Actress Jeon Do-yeon returns with Tving drama 'Crash Course in Romance'

By Kim Eun-jung

SEOUL, Jan. 9 (Yonhap) -- Actress Jeon Do-yeon is coming back as a lovely mom in the upcoming Tving drama "Crash Course in Romance," which follows people who deal with the fierce competition to get into prestigious universities.

The drama, directed by Yoo Je-won, behind rom-com "Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha" (2021), revolves around private academies, called hagwon in Korean, where students are in tough competition to enter elite universities. Their parents are also involved in helping their children get on top of the game.

Jeon plays Nam Haeng-seon, a former national handball player who now operates a side dish shop and tries to support her daughter in high school.

Jung Kyung-ho stars as well-known math instructor Choi Chi-yeol, who has an eating disorder and regularly visits Nam's shop.

The 50-year-old Jeon said she sympathized with the story about a mother who sacrifices herself for her family.

"I once asked whether the story surrounding the competition for college entrance exams was based on true stories. It was a new world that was hard to believe," Jeon said during an online press conference Monday.

The Cannes-award winning actress, who has appeared in several acclaimed films, said she was drawn to the bright character but felt the burden of playing a role unfamiliar to her.

"When I was offered to play my first bright character in a long time, I had many thoughts about whether I could do this well," she said. "I thought it would be the kind of drama that would allow viewers to discover unknown parts of me."

Jung plays the math instructor who looks perfect and cold, but is warm and friendly at other times, similar to his sugar-and-ice personality seen in drama series "Hospital Playlist" (2020-21) and the film "Men of Plastic" (2022).

"I watched video clips of star instructors to learn their teaching styles," Jung said. "Writing on a blackboard was one of the difficult parts, as I had never done it before."

The first two episodes of "Crash Course in Romance" will air on Tving on Saturday and Sunday.

ejkim@yna.co.kr
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