From left to right: 'Wedding Impossible' stars Kim Do-wan, Jeon Jong-seo and Moon Sang-min. Photo from Kim's Instagram account

MANILA — A common cliché in romance stories featuring the “rich guy-poor girl” relationship is the antagonistic mother, who usually exhausts all means to get rid of the lover that she deems unsuitable for her son. 

But in the South Korean series “Wedding Impossible,” a conglomerate heir and his supposed bride face an unlikely obstacle: his younger brother. And such a story, according to lead star Moon Sang-min, is what sets the show apart from other romantic-comedy titles.

“Usually it’s the mother-in-law who opposes the marriage, right? But in our drama, it’s the younger brother-in-law who opposes it,” Sang-min said in a recent interview with ABS-CBN News.

“That fact adds an interesting dynamic to the relationship between the two men and one woman. I think just that alone makes viewers curious. So I really hope you watch it. That is a big selling point,” he added.

“Wedding Impossible,” which premiered last February on Prime Video, tells the story of Na A-jung (played by Jeon Jong-seo), a relatively unknown actress who is offered a fake marriage by her longtime friend Lee Do-han (Kim Do-wan), a wealthy heir with a secret.

However, complications arise when Do-han’s ambitious younger brother, Lee Ji-han (Sang-min), enters the picture, attempting to thwart the marriage for his own reasons.

“[The characters] engage in a hilarious and suspenseful romantic mission,” said Sang-min, who won best new actor at last year’s Baeksang Arts Awards for his role in the period drama “Under the Queen’s Umbrella.”

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Sang-min described his chemistry with his co-stars as “perfect.”

“In fact, Do-wan and Jong-seo made me feel very comfortable. I was quite nervous myself, but Do-wan really treated me like a real brother and Jong-seo took good care of me even when we weren’t filming,” said the 23-year-old actor, the youngest of the three leads.

The on-screen connection between the three actors was formed through their off-camera interactions during the show’s filming. “We would play the mafia game in the waiting room and we worked hard to develop our acting skills,” Sang-min recalled.

“Through that, we naturally became close. During filming, in fact every moment was enjoyable,” he said.

“Working with Do-wan and Jong-seo taught me a lot about the various approaches to acting. I think that experience naturally helped me grow as an actor,” he added.

Talking about his first impression of Sang-min, Do-wan said, “He seemed like a calm and composed person.” 

“But as I got to know him, I realized that he’s actually quite playful and affectionate. I didn’t know he had that side to him,” said Do-wan, known for supporting roles in the dramas “Start-Up,” “My Roommate is a Gumiho” and “Doona!”.

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Jong-seo, meanwhile, thought Sang-min "would be very affectionate.” 

“I thought he would be the type of person who is very cute. But he’s not like that. He’s rather solitary and somewhat masculine. Unexpectedly, he has that side to him,” the actress said.

“Wedding Impossible” also comes off as a breather for Jong-seo, whose notable projects — such as the Korean adaptation of “Money Heist” and the film “Ballerina” — typically fall under the action and crime genres.

“I think action and noir are more difficult. I think there were a lot more fun moments (in ‘Wedding Impossible’) since we were filming while laughing and listening to funny stories. I think, as an actor, I really liked how we were able to film in a happy atmosphere,” she said.

Asked what viewers should watch out for in the series, Jong-seo said, “I think the points to look out for in this drama are not only the incredibly charming romance between Ji-han and me, but also the entertaining friendship chemistry with Do-han.”

“I think the fun of this drama is watching the intertwined relationships among these three people,” she added.

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