Actor Hong Jong-hyun Opens Up About His Unique Approach to Love

Actor Hong Jong-hyun recently shared insights into his personal approach to romance.

On the 23rd, Hong Jong-hyun met with reporters at a café located on Dosan-daero in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. During the meeting, he discussed various aspects of the Channel A drama 'There's a Baby' (directed by Kim Jin-sung), which concluded the previous day.

'There's a Baby' is a romantic comedy that follows the story of Kang Doo-joon (played by Choi Jin-hyuk) and Jang Hee-won (played by Oh Yeon-seo), who become entangled after a one-night stand, despite believing marriage was not in their plans. Hong Jong-hyun played the role of Cha Min-wook, a deputy manager in the sales team of Taehan Liquor.

Min-wook is Hee-won's 'guy friend' of 15 years. He remains by her side as a long-time friend but eventually realizes his feelings for her are more than just friendship.

Hong Jong-hyun expressed both empathy and frustration with Min-wook's prolonged unrequited love. He stated, "Min-wook is not very aware of his own feelings," adding, "In reality, I might also have a long-standing crush on someone, but I think I would realize my feelings and confess faster than Min-wook."

However, Hong Jong-hyun admits that he also takes his time when it comes to confessing his feelings in real life. He explained, "When I meet someone and build a relationship, there comes a point where I notice certain traits about them. If I start to develop feelings, I express them," while clarifying, "I don't fall for someone just by looking at their photos on social media or at first sight."

His style of confessing is quite different from Min-wook's straightforward approach in the drama. Hong Jong-hyun said, "When I start to like someone romantically, I'm not the type to pick a day and boldly say, 'I like you! Let's date.' Instead, I increase the frequency of our meetings and expressions of affection. It becomes obvious, and that's when I carefully bring it up."

Regarding friendships between men and women, Hong Jong-hyun shared his personal view that "they can exist but not forever." He explained, "If even one person develops feelings, the friendship can't be maintained, and even same-gender friendships aren't eternal. They can last for a certain period, but their longevity depends on the limits of the two people involved."

By Da-yeon Jeong, Ten Asia Reporter light@tenasia.co.kr