Actors Ju Ji-hoon and Jung Yoo-mi will showcase exceptional chemistry. tvN’s new weekend drama ‘Love on a Rickety Bridge’ (written by Lim Ye-jin, directed by Park Joon-hwa) premieres on the 23rd at 9:20 PM. Director Park Joon-hwa highlighted key viewing points for the drama.
‘Love on a Rickety Bridge’ tells the story of Seok Ji-won and Yoon Ji-won, born on the same day with the same name in rival families. They reunite after 18 years since they were 18. Ju Ji-hoon plays the role of ‘Seok Ji-won’, delicately portraying the complex emotions of first love and rivalry. Jung Yoo-mi plays ‘Yoon Ji-won’, a PE teacher known as the mad dog of Dokmok High, exuding her unique lovable charm.
Director Park recalled the casting story, saying, “I was curious about Ju Ji-hoon’s distinctive playful expressions. After meeting him, he was pure and cute, and he was often called ‘cute’ even during filming.” He added, “Jung Yoo-mi’s expressions and wit were much cuter and more lovable than I expected.”
What was the meeting like between Ju Ji-hoon, returning to romantic comedy after 18 years, and Jung Yoo-mi, returning as a romantic comedy queen after 10 years? The two intertwine contrasting emotions of first love and rivalry, offering unpredictable developments as past and present events intertwine. It captures their youthful high school days at 18 and their adulthood in their 30s.
Director Park said, “Through the affectionate memories and relationships of Seok Ji-won and Yoon Ji-won, it tenderly unfolds universal human relationships,” adding that their banter provides a crunchy texture of fun.
The intuitive setup of a third-generation arch-enemy relationship evokes laughter and empathy through the entangled connections. Will the conflicts and animosity between the two rival families be resolved as the two people fall in love again?
The healing romance to be illustrated by Director Park is also a key point of interest. “I received great healing from reading the script. I thought it might be the genre I can do best. I filmed it comfortably and with effort while healing,” he confessed.
He has shown a keen sense of direction with works like ‘Because This is My First Life’, ‘What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim’, and ‘Alchemy of Souls: Light and Shadow’. He has perfectly expressed heart-fluttering moments through direction in this work as well.
Director Park said, “Through the emotional line where comedy and romance blend well, it will provide healing to viewers,” predicting laughter and consolation through everyday, comforting stories. Additionally, the complex relationships surrounding Seok Ji-won and Yoon Ji-won increase the tension of the drama.
Math teacher Cha Ji-hye (played by Kim Ye-won) and student teacher Gong Moon-soo (played by Lee Si-woo) each have unrequited feelings for Seok Ji-won and Yoon Ji-won. The persistent feud between Seok Ji-won’s father, Seok Kyung-tae (played by Lee Byung-joon), and Yoon Ji-won’s grandfather, Yoon Jae-ho (played by Kim Gap-soo), is also a core element of the drama.
The faculty of Dokmok High also presents different charms. Various characters, including Vice Principal Kang Young-jae (played by Baek Hyun-joo), math teacher Maeng Soo-a (played by Jeon Hye-jin), and health teacher Hong Tae-oh (played by Kim Jae-chul), reveal diverse colors amidst the conflict between the two.
<Photo courtesy of tvN>
