If You Don't Get That K-Drama Kiss Right, Try, Try Again

It's not an easy job being an actor but it does have its perks. For one thing, there are kiss scenes with attractive co-stars that have to be filmed, sometimes for hours. Recently filming Gu Hye Sun's kiss scene with Ahn Ja Hyun for "Blood" lasted three hours. Shown on April 7, it was the first kiss scene in the drama's 16 episodes so they had to get it right.Recently filming Gu Hye Sun's kiss scene with Ahn Ja Hyun for "Blood" lasted three hours. Shown on April 7, it was the first kiss scene in the drama's 16 episodes so they had to get it right. Ahn Jae Hyun's vampire doctor character had no experience dating let alone kissing humans. So he was expected to be inexperienced at kissing. The actors joked around about doing a good job then followed the director's careful guidance on making the kiss scene look convincing.

Three hours is a long time to kiss anyone so hopefully they felt comfortable while perfecting that kiss. It's not the only k-drama kiss that took so long to film. Kim Jae Joong and Go Sung Hee kissed for three hours to capture a few minutes of romance onscreen when they filmed "Spy." And they were outside on a chilly day filming in the snow. Kim Jae Joong also once said that kissing Wang Ji Hye in "Protect The Boss" required more than 50 takes. And it was not easy for Lee Min Ho and Park Shin Hye in "The Heirs"' The couple's kiss scene on the roof of the drama's high school also took three hours to film. It wasn't just a kiss scene but it indicated an important turning point in their relationship. So, it needed to be perfect. And Lee Min Ho's real-life girlfriend also got some prolonged kissing experience on set.

When miss A's Suzy Bae filmed "Big" with Gong Yoo, he kept missing his lines and laughing right after kissing her. After 20 different takes, he joked that he was tired and wanted to "get it over with" fast. Looking perfect on screen does not mean the kiss scene did not take work. The perfect "snow kiss" scene between Ji Chang Wook and Park Min Young passed by in a few heart-fluttering minutes but the "Healer" actors spent almost two hours filming the actual scene. The crew filmed it from various angles to make the most of the snowy day setting. On the other hand, sometimes actors are just too good at kissing for their own good. When Son Ye Jin filmed a kissing scene with her drama husband Ha Suk Jin for a scene in "Shark," it only required one take. The chemistry between the actors was so impressive that the director approved it on the first try. Both Son Ye Jin and Ha Suk Jin laughed and said they were disappointed.

‘Blood’ Made Some Progress But Still Came In Last With Ratings

According to the ratings report from Nielsen Korea, the KBS2 supernatural medical drama “Blood” experienced a 0.6% increase in ratings for the episode which aired on Tuesday, April 7. "Blood" came in at 5.0%. However, this slight increase in viewership was not enough to deliver “Blood” from its third place spot against primetime juggernauts “Shine or Go Crazy” and “Heard It Through the Grapevine.” Ahn Jae Hyun and Gu Hye Sun have demonstrated their continued commitment to “Blood,” which may have yielded higher ratings for the drama.

The uptick in viewers for “Blood” was likely attributed to the bonding which occurred between the series key characters Park Ji Sang (Ahn Jae Hyun) and Yoo Ri Ta (Gu Hye Sun) during episode 15, which aired on April 6. Ji Sang and Ri Ta shared a sweet embrace, as Ji Sang channeled the conflicted vampire persona of Edward Cullen while waxing poetic about his lack of humanity and his desire to experience true love. Fans were rewarded with a sentimental and sweet kiss between the protagonists during April 7 episode, contrary to the push and pull dynamic of the series. Ahn Jae Hyun and Gu Hye Sun have demonstrated their continued commitment to “Blood,” which may have yielded higher ratings for the drama.

Beyond the romantic subplot, the medical horror of “Blood” continues to escalate, as the dynamic quartet of ethical physicians face the harsh reality that Ward 21 has been partially infected by the vampire virus. While “Blood” continues to be a hit with viewers outside of Korea, the MBC period drama “Shine or Go Crazy” led Nielsen Korea viewership ratings with 13%. Jang Hyuk's "Shine or Go Crazy" concluded on a positive note, after leading the recent ratings war during its 24 episode run. The series will be followed by the period drama "Hwajung," which stars Cha Seung Won, Kim Jae Won, and 5urprise's Seo Kang Joon. The KBS melodramatic chaebol parody “Heard It Through The Grapevine” placed second 11% of viewership, according to Nielsen Korea.