Of the many things South Korea is famous for, its TV dramas rank high up on the list. We're talking about the combination of intense and addictive storylines, the distinctive production style, catchy soundtracks and -- let's not forget -- plenty of ridiculously good-looking and talented stars capable of stealing viewers' hearts with just a glance.
With new dramas being created seemingly daily in Korea, new faces are in demand to keep viewers' tuned in. Amid the Korean pop culture craze spreading in Thailand and all over the world has emerged rookie actor Jung Hae-in.
Jung Hae-in is the latest man of the momentto sweep South Korea's showbiz world. He has recently starred opposite veteran actress Son Ye-jin in Something in the Rain, a 16-episode romantic drama depicting the relationship between a man and woman as they go from being just acquaintances to lovers.
The series, directed by Ahn Pan-seok, famous for staging the hit series Behind the White Tower and Secret Love Affair, is now showing on Netflix with subtitles.
"The fact that there are fans who care a lot about me is something I never expected to have," Jung confessed about the newfound stardom that accompanied Something in the Rain. "It's my first time playing a main character in a massive 16-episode drama, and also the first time I learned how to carry the weight of being the lead throughout a series."
Something in the Rain marks Jung's biggest career achievement to date. However, popularity has been on its way to the young star for a while.
The actor's soft, charming, boy-next-door presence has incited "second lead syndrome" among viewers -- the common K-drama phenomenon occurring when you can't help but root for the second male lead in a series instead of the main character. The term emerged from the 2017 TV series While You Were Sleeping.
That, combined with his memorable performances in the hit black comedy series Prison Playbook, sensational fantasy-drama Goblin and historical movie Conspiracy: Age of Rebellion have helped shoot the 30-year-old actor to superstardom in less than two years.
Jung has since remained a hot topic on South Korea's community sites thanks to his refreshing, easy-on-the-eyes appearance and the ability to execute an emotional portrayal -- not to mention a swoon-worthy body and smile.
The popularity of Something in the Rain eventually led Jung to embark on his first Asia tour. The actor enjoyed a sold-out crowd at his fan meeting on June 2 in Thailand called "Jung Hae-in 'Smile' Fan Meeting in Bangkok" where he chatted, sang, engaged in a range of fan-service activities, and, when overcome by emotion, cried in front of the audience at Show DC Ultra Arena Hall.
The actor says the event will remain sealed in his memory for a long time with the warm reception that he received.
"I'd actually visited Thailand around 20 years ago with my parents," revealed the actor. "But since it was a long time ago when I was really young, I can't really recall anything. This is basically my first time in Thailand. And from what I can see, everybody here absolutely has a beautiful smile.
"[The fan meeting] was such a moving experience. I received such great love from Thai fans. I do want to come back again with another great project to return all the love that I received."
Even before Something in the Rain began airing, anticipation had been building since the announcement that celebrated director Ahn Pan-seok, who is known for his acute realism and exceptional visual style, would be participating in the project.
The show also markedSon Ye-jin's return to the small screen after her five-year hiatus.
Something in the Rain explores how Yoon Jin-a, a coffee store supervisor in her mid-30s (played by Son Ye-jin), experiences romantic feelings towards her best friend's younger brother Seo Joon-hee (Jung Hae-in) who recently returned home from working abroad, and the subsequent hardships the couple must overcome.
According to director Ahn, Something in the Rain seeks to portray the beauty of ordinary love and stresses faced by two people who fall in love after knowing each other for a long time.
Unlike other South Korea's pop culture deliverables which feature mostly flashy and over-the-top fantasy elements, Something in the Rain opts for a simpler and more realistic depiction of its characters, and even taps into the country's current social issues. Some of the scripts were written to reflect the ongoing MeToo movement in the country by depicting Son's character as a person who stands up to an executive's repeated sexual harassment. The plot also peppers in references to the subtle ageism usually experienced by women in relationships in which she is the older one.
weather permitting: Jung Hae-in with his costar Son Ye-jin in 'Something in the Rain.'
On this new take on age, Jung said: "I don't think age is that much of a variable in a profession or when you're in love with someone. It's a matter of how much are you in love with that person or that thing you do." said Jung, who not only plays a man falling for a girl older than him in the drama, but also a rare real-life case of Korean actors who debuted at the age of 26, which is considered a late age to come into stardom in the industry.
There are no extreme conflicts or hardships featured in Something in the Rain. The plot simply focuses on calmly describing the lead couple's love story, and how two people can make each others' heart flutter with the smallest of gestures.
Jung said his favourite scene was anything but epic: "The particular scene was at the beginning of the drama where Jin-a and Joon-hee were first realising their love and expressing it by sneakily holding their hands under the table without anyone seeing it."
Though the drama gets off to a lovey-dovey start, its spark somewhat fades as the couple encounter new challenges, which Jung sees as a realistic and highly relatable part of life.
"Something in the Rain is, after all, a love story that anyone can relate to," Jung said, adding it's the reason why he chose to do the drama in the first place. "I think what the drama portrays is not just a Korean thing. We're talking about love which is something that anybody in the world can relate to. The drama is absolutely globally relatable.
"I also believe that our beautiful original soundtrack had a lot to do with it as well"
The seeming runaway success of the Something in the Rain actor actually is the result of blood, sweat and tears.
"It was almost coincidental that I got the opportunity to act. But once I got started, I definitely tried to do my best in it. What I love about being an actor is when the audience sees and appreciates my work. If I make them happy, I think that's something tremendous," said Jung, who made his first film debut in Bride of the Century before appearing in some small but well-praised roles for various dramas and films from 2014 to 2016.
Something in the Rain gained the public's attention from the start of its production, receiving consistently high viewership ratings in Korea. That was when Jung's life started to change.
"A lot of people started recognising me and they cheered me on. What I achieved also came with a sense of responsibility, but it's a good thing," he said with a smile.
"I believe that when an actor finds a role that is right for them, they will be able to act much more comfortably and with ease. Something in the Rain made me realise for the first time that the right script, the right drama and the right role are very important."
As to how he's always in a good shape (literally and figuratively), Jung claimed, "I try not to eat late-night snacks. It's very important. When I drink, no foods are involved -- only drinks."
"I try to work out consistently, even without any gym or any equipment. But eating is the most important. Eat as little as possible."
On the secret to his seemingly time-resistant youthful looks, Jung revealed, "I think it's the attitude you have in a daily life that really accumulates. Let's say that, if things are tough and I think that it's tough. Then I'll start to frown and slouch, and walk in a negative manner. I think all of these add up to the vital composition of who you are. So I try to be positive in everything that I do and think happy thoughts. It really helps."
The Korean title of Something in the Rain roughly translates to "Pretty Sister Who Treats Me to Meals", and it does star a pretty sister, according to Jung.
Jung reeled off the account when first met his co-star Son Ye-jin.
"It wasn't intimidating, but [Son Ye-jin] was stunning, making it difficult for me to make eye contact with her at first," Jung admitted, adding that he had been admiring her work for a long time before their paths crossed.
The chemistry between Jung and Son was very obvious from the start -- to the point where it earned them the nickname of "the next Song-Song couple," referring to Song Hye-gyo and Song Joong-ki who, after starring as a couple in the 2016 mega-hit series Descendants of the Sun, ended up tying the knot.
Despite speculation and rumours that the two may be dating in real-life like the Song-Song couple, both actors reportedly denied that they were in a relationship and reaffirmed that it was only platonic love between the two.
Jung, however, revealed that he still reminds himself of the encouraging messages he got from Son as a reminder when things get tough for him during filming.
Although there was no real-life romances on set, Jung says he strongly identifies with the character Joon-hee as they have many things in common.
"There are a lot of things that I have in common with Joon-hee. He's very grown up and mature -- and very serious as well. But, unfortunately, I'm not as funny as he is. Perhaps since [Joon-hee] has studied abroad, he then has more of a humourous sides and is a bit more free, a bit more witty than I am," said Jung.
Having starred in several romance and rom-com series, Jung revealed some of his personal tips for getting immersed in character: "The most important, and may I say, most difficult thing to do is to truly trust the people in the drama. Once you truly trust them, then everything else comes naturally, whether it's your reaction, movements, the way you speak, tone and manner."
While his latest drama is now showing on Netflix, the actor reveals his enjoyment of watching this online channel's contents.
"My favourite shows include Stranger Things, for one. There are two seasons and I've seen that. I've also watched Luke Cage."
"I actually have the Netflix app on my phone. And I pay for it," confessed the actor, laughing. "It's not only me -- my entire family is watching things on Netflix. They constantly have new things, and I think it's amazing."
Jung is now preparing to move on with more challenging projects that stretch his acting chops. As his rookie actor status seems to slowly wear off, there is a growing expectation that he keep pushing his boundaries as an artist.
"I'll be a bit more serious in picking characters from now on," explained the actor, who will continue his Asia fan meeting tour in Manila, Hong Kong and Seoul for the rest of the year.
"I need to better evaluate whether I can play certain roles. It's true that I'm concerned about my own performances, so I really need to better evaluate whether I can play certain roles and find characters that I can properly portray," he added.
"I want to be recognised by the viewing audiences and the fans as someone who delivers joy and happiness to them so that they can escape whatever they're dealing with in life, and just really enjoy the projects that I'm in."
