‘Love Take Two’ Cast Shares What Makes Their K-Drama Special

Yum Jung-ah and Park Hae-joon play single parents in ‘Love Take Two.’

Studio Dragon

“Romance, unexpected happenings and a journey of growth.” That’s how director Yu Je-won described the Studio Dragon drama Love Take Two at a recent press conference for the series. Yu knows all about creating romantic dramas since he directed the hits Love Next Door, Crash Course in Romance, Hometown Cha Cha Cha and Tomorrow with You.

“Like my previous works, this drama also explores love—within families, between neighbors, between friends and of course, romance,” said Yu. “But what makes this one different is its strong focus on the mother-daughter relationship. It’s a story that really delves into what it means to be a mother and a daughter.”

The mother and daughter in this Studio Dragon drama can’t help but argue whenever they see each other.

“After a certain event they end up settling in a rural village called Cheonghae,” said Yu. “There, they meet Jeong-seok and Bo-hyeon, and as they become part of the community, a series of events unfolds.”

Yum Jung-ah (The Defects, Snowdrop, Life Is Beautiful) plays a construction site manager who’s also a single mom raising her daughter on her own.

“She’s a mother who laughs and cries all because of the daughter she loves more than anything in the world,” said Yum.

Yum chose the role because of the great script. Also, she always wanted to work with director Yu.

“Many actors around me felt envious when they found out I had been cast to with him,” said Yum. “I’m so happy to be part of such a wonderful drama and have this amazing opportunity. As a mother raising a child myself, I related deeply to my character. Hyo-ri was obedient until she entered university, but then she started rebelling—perhaps because she hit puberty late. My character experiences a lot of emotional pain because of this and that really resonated with me as a parent.”

Park Hae-joon (When Life Gives You Tangerines, The 8 Show, World of the Married) plays Jeong-seok. His character is an architect.

“He’s got a bit of a prickly personality and is also raising his son alone,” said Park. He might seem tough, but he’s a warm heart underneath.”

He was drawn to the role because he wanted to explore romance and melodrama genres.

“I wanted to work on a heartfelt project like this to renew and refresh myself,” he said. Also, I’ve heard that Director Yu Je-won is a wonderful person, so in many ways, this project feels like a ‘healthy’ one for me.”

It’s inevitable that viewers might compare this role to his previous character in the recent Baeksang Award-winning drama When Life Gives You Tangerines.

“Both characters share a deep kindness and care for others,” said Park. “Yang Gwan-sik is someone who naturally pursues one person with unwavering focus, while Jeong-seok is a bit more emotionally closed off. The story beautifully shows how wonderful it is to gradually open up. There’s a sense of excitement in that process, which makes Jeong-seok a little different. But at their core, both are truly good people.”

Choi Yoon-ji (The Trunk, Love Your Enemy) plays Hyo-ri, a strait-laced medical student.

“She’s smart and loves her mom, but ended up in med school under her mother’s pressure,” said Choi. “That strain causes cracks in their relationship—and she ends up being quite the handful.”

It was Choi’s first leading role, so naturally she felt nervous.

“It turned out to be an invaluable learning experience,” she said. “The seniors and director supported me so much on set, which helped me enjoy filming and stay happy throughout the process.”

At first her character might seem a little cold, but Choi reassures viewers that Hyori only seems distant.

“As you watch, I think you’ll see moments of warmth too,” said Choi. “While playing Hyo-ri, I had many conversations with my own mother. I often asked her things like, ‘How do you react when I get annoyed?’ or ‘What would you think if I did this?’ I got a lot of help from those talks.”

Kim Min-kyu plays a young farmer who runs a flower farm.

“He’s dependable and hard-working,” said Kim. “A seemingly perfect guy, but with a delightfully clumsy side.”

At first, during early filming, Kim didn’t think he resembled the character much.

“But as filming went on, I realized we have a lot in common,” said Kim. “For example, the traits I think are cool might actually come off as funny to others—that’s something I share with the character.”

Yu has long wanted to work with Yum and Park.

“Yum Jung-ah naturally conveys deep emotions in a way that feels effortless,” he said. “That’s why I thought she was a perfect fit for this role.”

He wanted someone for the role of Jeong-seok who feels rough around the edges, but genuine and sincere.

“Park Hae-joon fits that perfectly,” said Yu. “He may come across as a bit awkward, but every word he says hits you right in the heart. It’s a natural charm he has. At first, I wondered if he was doing it on purpose, but it turns out it’s just who he is.”

For the role of Hyo-ri, he wanted an actress who would make the audience want to root for her.

“I felt Choi Yoon-ji brings that quality,” he said. “She’s genuine and sincere, with no pretense. When an actor like her takes on this role, I think viewers genuinely want to cheer for her.”

When Kim Min-kyu ( Bitch and Rich 2, Missing Crown Prince, Maestra: Strings of Truth) auditioned, Yu had to tell himself not to be swayed by the actor’s striking looks.

“With someone that handsome, I thought there was a chance the acting might not measure up—but he completely exceeded expectations,” said Yu. “His performance was solid and his attitude was equally grounded.”

Both the mother-daughter duo and the father-son duo had to create onscreen chemistry that made them really seem like family. Yum and Choi made a point to spend time together before shooting started.

“At first, I was so nervous because I couldn’t believe I was working with Yum Jung-ah,” said Choi. “But as I got to know her warm personality, just looking at her face made me feel like she was truly my mom—there were moments that really touched me.”

To Kim, Park was a friend and source of strength on set.

“To me, he’s like a mountain I leaned on while growing up—a quiet but constant presence, which makes our bond that much more special,” said Kim.

Yum describes Love, Take Two as offering deep emotional comfort and Park calls it “The kind of story that can open up even the most closed-off heart.”

To Choi the drama really feels “like summer itself” and Kim adds that it was “filmed with the hope that this would be a gift—bringing viewers the excitement of first love all over again.”

Love Take Two airs on Aug. 4. In the U.S. the Studio Dragon drama will air on Rakuten Viki.