Kwak Yeon-soo is a digital editor at The Korea Times creating, editing and curating digital content for the newspaper’s website, mobile app and social media. She previously covered a diverse array of cultural, political and business topics.
Park Min-young, Song Kang unite for romance 'Forecasting Love and Weather'
From left, actors Song Kang, Park Min-young, Yura and Yoon Park pose during an online press conference for JTBC's new series, “Forecasting Love and Weather.” Courtesy of JTBC
By Kwak Yeon-soo
By Kwak Yeon-soo
“Forecasting Love and Weather,” starring actors Park Min-young and Song Kang, takes a closer look at the ins and outs of working in the business of predicting the weather.
The plot follows the story of Jin Ha-kyung (Park), a meteorologist who has decided never to commit to a workplace romance after a brutal break-up, but falls into a relationship with Lee Si-woo (Song), a newcomer in the team.
Yoon Park appears as Ha-kyung's ex-fiance, Han Ki-joon, while Yura plays Chae Yu-jin, a weather forecaster for a daily newspaper who is bright on the outside, but has a dark side to her.
Director Cha Young-hoon explained that “Forecasting Love and Weather” is about people at the Korea Meteorological Administration who fall and get back on their feet to become a better version of themselves.
“There are some striking similarities between weather and life. Like many things in life where uncertainty is involved, it's hard to predict the weather. That left me wondering about the lives of people in the weather forecasting industry,” he said during an online press conference for the series, Friday. Cha helmed the hit KBS series “When the Camellia Blooms” in 2019.
Park, who has frequently appeared in office-set dramas including “What's Wrong with Secretary Kim” and “Her Private Life,” said this was the hardest but most rewarding project among them.
“Unlike medical or legal dramas, the meteorological administration is not so well-known to the general public. So I took hints from documentaries to build my character,” Park said.
A poster for JTBC's new drama “Forecasting Love and Weather” / Courtesy of JTBC
On acting opposite Song, she said, “I feel lucky to work with an actor who is one of the most sought-after rom-com heartthrobs. I've watched his previous works and thought that we could create great synergy on screen.”
Song said he was very nervous about working with Park. “I've been watching Park on TV since I was a child. I was extremely nervous while shooting our scenes together, but she was very generous. She always asked for my opinion and listened carefully. I learned how to display more affection in romantic scenes,” he said.
The 27-year-old actor said the subject matter and script were somewhat refreshing. “Because I play a free spirited and lively character, I contemplated on how to transform my style and looks. My unfashionable haircut looks silly. However, he becomes serious when he talks about the weather. It was exciting to embody these different facets,” he said.
The first episode, which aired on Saturday, achieved an average viewership rating of 4.5 percent, according to Nielsen ratings.
“Forecasting Love and Weather” airs on every Saturday and Sunday at 22:30 (KST). It is also streaming on Netflix.