5 minutes with Jung Soo-jung, Chae Soo-bin and Jang Ki-yong of Netflix’s Sweet & Sour

Named after the Korean’s favourite childhood chewy candy, Netflix’s Sweet & Sour starring Jung Soo-jung, Chae Soo-bin and Jang Ki-yong is an honest portrayal of all those adulting struggles disguised as a romance.

“I want to talk about romance in real life, but not only that, I want to give out the message that love as much as you want,” said director Lee Kang-byeok during the press conference. And when asked about his first thought on the movie’s title, Jang Ki-yong defined it as an emotional roller coaster, “It’s always a very sweet note at first and it changes flavour.”

Chae Soo-bin’s Da-eun and Jang Ki-yong’s Jang Hyuk are no different from any other couples who are at the start of their career and adulthood juggling and pursuing all the things they love in a mundane life. The sweet and tangy relationship comes to a junction when Jang Hyuk is dispatched to a remote job location, and all those hassles of everyday life catalyse the issues between them until they’re no longer on the same page.

At the same time when the bitter aftertaste of their relationship unfolds, Jang Hyuk at the very competitive new workplace where he desperately wants to prove his worth, comes across Jung Soo-jung’s Bo-yeong, a girl who knows what she wants and is not afraid to get them. “Bo-yeong is a chic girl with this very goofy side,” said Jung Soo-jung, “She is very frank with her own emotion, it’s like nothing intimidates her.”

Sweet & Sour delivers a very realistic portrayal and in that sense, tell us about those lovable and not so lovable traits of your character.

Chae Soo-bin: Da-eun is very considerate of others and she cares a lot about how others feel. But her biggest weakness is that she is not honest about her own emotion. She couldn’t be honest to herself as well as to the people around her. 

Jang Ki-yong: Jang Hyuk is sweet, kind and very honest to himself. He tends to become neglecting of his loved one when life is filled with hustles and I think that makes this character's flaw.

Jung Soo-jung: I love Bo-yeong’s candour. While for her not that lovable traits, I actually haven’t thought so much about that. [laughs] I think it’s because my character is so in love with herself.

In this story of falling in and falling out of love, which character do you relate the most to?

Chae Soo-bin: I relate the most to Da-eun, and I think the scenarios that Da-eun is put in resonates with a lot of people too. However, I don’t think I will make the same choices and decisions as her. 

Jang Ki-yong: It was Jang Hyuk when I was preparing for my character as a lot of my actual self is reflected into (the character). But while we were bringing this story to life, I could find myself in Da-eun and Bo-yeong's shoes.

Jung Soo-jung: I think I would have to say the same that I can relate to all the three characters. In scenes where Da-eun and Jang Hyuk are fighting, I am always on Da-eun’s side and I really understand where she’s coming from.

What taste do you think love is?

Chae Soo-bin: I think…sweet and sour. [laughs]

Jang Ki-yong: I would say, danjan, which is an expression we often use for salty and sweet.

Jung Soo-jung: Samgak kimbap! There are so many tatses in this triangle kimbap we often eat but you will never know what are the ingredients inside unless you unwrap it…the Jeonju Bibimbap which has all the tastes in it is my favourite flavour. [laughs]

Watch Sweet & Sour now on netflix.com.