K-Love: Meet the cast of Viu’s new series inspired by K-drama phenom
MANILA, Philippines — K-drama is love and life in the new Viu Original series K-Love that starts streaming this Oct. 14.
The pan-regional OTT platform’s “Filipino series made for South Korean drama fans” is backed by critically-acclaimed Hollywood filmmakers. These are series creator Corinna Vistan, a Marvel Studios executive who has worked on such movies as Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and Doctor Strange, and cinematographer Ian Takahashi whose previous credits are James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad 2, Ron Howard’s Hillbilly Elegy, among others.
Forming part of the team are former Summit Publications editor-in-chief Tara Sering and Palanca-winning author Tweet Sering, script development execs Lea Dizon (formerly with Walt Disney Studios), Katherine Visconti (writer on Kiefer Sutherland’s Designated Survivor, CBS’ FBI and NBC’s Chicago PD), fashion stylist Pam Quiñones for the wardrobe, and Bobby Yan, a seven-time Emmy winner as producer and editor of MLB Tonight on MLB Network, as series director.
K-Love, as per synopsis, draws inspiration from the “anatomy of K-dramas,” and tells the story through five K-drama fans from different walks of life and how their love for K-drama becomes a way for them to find their own happy ending.
All-star cast
The newest Viu Original is topbilled by Iza Calzado as Tish, Isabelle Daza as Shiella, Sue Ramirez as Val, Gabby Padilla as Frances and Jake Cuenca as Jay. The STAR recently had an exclusive interview with the lead cast to talk more about the romantic comedy-drama.
According to Sue, her character Val is the least K-drama fan among the characters. “She plays Gab’s roommate and bestfriend, and another special role that you will eventually find out when you watch our series. She’s a ‘fake-it-till-you-make-it’ type and she will never ask help from anyone, kahit kay (Frances), she will do it on her own and she knows she can achieve it,” she said.
“My takeaway from my character is we are all human and we will get much, much farther in life if we accept assistance and help from people who want to help us.”
Isabelle, on the other hand, is Shiella, a mom who becomes an influencer. “(She’s) a very stark contrast to her bestfriend Tish (Iza) who chose her career, whereas (my character) chose to be more at home and raise kids. I just love that she was very loyal to her friends and how she felt. And she would always say her own truth and I thought that was really powerful.”
Jake is Jay, a Singapore-based entrepreneur who comes home to the Philippines to resolve an issue and fix the family business. On his homecoming, he meets again Tish, whom he has had feelings for since they were in high school.
“Actually, they should wait for the final episode because it’s something else, when we go back to the flashback,” the actor shared with a laugh.
One thing he learned from playing his character is “when an opportunity presents itself, you have to go ahead and take it. Or someone else will. Someone else waiting in the back in the line will get it from you and he’s just right there. So, when love is staring back at you, you have to go and take it.”
Iza’s Tish is career-driven. “I don’t know if that’s a conscious decision or if that’s just really how life happened for her. But a health scare prompted her to really become more driven in her 30s. So, she founded her own PR and marketing firm, and she’s the alpha female in that part of her life,” began the 40-year-old star, who’s currently pregnant with her first child.
When it comes to her character’s personal life though, Iza pointed out that she would always settle and wouldn’t voice out her real desires.
“I feel that she didn’t even confront that really, even with her parents or family. She wasn’t as alpha as she was at work, maybe because at work she could control things, and these were things she felt she couldn’t really control,” she said.
Tish clearly resonated with Iza because “before, ganun din ako, oo lang ng oo. It was also later on in life that I learned how to verbalize what I want and to not be afraid to speak up. In relationships, some of my boyfriends before, including my husband — don’t say otherwise (laughs) — it’s true, it happened but only the opposite, role reversal lang.
“In my personal life, I’m more alpha but in my career before, oo lang ako ng oo. When I was younger, I didn’t feel I had a voice, control or input. That’s why it’s such a big deal for me when you’re collaborating on set, when you have a say, when they ask you things because I grew up just saying yes to projects, yes to things, instructions, deals, because I had to take it. Like Tish, I learned to become more empowered as I got a little older.”
Gabby, meanwhile, takes on the role of Frances, whose key relationships in the series are with her roommate Val and boss Tish. “It’s through her bad days that she also learned the joy and the world of K-drama. She is in search of different things — love life, her own passions and own plans in life,” said the actress, who last appeared on Viu via the musical mini-series Still.
“She has a very idealistic view of how things should unfold and what I learned from Frances is that no matter how much you have planned and have everything figured out, along the way, there will be surprises.”
Power of K-Drama
Though their characters are hardcore K-drama followers, in real life, K-Love became a baptism of sorts for most of the stars into this content that has won over not just Filipino, but global viewers in general.
Sue, who recently starred in ABS-CBN’s The Broken Marriage Vow, the Philippine remake of the hit K-drama The World of the Married, which streamed on Viu, is perhaps the only one that is a certified K-drama fan. She said it has helped her cope with personal problems.
“Marami akong naitawid na problema through watching K-drama. It’s true!” she admitted. “Kaya siya kinakapitan ng marami, hindi naman sa nawawala ka sa sarili mo, because nababaling yung attention sa mga bagay na maganda.”
She further explained, “Of course, with K-dramas, sometimes meron din naman masasakit na mangyayari, pero pagnanonood ka, you’ll realize that it’s possible to tell tragic stories in a beautiful way. Even if the K-drama you’re watching is heavy, parang ang gaan pa rin sa pakiramdam. Whenever I feel like I’m in a bad mood, it’s so easy now to feel better with K-drama.”
Isabelle, for her part, has a newfound appreciation for Korean storytelling after the making of K-Love. “You just see how they really are so proud of their culture, their food, their locations. So, I appreciate the K-drama more and understand now the devotion of fans.”
Same with Isabelle, Jake doesn’t have much of a “relationship” with K-dramas, however, he’s into Korean cinema. He used to study a lot of these Korean films and roles to find things he can apply to his own approach to acting.
“It’s made an impact in my career,” he said. “But certainly now, I understand (K-drama) a lot more. At the same time, I understand why the phenomenon is there and why fans really love them, and it’s because they found a way to show the world their culture, the truth. They found a way to introduce themselves to the world in a very intimate and personal way. I think that’s where they succeeded and that’s why the whole world loves them. It’s because they know them more personally, more intimate.”
Iza couldn’t claim to have watched that many K-dramas as well, but she has seen enough to respect them. She even remade some K-content with Jake.
But she acknowledged the power of K-drama in helping endure certain struggles in life. “For my character, she was struggling in her personal life. (She had) a heartbreak. Personally, the first K-drama that I completed, I was struggling, fighting for my life — COVID,” she recalled.
“So when Sue said that (K-drama can help you get through difficulties), kaya siguro ako nabuhay because of it. Hahaha! Because I was just watching that. Every day, I was getting weaker, pinapanood ko lang talaga siya because it was easy to watch. I was just looking forward to something even at that very critical time in my life. Right after the hospitalization, I watched another. So, yeah, you kind of relate to it. I guess it’s just finding the right material also.”
For Gabby, what she has realized from doing a show directly inspired by K-dramas is not to rule something out until she tries it. “It’s so easy to be dismissive or even to belittle something that you don’t really understand,” she said.
“A lot of people have that notion, especially when it comes to K-drama. But like a lot of things, if you give it a shot, you’d be surprised you’re missing out on a lot of beautiful experiences. And these are experiences that you can share with your friends or your family, and thankfully, I have K-Love to (learn that).”
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