(From left to right) Lee Min-ho, Kong Hyo-jin, Han Ji-eun and Oh Jung-se during a press conference for their series 'When The Stars Gossip,' January 9, 2025. Photos courtesy of NetflixIn depicting the lives of people aboard a space station, the sci-fi romantic comedy series “When The Stars Gossip” integrates the illusion of zero gravity, making it essential for the characters to appear as though they are constantly floating.

Achieving this effect required the show’s cast to perform while suspended from wires in nearly every scene. Despite the physical demands, lead stars Kong Hyo-jin and Oh Jung-se agreed that the experience was a “great memory,” emphasizing the fun and camaraderie that came with filming in such unconventional conditions.

“We had to be hanging from a wire in almost every scene, which was quite physically demanding. But looking back at this point in time, I think it was a great memory,” Jung-se told ABS-CBN News in a recent roundtable interview with select local press.

Premiering on January 4 on Netflix, “When The Stars Gossip” follows Gong Ryong (played by Lee Min-ho), an obstetrician-gynecologist whose ties to a powerful conglomerate family lead him to embark on a journey to a space station while harboring a hidden agenda. 

As he ventures beyond Earth, Ryong meets Eve Kim (Hyo-jin), a seasoned astronaut in charge of his mission, and the two begin to develop a complex romantic connection. 

However, Ryong’s feelings are complicated by his engagement to heiress Choi Go-eun (Han Ji-eun). Adding to the tension is Kang Kang-su (Jung-se), Go-eun’s ex-boyfriend who is a scientist at the station.

Jung-se, known for starring in the romance series “It’s Okay to Not Be Okay,” likened filming the space scenes to “a group activity.”

“We were all hanging at once and all down on the ground at once. We had to wait for the commander (Hyo-jin’s character) to go to the bathroom because we had to take bathroom breaks at the same time,” Jung-se said.

“Since we spent a whole year filming together, we developed a very strong and tight bond and all of us castmates had a great time,” he said.

Kong Hyo-jinMeanwhile, Hyo-jin said she found it funny how “we all had different ways of taking a rest while we’re on the wires.”

“Somebody rested while upside down like a bat and it was just so funny watching them do that,” recalled Hyo-jin, whose past works include popular dramas like “The Master’s Sun,” “It’s Okay, That’s Love,” “The Producers” and “When the Camellia Blooms.”

“I have evidence of that, pictures and videos on my phone and I’m thinking of uploading it... Anyway, all of it was such a great memory,” she added.

“When The Stars Gossip” also showcased a refreshing side of Min-ho, with fans noting the actor’s portrayal of a character from a humble background — a stark contrast to his more popular roles. The 37-year-old actor is often remembered for his portrayal of wealthy heirs, as seen in “Boys Over Flowers” and “The Heirs.”

Lee Min-hoDifferentiating Ryung from his previous roles, Min-ho said: “Gong Ryung does a lot of running because he has to busily run around, trying to adapt to every place because he wants to succeed so desperately and he has so many things that he should earn.”

“Whereas when I played somebody from a wealthy family, I rarely had to run. I would run, like, once throughout the show in the most intense moments, because most of the time I’d be very calm and laid back,” he said.

Regardless of the social background of his role, Min-ho approaches each character with the same level of commitment.

“I just have to focus on my emotions and try to gather the emotions that I have, and try to get into the character's headspace because each character has their own unique story,” he explained.

In a universe where Ryung and Eve find love among the stars, the question arises: could Min-ho also fall in love with someone while beyond Earth?

“I think if you spend a lot of time together in a confined space, you can fall in love. If you spend a lot of time together in an unfamiliar, new environment, you can fall in love. If you spend a lot of time together under extreme conditions, you can fall in love. And space qualifies all of the three conditions so yes, definitely, you can fall in love,” he said.