Actor Hong Jong-hyun shared his thoughts during an interview on the conclusion of Channel A's drama 'I Have a Baby' (written by So Hae-won, directed by Kim Jin-sung) at a café in Gangnam, Seoul, on the 23rd. 'I Have a Baby' is a romantic comedy about Kang Doo-joon (played by Choi Jin-hyuk) and Jang Hee-won (played by Oh Yeon-seo), who get entangled after a one-night stand, despite believing marriage was not in their plans. In the drama, Hong Jong-hyun plays Cha Min-wook, a deputy in the sales team of Taehan Liquor, who realizes his feelings for his 15-year friend Hee-won are actually love.
Originally, actor Yoon Ji-on was cast for the role. However, Yoon Ji-on had to leave the project after being caught for drunk driving and motorcycle theft in September last year. With much of the filming already completed, the production team urgently sought a replacement, and Hong Jong-hyun was chosen.
Hong Jong-hyun was initially worried about fitting into an already established team but soon found encouragement. He recalled, "When I arrived on set, the staff had great chemistry. The director, the staff, and I were all on the same page, which led to mutual encouragement."
Due to his late addition, Hong Jong-hyun had limited time to immerse himself in the project and his character. He admitted, "Filming from the first episode to the later parts in a rush left me feeling overwhelmed for about a month. I felt I needed more time to adapt and fully integrate into the role."
As the series progressed, Hong Jong-hyun found his footing, thanks in large part to the support of lead actors Oh Yeon-seo, Kim Da-som, and Choi Jin-hyuk. He had previously worked with Oh Yeon-seo in a cameo role for the 2024 drama 'Player' and had a past acquaintance with Kim Da-som. He laughed, "Having met them before, I felt like I had someone to lean on."
It was his first time working with Choi Jin-hyuk. Hong Jong-hyun shared, "I thought he might be a bit difficult due to his image on TV, but he was as comfortable as a neighborhood brother. When we first met, he thanked me for taking on the role, which helped ease my nerves." He added, "He often organized gatherings for the staff and other actors, which I appreciated."
Hong Jong-hyun was drawn to the character Min-wook for his masculinity. He reflected, "Even after learning that Hee-won was pregnant with Doo-joon's baby, Min-wook still wanted to be with her. Initially, I thought, 'Is this believable?' but it was the most intriguing aspect." He continued, "I spent a lot of time thinking about how Min-wook could embrace even the pregnancy of a female friend."
When he struggled to understand Min-wook, Hong Jong-hyun found answers in the script. He explained, "There's a line where Min-wook says, 'Looking back, I don't think there was ever a moment I didn't like you.' I pondered this line and realized that because Hee-won was such a familiar presence, Min-wook didn't quickly recognize his feelings."
In his previous work 'Dear X,' Hong Jong-hyun portrayed a villain with a dark aura. He noted, "Even if I had played a similar character again, I would have enjoyed it. However, I secretly wanted to try something different, and I'm glad I encountered 'I Have a Baby' and the character Min-wook."
Through this unexpected role, Hong Jong-hyun discovered a new side of himself. He said, "Looking back at the characters I played in my 20s, they were mostly intense. I realized I enjoy filming genres like 'I Have a Baby' more than I thought." He added, "The comedic elements made the filming enjoyable, and I learned that a bright set atmosphere leads to a good project. I'd love to do another romantic comedy."
"I hope people recognize that 'Hong Jong-hyun can play such diverse characters.' This project sparked my interest in romance acting, and I hope to meet viewers in the melodrama genre in the future."
By Da-yeon Jeong, TenAsia Reporter light@tenasia.co.kr