How K-Love of Viu Made a Difference to its Main Cast

Put creator Corinne Vistan, a former content producer for Marvel Studios, and Bobby Yan, a seven-time Emmy-award winner, together, and you...

Put creator Corinne Vistan, a former content producer for Marvel Studios, and Bobby Yan, a seven-time Emmy-award winner, together, and you'll be confident that a Viu Original series about Filipino middle-class K-drama fans, will be worth watching.

Of course, there would not be a series without the script of acclaimed writers Tweet and Tara Sering.

Corinna shared that K-Love is the first concept she pitched when she became Head of Content Development for Viu Philippines, “I came home from the US thinking all my friends were going to ask me about my experience working on Avengers Endgame, but all they could talk about was their fascination with Korean dramas! I realised that similarly, K-Dramas had their own set of hardcore die-hard fans. This world really interested me so I wrote the concept for K-Love.”

Mirroring these fans, K-Love centres on five friends and their stories: Tish, Jay, Shiela, Val, and Frances. One thing drives all of them despite leading various lives and facing various challenges – their love for K-drama. There is something about that moment, when they are engrossed in K-drama land and staring at the screen, that takes them out of the everyday tedium and makes them realise that their life may be just as interesting. They will learn how tightly connected and influenced by the world of K-drama their journeys are as they face the challenges of life, foster friendships, and experience “kilig” moments.

Iza Calzado, Jake Cuenca, Isabelle Daza, Sue Ramirez, and Gabby Padilla lead an all-star cast that walked the red carpet for the media conference and screening at the Greenbelt Cinemas last 8 October.

So, how did K-Love make a difference to these established Filipino thespians?

Iza: "I'm normally cast in very dark and serious roles in projects so that alone makes it very different." 

She describes K-Love as one of the most feel good sets she's been part of on and off cam.

Belle: "The script played a huge role in it. It was very modern. It's something that I think a lot of us can relate to. And, it's really easy to digest. It feels like something I haven't personally worked on." Like Iza, much of her filmography is made up of dark and heavy drama roles.

Jake: Like Iza and Belle, he admits to having been cast previously in a lot of dark roles.

"But that's the thing about Viu, it wasn't the stereotypical casting. They challenged themselves and they challenged us actors to do things differently. This isn't our forte but they made the set so fun, that before we knew it we were done and we're already missing each other." 

He adds that it is the first time for him to do an entire show in the English language.

Sue: "I think what's different in K-Love for me is how were shot. It is actually my first time being shot like that and given instructions like that. It's a totally different culture on the K-Love set compared to any of the projects I've done before. I've never worked on a set like this."

She further details that they were constantly being asked how the want to play their roles and approach the scenes. Sue felt like they were given the freedom and proper instructions on how to portray their roles.

Gabby: "I think the team really wanted to elevate the standards when they set out to do this and it shows. You can feel it on set. When we set out to do it on the first day, everyone was just so excited to get to work because everyone wanted to bring their A-game."

She shares that this is the biggest project she has been part of.

Mirroring these fans, K-Love centres on five friends and their stories: Tish, Jay, Shiela, Val, and Frances. One thing drives all of them despite leading various lives and facing various challenges – their love for K-drama. There is something about that moment, when they are engrossed in K-drama land and staring at the screen, that takes them out of the everyday tedium and makes them realise that their life may be just as interesting. They will learn how tightly connected and influenced by the world of K-drama their journeys are as they face the challenges of life, foster friendships, and experience “kilig” moments.

Aside from the characters, the team’s dynamics behind the scenes makes K-Love even more interesting.

Follow the K-squad for those “100% relate!” moments and feeling that only K-drama fans will understand. Don’t miss the premiere of this series streaming on 14 October with brand new episodes every Friday exclusively on Viu and simulcast in 16 markets across Asia, the Middle East and South Africa.

Download the Viu app now to watch your favourite Asian shows and K-Love for FREE! https://bit.ly/3S7XpmF

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