Jung Ryeo-won plays the lead role in ‘The Midnight Romance in Hagwon’, a K-drama based on the competitive world of private tuition academies (hagwon) in South Korea. She stars opposite Wi Ha-joon in the Studio Dragon drama. In an exclusive interview with IndiaToday.in, Ryeo-won spoke about her character and why she likes taking on different kinds of roles. She also revealed what her first impression of Wi Ha-joon was and her thoughts about working in Indian films.

Jung Ryeo-won, known for her versatile acting skills and memorable roles in series such as ‘Wok of Love’ and ‘Witch’s Court,’ brings depth and nuance to her character.

Talking about her role in ‘The Midnight Romance in Hagwon’, Ryeo-won told India Today, “In this show, my character- Hye Jin is a lecturer at an academy, and she is a capable character who does things well. The drama starts when her perfectly planned daily life starts to go haywire, but it doesn’t follow the romantic comedy format. I didn’t find it too difficult to get into character. There are always professionals in particular job fields, so I get ideas/feel inspired when I meet them.”

Sharing his first impression of co-actor Wi Ha-joon, Ryeo-won said, “The first impression of actor Wi Ha-joon was actually a bit strong (laughs). He came to the first meeting during the filming of ‘Squid Game,’ so he was fit, had grown a beard and had a nice tan. We got closer when the shooting started and people said that his eyes had turned into “mellow-eyes.” He is so focused and smart.”

The actress also revealed that working with ‘Something in the Rain’ director Ahn Pan-seok was an interesting experience for her. “I learned a lot while filming with director Ahn Pan-seok this time. The director’s job was interesting because it felt like we were filming a drama. I learned a lot and learned to do less,” Ryeo-won said.

K-dramas and Korean content have become popular globally. But Jung Ryeo-won continues to choose scripts based on her intuition and said her approach hasn’t changed much.

“I don’t think the way I look at scripts has changed much. I think we’ve always worked hard, and the whole world is noticing it (now). I think the most traditional Korean work is what we can do best. I’m grateful for the love and attention. I’m excited when I work because it gives me hope that when we’re persistent and work hard, we can get noticed,” she said.

Reiterating that she really wants to come to India and work with Indian actors and directors, Ryeo-won told IndiaToday.in, “I am open to collaborating with everyone. I hope I get the opportunity to work with Indian actors and directors! I really want to come to India. It’s on my wish list, so I hope it comes true.”

‘The Midnight Romance in Hagwon’ is currently available for international fans on Viki. The show is written by Park Kyung-hwa.

Meanwhile, Studio Dragon is a drama studio behind many of today’s hit K-dramas such as ‘The Glory’, ‘Queen of Tears’, ‘Gyeongseong Creature’, ‘Crash Course in Romance’, ‘Under the Queen’s Umbrella’, ‘Little Women’, ‘Alchemy of Souls’, ‘It’s Okay to Not Be Okay’, etc.