Seo Kang Jun reveals why he chose 'A Love Other Than Yours'

On August 31, KBS 2TV's upcoming Saturday-Sunday K-drama A Love Other Than Yours released a written interview with Seo Kang Jun ahead of the drama's premiere. 

A Love Other Than Yours is a realistic, relatable melodrama that tells the story of a couple entering their tenth year of relationship who begin to experience unexpected emotional changes within a bond that felt familiar. 

Seo Kang Jun and Ahn Eun Jin play Namgoong Ho and Lee Mi Do, respectively, a couple who have been in a long-term relationship for 10 years.

Seo Kang Jun said that when he first read the script, "The character Namgoong Ho caught my eye first." He described Namgoong Ho as "a delicate and caring person, but someone who also has a certain coldness [detached, or unsentimental] that comes from his strong inner self." He added, "Rather than feeling like a carefully constructed character, he felt like a 'person' who could actually be living somewhere in the real world, as someone who compromises with reality while never crossing the line."

He also revealed what led him to decide to take on the role. "Usually, dramas allow us to experience fantasies or fill the voids in our lives, but this drama is closely connected to reality," he said. "It tells our story of life and growth through the universal theme of love, which is something all of us can relate to, so I found myself becoming even more immersed in it."

Seo Kang Jun chose "sacrifice" as the keyword that runs through Namgoong Ho's approach to love. He explained, "Whether it's going to work, saving money, or putting up with a certain amount of the absurdities of reality, he does all of it for his future with Lee Mi Do. He is a self-sacrificing person who is willing to do anything for the person he loves."

He also spoke about what he focused on while portraying Namgoong Ho. "I wanted his deep thoughts and struggles as Namgoong Ho to be conveyed through his gaze rather than his words," he said. "I constantly thought about the emotions and life that were not explicitly written in the script."

Speaking about his chemistry with Ahn Eun Jin, Seo Kang Jun said, "The phrase 'being on the same wavelength' is the first thing that comes to mind." He continued, "We placed the greatest importance on familiarity. We talked a lot about expressing the comfort unique to a long-term couple who can understand each other without having to say anything." He added, "Even in scenes that required emotional depth, our interpretations matched remarkably well."

Lastly, Seo Kang Jun explained that the drama explores various emotions experienced throughout a relationship, including jealousy, ennui, love-hate, understanding, and sacrifice. He said, "The wavering that one may encounter amid familiarity and ennui, as well as the deep history shared by a long-term couple who nevertheless cannot escape [from each other], will tug at viewers' heartstrings and make them root for the couple."

A Love Other Than Yours premieres on September 12. The K-drama will be streaming on Prime Video. 

Source: Ten Asia