AO EXCLUSIVE: Jung Woo Sung and Shin Hyun Been talk about their roles and their chemistry in “Tell Me That You Love Me”

Are you all ready for another classic romantic melodrama that will surely stir your hearts?

Tell Me That You Love Me is based on a 1995 Japanese series that depicts a heart-warming love story between an aspiring actress named Jung Mo Eun and a talented artist named Cha Jin Woo with impaired hearing.

Ahead of the premiere of the series, a press conference was held on November 27 with the presence of Director Kim Yoon Jin alongside the two main leads, Jung Woo Sung and Shin Hyun Been.

Director Kim Yoo Jin

According to Director Kim Yoo Jin, when he was offered to direct this 16-episode drama, he was scared and had self-doubt and worries but he took it as a challenge. He shared that he started out wanting to direct radio programs and by that, it means he wanted to go into a world where there was only audio, coming from that sort of background, having to direct a series where there would not be audio for the main character, it was both daunting and appealing at the same time because it was a new challenge for him and drawn to him even more.

He shared that when he began shooting after the preparation he realized that the lack of audio of the main character was not really one of the biggest issues, it was all about how to express the emotions.

Director Kim Yoo Jin also talked about how his approach differs from his previous work, Our Beloved Summer, in terms of his directing style. He said that when directing, he wants to talk about the different ages and what they are going through. He also pointed out the main character’s age differences from Our Beloved Summer to Tell Me That You Love Me and how the viewers can resonate with them.

He said that the time the characters are living in is different from the original, so it may seem very different but they wanted to maintain the same theme. He didn’t emulate to create something similar to the original series but they wanted to create something new with the same essence.

About The Main Leads

Jung Woo Sung as Cha Jin Woo

Woo Sung plays the role of Cha Jin Woo a painter who has a hearing disability. He is used to being alone but after meeting a woman named Jung Mo Eun, everything changes. 

Following his 2011 drama, Padam, Padam it’s been a long time since Jung Woo Sung starred in a romantic drama. He said that when he saw the original drama, it resonated with him and he wanted to work on it. “In about over the decade I am extremely excited that I’m back with a romance drama and also a little bit curious and cautious as to how people might react”, he added.

When asked about the production of his film and this drama, Woo Sung mentioned that he didn’t feel any pressure in filming the movie, 12.12: The Day and this drama because it’s a different genre and the viewers will be able to enjoy both shows on different platforms. He thinks it’s going to be fun for the viewers and fans to see different sides of him as an actor.

Shin Hyun Been as Jung Mo Eun

Shin Hyun Been plays the role of Jung Mo Eun, an aspiring actress. She experiences a whirlwind of emotions after bumping into Cha Jin Woo and discovers true love undergoing personal growth as an actress.

Hyun Been talked about being hesitant about choosing this project. She said, that when she first saw the script she was thinking about the concept of communication. She said it was a story that she was already interested in and she did think that it was a chance that she wanted to take on but because it’s people who use different languages, she felt a little bit burdened in terms of how she would be the only one to use spoken language. “When you’re acting with someone else, you base your acting upon the dialogue that goes on between the two but If I’m not getting any audio from the other cast member how will I go about it? Those were some of my concerns that I had”, she explained.

She said that Woo Sung was capable of expressing his emotions as her opposite.

On the other hand, Shin Hyun Been mentioned that her character here as an aspiring actress made her reminisce about those times when she was starting in the industry.

About Learning Sign Language

Shin Hyun Been shared that the elements of learning and using sign language are interesting for her and had a lot of fun learning it. The whole process was challenging for her but enjoyable.

On the other hand, according to Jung Woo Sung, this is his first time learning sign language, he said he had fun initially but it was very difficult for him as he moved along the process of learning it because a slight movement of the hand can mean something completely different so there are times he was confused when he got a lot of dialogues.

Jung Woo Sung and Shin Hyun Been’s Chemistry

When asked about their chemistry on set, Hyun Been said that they had a lot of fun filming and they were joking around. She said that the drama is not lightweight and it’s going to be enjoyable to viewers.

She shared that she had known Woo Sung for some time, but this was her first time working with him. She said she could rely on Woo Sung and help her a lot during their filming. She mentioned as well that Woo Sung always treated her to a lot of good meals on set. “He is the handsome guy who buys me a lot of good food”, she stated.

Woo Sung said that they communicated a lot and brainstormed a lot together, bringing out those ideas. “I think those times are really valuable to me and I enjoyed the time on set”, he added.

Message to the viewers

“I hope the viewers and the fans will watch the show. Watch their two worlds combine into one”, Director Kim’s message to viewers.

Jung Woo Sung’s message to viewers is to be very focused when watching the show and they will be very satisfied.

Lastly, Shin Hyun Been hopes that this drama is something that warms everyone.

Watch Tell Me That You Love Me on Disney+!

All photos are courtesy of Disney+ Philippines.