'Uncontrollably Fond' to follow success of 'Descendants of Sun'

Kim Woo-bin, left, and Bae Suzy pose during a press conference at Grand Hyatt Seoul, Monday. / Yonhap

By Park Jin-hai

“Uncontrollably Fond,” another ambitious project spearheaded by KBS2, the national broadcaster that aired the mega-hit drama “Descendants of the Sun,” will premiere on Wednesday at 10 p.m.

The highly anticipated 20-episode romantic drama stars heartthrob Kim Woo-bin and Bae Suzy from K-pop girl group Miss A.

“Uncontrollably Fond” has been penned by Lee Kyung-hee ― who wrote the heart-aching romantic drama “I’m Sorry, I Love You (2004)” ― and produced by Park Hyun-seok, whose previous projects include “The Princess’ Man (2011).”

Kim, who shot to fame starring in the “The Heirs,” returns to the small screen after three years in the role of superstar Shin Joon-young. Bae plays documentary producer Noh Eul. The series tells the love story of a couple who reunite years after being split up because of an unfortunate incident.

Kim said from the moment he heard Lee was considering him for the lead role, he was thrilled. “When I actually received the synopsis, there was no reason that I should say no to the role,” the actor said during the press meeting at Grand Hyatt Seoul, Monday. “Especially, the very last scene of the synopsis was imprinted in my heart so strongly that it didn’t go away for a long time.”

Bae said she also accepted the offer to join the drama based on the synopsis, not the whole script.

“For me, it has been apparent that the writer wants to tell the meaning of love and what it stems from,” she said. “When I looked at Noh Eul, she came to me as a lovely and attractive character. When she had to compromise with reality, I have been in great sympathy with her.”

“Uncontrollably Fond” producer Park says he wanted to portray more than just a couple’s love.

“Writer Lee used to say that she wanted to write a story that compares love's different feelings to the different features of the four seasons,” he said. “It is not about one side of love but all different kinds of feelings, including the comfort and purification that great love can do. In a word, I wanted to depict how love can save the world."

The latest KBS2 drama follows the same successful path of “Descendants of the Sun”: all episodes finished shooting before release and will be aired almost simultaneously in 11 countries, including China.

The broadcasting rights to the 10 billion won drama were sold to a Chinese distributer for $250,000 an episode, the same as “Descendants of the Sun,” raising expectations for the drama, according to Samhwa Networks, which produced the series.

Kim said that because all episodes of the drama were shot before release, it has higher quality than others that are filmed pressed for time. “As five new scenes are added, actors and actresses had a script reading session, asking the meaning of certain parts of the writer and director,” said Kim, 26, said. “I wanted to take some time to become Shin Joon-young in the drama, not faking it.”

Bae, 21, said the whole process of shooting the drama was comfortable, because the writer supported her feelings and had great trust in her.

“Lee said that even if the script mentions the moment of tears, if I didn’t feel it at that moment, I didn’t have to do as it said,” Bae said. “I shed tears a lot throughout the drama, but that was not because I had to, but I felt it that way at that moment. Nearing the end, I was so immersed in Noh Eul that I kept shedding tears too much and Lee urged me not to.”