May 2015

Florence, Italy

“Lean closer, Seohyun-sshi. Yonghwa-sshi, look into her eyes as if she’s the most beautiful girl in the world. Yes! That’s it. Great! Seohyun-sshi, try not to look so stiff. Relax. Lean on him. Yeah, that’s better.”

This was harder than I thought. Yong oppa was proud and didn’t miss a chance to show off that he’s been ‘acing’ these scenes whereas I continue to at it. I am doing my best to exude professionalism, but it’s proving to be the most difficult task I’ve faced since filming started.

It also didn’t help calm these butterflies whenever he’d ‘adlib’ some actions. Like, hand holding, a peck on the cheek, kissing my hand like a true gentleman, back hug, and every other skinship there is.

We had a quick break to change our clothes and reapply our makeup. My nervousness has increased tenfold because the only thing left is to start filming the four kissing scenes prior to the last (which is the wedding kiss).

The next nine hours were nothing short of a disaster…

“Yonghwa-sshi! Wait! Why did you kiss her already?! It’s not yet time! Alright, let’s take this scene again.”

“CUT! Seohyun-sshi, why are you closing your eyes already? It’s not yet time for him to kiss you.”

“Yonghwa, please stop staring at her lips for a moment and focus on her eyes.”

“Seohyun, you’re supposed to look at Yonghwa’s eyes while he’s saying his lines, not stare at his lips. Aigoo you two.”

“Seohyun, try to be more responsive. Don’t let Yonghwa do all the work. And Yonghwa, try not to be so eager to kiss her. Give her time to adjust. You’re a couple in love! I want to see that love translated into the kiss.”

“Wait! Yonghwa-sshi, why did you kiss her at once? She’s supposed to say her lines first!”

“Seohyun-sshi! You have to kiss him only AFTER reciting your lines, not BEFORE, DURING, and another one AFTER you speak.”

“CUT! That was too early.”

“Not yet! CUT!”

“You have to kiss him on the lips, Seohyun-sshi. Not his cheeks.”

“Just a little bit more to the right.”

“CUT! Yonghwa-sshi, it’s her turn to kiss you not the other way around!”

“That was too quick. Try to do it slowly this time, ne?”

“CUT! We only needed a five second moment to capture the kiss. You two can break apart now.”

“Try to kiss each other with more passion, ahrasseo? You aren’t rookies anymore. This isn’t your first time to film a kiss scene.”

“Yonghwa-sshi! CUT! I said with more passion, not aggressiveness.”

“CUT!! Seohyun-sshi, can you try to tone it down a bit? Let the kiss be romantic, not aggressive.”

After probably thirty two more NGs on top of the earlier seventy eight (yeah, I was counting; don’t judge), the director frantically waved his arms and caught our attention.

“Ok that’s too much! CUT! There isn’t a bed scene