Summary
Now streaming on Viki,The Midnight Romance in Hagwonis the latest in a long line ofhit Korean dramasfrom Studio Dragon. The production studio behind recent Netflix phenomenonsThe GloryandQueen of Tearshas tapped into exactly what makes viewers tick, whether the genre is fantasy (such as in 2022’sAlchemy of Souls) or romance (as in the unforgettableCrash Landing on You). Their most recent foray into the land of K-drama mixes the “noona” romance trope — meaning an older woman and a younger man — with a highly specialized look at Korea’s education system, a formula that previously worked wonderfully inCrash Course in Romance.
The Midnight Romance in Hagwonstars Jung Ryeo-won as Seo Hye-jin, a highly sought-after lecturer at a private academy (known as a “hagwon” in Korea) who is currently at the top of her game professionally. She receives the shock of her life, however, when her very first student Lee Jun-ho (played bySquid Gamestar Wi Ha-joon) makes a surprise return to her academy as a fellow lecturer. Though she is reluctant to welcome him at first, having expected his life to take a very different turn, they soon join forces to increase their student turnout even as they stumble through their growing feelings for each other.
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Screen Rantinterviewed Jung and Wi about what drew them toThe Midnight Romance in Hagwon, how they stepped into their onscreen romance, and what fans can expect from the upcoming episodes of thesweet Korean drama.
Wi Ha-Joon & Jung Ryeo-won Praise The Midnight Romance In Hagwon’s Director
Screen Rant: You previously worked with Ahn Pan-seok onSomething in the Rain. How has your collaboration evolved since then, and how has the experience on this set differed most?
Wi Ha-joon: Five years have passed since Something in the Rain. Most importantly, I was grateful that director Ahn Pan Seok cast me as the leading role, and I felt proud of myself thinking “I’ve worked so hard for five years that such a good opportunity like this came." I felt there was nothing much different this time, I thought “He is still talented,” “No wonder he is famous.”
However, this time, since I had a leading role, I spent more time with the director to talk about the work and character. I shaped Jun-ho as I talked to him, and he said “What you are thinking of Jun-ho is correct. I will just tell you the details so do what you want to do.” Therefore, I thought a lot about the character and portrayed my own “Lee Jun-ho”.
Ahn Pan Seok is known for a very specific style, which comes through in works such asSecret Love Affair,Something in the Rain, andOne Spring Night. What about his directorial vision drew you in most, and in what ways do you find working with him unique?
Jung Ryeo-won: I’ve always found his work interesting, and the other actors who have collaborated with him praised him, so I definitely wanted to work with him someday. The director’s work was interesting because it felt like we were filming a play.
BetweenSquid Game,Bad and Crazy, andThe Worst of Evil, your recent dramas have been very mystery and action-heavy. What made you decide to shift gears back into romance?
Wi Ha-joon: The reason I chose romance was because I’ve only played action-heavy roles, so I wanted to do something heartwarming and light in both genre and character, and another reason is because I wanted to make my fans happy because they wanted to see me in a romance drama.
Building The Midnight Romance In Hagwon’s Slow Burn
The Midnight Romance in Hagwontakes time to build the relationship between its leads. How do Hyejin’s feelings for Junho develop from mentorship to romance, and what is your approach to playing that shift?
Jung Ryeo-won: Seo Hye-jin and Lee Jun-ho met as teacher and student. Jun-ho gets into a good university, and it marked a turning point for Seo - career, and she became a star lecturer. As time passed, they encountered each other again as academy instructors. Even though they had different beliefs and clashed, they start falling in love. Therefore, I focused on their growth and development, and how they make each other a better person.
Speaking of romance, I think this is your first time as the romantic male lead. How did you prepare to win over Jung Ryeo-won’s heart onscreen?
Wi Ha-joon: I had great chemistry with Jung Ryeo-won from the beginning. She is a good person, so we communicated well and had great banter when we acted together. Therefore, I think we showed better chemistry than expected.
Can you tease an upcoming moment in the show that stood out most to you or felt most meaningful when filming?
Jung Ryeo-won: Wow this is hard. There were too many, so it is hard to choose one. Please look forward to every scene!
Wi Ha-joon: Every scene is impressive and unforgettable. There’s a scene in episode 8 where Jun-ho gets to know what Hye-jin really feels about Jun-ho, and that scene is unforgettable. Please look forward to it.
How The Midnight Romance In Hagwon Intertwines Love And Learning
Was there an aspect of the education system that was most surprising to you in your research for the role?
Jung Ryeo-won: I didn’t experience the Korean education system when I was young, so I was surprised to see how much the students have to study. It was even more surprising to see that they focus on memorizing rather than understanding. I got to respect the students studying in South Korea.
Despite being incredibly busy and overworked, Hye-jin seems to take an interest in her students on an individual level. What does her teaching style say about her as a person, and what aspect of her did you hope to bring out most onscreen?
Jung Ryeo-won: As I say in my line, my job is to “teach” students, but I think Hye-jin becomes proud of herself after becoming a real teacher. Now, as she has been working as a star instructor for 14 years, she has more students and just focuses on boosting students' performance and grades, but when she was younger, she must have thought that it would be great if students understood the essence of literature on their own. I thought she would have that kind of roots and history, so I kept that in mind while acting. I wanted to bring out her busy life and mindset, and how she changed mechanically over time.
Jun-ho’s sudden desire to change careers is shocking to his parents, and even to Hyejin. Does the drama further explore what becoming a lecturer means to him beyond making more money, and is that something you also discussed with the writer and director?
Wi Ha-joon: In the beginning, he becomes an instructor at an academy to make more money, but his relationship with Hye-jin gets deeper. Just as Lee Jun-ho was a special student for Hye-jin, Si-woo becomes a special student for Jun-ho. Therefore, his values for life and thoughts on his job as an instructor change.
He thinks that he wants to make his first student, Lee Si-woo experience how he enjoyed learning Korean from Hye-jin, so he becomes a real instructor who doesn’t only chase money and success. He also grows as a man who loves Hye-jin, so I talked to the director and the writer about how we should shape the character that develops. They supported me and trusted that my thoughts about Jun-ho were correct.
The first 6 episodes ofThe Midnight Romance in Hagwonare now streaming on Viki, with new episodes available every Saturday and Sunday.
