In a recent interview and pictorial for Elle Korea magazine, Park Hyung Sik and Park Shin Hye talked about starring together in JTBC’s upcoming drama “Doctor Slump”!
“Doctor Slump” is a romantic comedy about two former rivals who reunite and unexpectedly become each other’s light during the darkest period of their lives. Park Hyung Sik plays Yeo Jung Woo, a star plastic surgeon whose thriving career suddenly falls into danger due to a strange medical accident, while Park Shin Hye will play Nam Ha Neul, a workaholic anesthesiologist suffering from burnout syndrome.
Notably, “Doctor Slump” marks Park Shin Hye’s first acting role in three years. When asked how she felt about her return to the screen, the actress replied, “Every time I start a new project, I always feel a little nervous, and I think it’s pretty much the same this time.”
As for what drew her to “Doctor Slump,” Park Shin Hye recalled, “Because it’s a story that seems it could happen in everyday life, I enjoyed reading the script and found it very comfortable from the very beginning. Since my job involves meeting and interacting with lots of people, I felt even more affection for Ha Neul, who struggles and feels insecure within her relationships with other people.”
“I think burnout syndrome can happen to anyone,” she continued. “Even if someone seems fine on the outside, they may not feel okay on the inside.”
Park Hyung Sik similarly remarked, “First of all, I related strongly to the subject matter of going through a slump.”
“In our society where everyone is working hard to survive day to day, I thought the story could be meaningful,” he noted. “I hope that by watching our drama, people will be comforted by the idea that ‘It’s not just me; everyone is living like that.’ I was especially drawn to ‘Doctor Slump’ because it felt so human.”
Park Shin Hye and Park Hyung Sik previously worked together 11 years ago, when they starred in the hit drama “Heirs.”
When asked if she’d noticed any changes after reuniting with Park Hyung Sik for “Doctor Slump,” Park Shin Hye revealed, “Back [when we were filming ‘Heirs’], Hyung Sik was really busy. There were times when he would come straight to the filming set from the airport, and I was really amazed at how he managed to memorize all his lines amidst his busy schedule and how he never once frowned [on set].”
She went on, “His personality is still as great as ever. He’s good at accepting other people’s opinions, so I felt really comfortable working together with him.”
Meanwhile, Park Hyung Sik shared, “2013 was the busiest year of my life, with ‘Real Men,’ touring, appearing in a musical, and more. Back then, I was so busy focusing on my own acting that I think I was only able to properly watch [Shin Hye]’s acting this time around, and I was so impressed. She’s able to suddenly whip out emotions as if she’d pressed a button, but nothing feels mechanical about it in the least. I learned a lot from watching her.”
“Doctor Slump” will premiere on January 27 at 10:30 p.m. KST.
