With a perfect visual, he seemed like the perfect first love. Being with these three actors made Uju cuter, lovelier and someone you want to root for," creating a warm atmosphere.
On directing points he said, "I thought a lot about directing with the point that parenting is hard but has healing points that need to be shown," and added, "Watching Yuhu grow, I felt again the emotions I felt when I raised a child. Also, Hyunjin balances work and parenting, and Taehyung helps with that. Watching Yoonseong wanting to butt in, I felt the heart of a working mother, and there were scenes where I empathized so much that I cried while watching the monitor," arousing curiosity.
Bae In Hyuk plays Sun Taehyung, a photographer's assistant who is prickly on the outside but soft inside. About the character, Bae In Hyuk said, "At first I thought, 'Why is Taehyung so gruff and prickly?' Later I learned the reasons, and after understanding why this guy had to be prickly, I grew fond of Taehyung and wanted to portray him well so that people could empathize and be comforted."
He continued, "The biggest change for the character is that someone to live with appears. Meeting Hyunjin and Uju opens Taehyung's heart. Having never been loved, he doesn't know how to give love. But gradually he learns ways to express it and how to give in. If you watch the changing expressions and speech as Taehyung gradually melts into Hyunjin and Uju, it will be interesting," he explained.
On working with the child actor he said, "I had never raised a child, so it wasn't easy. One memorable moment during filming was when I was shooting a scene holding Yu with Jeong-e. Yu and I weren't supposed to appear, but suddenly he grabbed my face and kissed me. It felt like I had the whole world," he smiled. He continued, "Lunch was at 1 p.m., but we had dinner at 4:30 p.m. because we couldn't film when Yuho fell asleep. We had no choice but to have dinner then. A phrase I said a lot in this work was, 'Again?' Because we matched Yuho's schedule we started shooting early," he laughed.
He also spoke about his chemistry with Roh Jeong-Eui. Bae In Hyuk said, "It was my first time working with an actor younger than me, so I was worried, but because Jeong-e has a lot of experience, there was no sense of distance. Rather, Jeong-e led and helped a lot, so I filmed comfortably. People say Jeong-e is down-to-earth, and to me she showed a refreshing side that helped everyone on set film in a pleasant atmosphere. I'm grateful to have the memory of filming in a bright, fun, family-like environment," creating a warm feeling.
Roh Jeong-Eui plays the energetic, positive, passionate job seeker Woo Hyunjin and shows an even more refined rom-com performance. On why she chose the work, Roh Jeong-Eui said, "I usually focus on the character, and what drew me this time was the existence called 'Uju.' I thought the lovable and comedic atmosphere 'Uju' brings would be different. We know how to give love to a child, but we can't know how a child feels being loved. This seemed like a drama that could capture that, so I chose it."
About the character she added, "One reason I chose the script is that the character felt realistic. I thought I could portray friends my age. I worked hard to express all the concerns people my age might experience," and said, "My character is, after all, lovable. The love she received from her older sister made her who she is, so she naturally appears full of love. I tried to let go of a lot to use my facial muscles in various ways and shoot more realistically. I think that natural loveliness will be the charm," she said, noting points to watch.
About working with Park Yu-ho, who plays 'Uju,' Roh Jeong-Eui said, "Many unexpected things happened. While filming, Uju was so cute that I burst out laughing many times. There were many NGs. Even though Uju has no lines, sometimes he seemed to deliver lines. As we spoke he grew and started responding. Watching that, we filmed with huge smiles," she said.
On rom-com chemistry with Bae In Hyuk she said, "I actually feel like I've become the lead actor who is so comfortable and so in tune with a co-star. Actor In-hyuk. Because I felt so comfortable, the chemistry came out naturally and he improvises really well in acting. Following that, the chemistry came out better and natural, good moments appeared on screen. I think I trusted him and approached filming relying on him," she said, drawing attention.
Park Seoham plays Park Yoonseong. On why he chose the work he said, "I originally wanted to try the rom-com genre at some point, and fortunately I got to read this script. I thought it would be a very pretty story. But when I read it, it contained an even prettier and more lovable story than I expected. I chose it because I really wanted to try it," he said.
About his character he said, "Yoonseong is confident and honest about his feelings. But seeing his first love Hyunjin makes him feel various emotions," and added, "The first impression of 'Woonseong' was not easy. He's too perfect of a man. He's honest about his feelings and brimming with confidence, so I worried a lot about how to express that coolness." Then Bae In Hyuk said, "There's no one better suited to portraying a perfect man than Park Seoham. I don't know why you worried," which added laughter.
Park Seoham also said, "Yoonseong is perfect and cool. These two keywords guided how I shaped that coolness through discussions with the directors. He even shows jealousy in a cool way. Please watch," he said, prompting laughter.
On working with the child actor he said, "When I first met Uju, because I'm tall he was a little scared. At first I wanted to touch and play, but he was too scared to approach. Then one day he hugged me. It felt like having the whole world and that happy memory is unforgettable. As actress Jeong-e said, Yuho sometimes gave reactions I couldn't forget," he said. About working with Roh Jeong-Eui and Bae In Hyuk he added, "Fortunately I met good actors and filmed comfortably. I remember that when I was having a hard or difficult day they always came to help. The directors also instilled confidence in me. Even after filming they'd send messages like, 'You did so well today, go home and praise him 100 times.' I gained a lot of confidence and approached filming with courage. My two friends, when I had difficulties, tried to meet my gaze somehow. Those points were really touching," he said, creating a warm feeling.
Finally, Park Seoham said, "Our Universe is such a lovable work, so please give it lots of love," and Roh Jeong-Eui said, "I really read the script with love and filmed with love. It's a work full of love, so please look forward to it and show lots of interest. Please watch with expectations of love," and Bae In Hyuk said, "Our drama expresses really realistic aspects well. From the hot summer to the cold days, everyone worked hard without fail and finished with fighting spirit. Please give a lot of love to our drama," urging viewers to watch.
Meanwhile, Our Universe airs its first episode on Feb. 4 (Wed.) at 10:40 p.m.
[Photo] Provided by tvN
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