"I'd give our chemistry 120 out of 100!" — Gong Myung
Choi Sooyoung and Gong Myung team up for an offbeat romance that encourages viewers to say goodbye to alcohol and hello to healing. In Let's Quit Drinking, Sooyoung plays an alcoholic mechanic, and Gong Myung stars as her alcohol-averse first love.
🍷 A Sober Love Story Begins
tvN's new Monday-Tuesday drama Let's Quit Drinking (written by Myung Soo-hyun and Jeon Ji-hyun, directed by Jang Yoo-jung) held its press conference online on May 7. The cast and crew—including Choi Sooyoung, Gong Myung, Kim Sung-ryung, Kim Sang-ho, and Jo Yoon-hee—joined director Jang to introduce the series.
The rom-com follows Han Geum-joo (played by Sooyoung), a heavy drinker trying to win back her first love, Seo Eui-joon (played by Gong Myung), by going sober. The drama blends health and romance into one heartwarming narrative.
Sooyoung portrays Geum-joo, a car mechanic at a major corporation. "She turned to alcohol to survive in a male-dominated industry," Sooyoung explained. "She can't even fall asleep without drinking."
🎭 Method Acting… with a Shot of Realism
Director Jang praised Sooyoung's performance, saying, "She could even mimic the unique aftertaste of each liquor. The 'kya' sound she made after drinking was always different—it's the best alcohol acting I've seen in Korea."
Sooyoung credited years of observing her Girls' Generation members. "Each of the eight members has a different drinking style. That helped me bring realism to the role," she said with a laugh.
She even suggested using beer instead of water in a hangover scene. "Honestly, watching myself made me think I really need to stop drinking," she joked.
🩺 The Return of 'Seo-wEET-joon'
Gong Myung plays Eui-joon, the head of a rural health clinic—a gentle, smart, and emotionally reserved character adored by the local elders, who call him "Seo-nim."
While Gong Myung usually plays bold characters, this role is a shift. "Unlike me, Eui-joon hides his feelings. I'm usually very straightforward in love," he said. "I focused on expressing emotions through tone and facial expressions instead of dialogue."
He hinted that Eui-joon's emotional backstory will unfold in later episodes. "There's a moment in the second half that's deeply moving—I even teared up while monitoring it," he said.
After back-to-back first-love roles, including "Ramwoo" in My Last 7 Days, Gong Myung joked, "I'm thinking of making 'first love' my thing now."
💞 Sparks Fly On and Off Screen
The key charm of the show lies in the chemistry between Sooyoung and Gong Myung. "We span high school, college, and our 30s together in this show," Sooyoung shared. "It was really meaningful."
Gong Myung added, "It was such a relief to have someone like her by my side. I leaned on her a lot while filming, and I think that energy shows on screen."
The drama also highlights Geum-joo's quirky yet warm family dynamics—with her mom (Kim Sung-ryung), dad (Kim Sang-ho), and sister (Jo Yoon-hee).
Director Jang noted, "Sooyoung and Yoon-hee were like real-life sisters. I didn't even need to direct their scenes—they were that natural. But their sisterly bond might just make viewers crave a drink," he joked.
Even the set atmosphere was all laughs. "We were always snacking on the prop food and chatting like a real family," Sooyoung said.
🎬 A Drama with a Message
Why a story about quitting alcohol? Director Jang said, "I wanted to tell a light-hearted yet sincere story about the risks of drinking—and how to heal from obsessions and emotional wounds."
He added, "This drama isn't just about alcohol. It's about finding comfort and letting go of pain. I hope viewers find healing and relief after a long day."
Sooyoung concluded, "At first, viewers might wonder if we're encouraging drinking or not. But by the middle of the show, the message becomes clear. Stick with us till the end."
Let's Quit Drinking premieres May 12 at 8:50 PM KST on tvN.
[Photo Credit: tvN]
