For global star Song Hye-kyo, the decision to come back with another melodrama after just two years brought with it a bag of mixed emotions.

“After tvN’s ‘Encounter’ (2019), many fans have been waiting for my return to the small screen with another beautiful romance story, but I am certain that there are some viewers who already feel tired of watching another melodrama by Song Hye-kyo,” said Song in an online press conference recorded in mid-August that was released Tuesday. “This made me think a lot before choosing the series.”

The 39-year-old actor believed that as time passes, she gets to have a wide variety of experiences and learn many things. And this leads the actor to perform in an ostensibly similar series on a different level. Song was certain that she can show a different side of herself in the upcoming SBS TV drama “Now We Are Breaking Up.”

The press conference was recorded in the summer because one of the actors, Jang Ki-yong, was scheduled to begin his mandatory military service in late August.

When asked about the distinctive feature of his new SBS series, director Lee Gil-bok said “Now We Are Breaking Up” tried to avoid typical characteristics of the fantasy genre.

“One of the most important things that I focused on was drawing out the romance from ordinary couples. The lead characters are mostly in their 30s, but there are many other great senior actors and child actors. With the wide-ranging age group, I think anyone can enjoy and sympathize with the storyline of the drama,” the director said.

“Our project is a villain-free drama. Some may worry that viewers could get bored of the drama, but I sincerely believe that the heartwarming romance will make viewers fall in love with our drama,” Lee added.

According to co-star Choi Hee-seo, viewers who are not big fans of romance can still enjoy the drama by watching the chemistry and real-life friendship of the three women characters.

“Though we met for the first time, when we read the script together, all three of us were fans of each other and followed the previous projects. We quickly became friends, just like the characters in the series, and talked a lot, creating an amazing synergy both on and off the camera,” Choi said.

The director jokingly said he simply let the camera roll when the three characters were acting, and was impressed with every performance.

The 16-part series features fashion company design team leader Ha Young-eun (Song), president of the fashion company Hwang Chi-sook (Choi) and housewife Yeon Mi-sook (Park Hyo-ju), who were childhood friends.

Jang Ki-yong expressed his satisfaction with the drama as well.

“I did not expect to meet such amazing actors and production crew to gather in one place. I was a big fan of Song, but I never expected to meet her as a partner in the drama. When we were shooting the scenes, I think we played a lot with making silly jokes. But Song surprises me every time with how she suddenly switches to Ha Young-eun when cameras are around and makes me concentrate on my acting,” Jang said.

The model-turned-actor also felt that the cast’s synergy was well represented in the drama series, making the story and romance alike more realistic.

SBS’ new Friday-Saturday drama series kicks off Friday at 10 p.m.

By Lee Si-jin (sj_lee@heraldcorp.com)