Local actress Gladys Bay is set to star in the upcoming K-drama, Absolute Value of Romance. In a recent interview with AsiaOne, she shared her experiences during the filming process.

Absolute Value of Romance is a high school romance series that follows Yeo Eui-ju, portrayed by Kim Hyang-gi, who leads a double life as a student by day and a web novelist by night. The plot thickens when four attractive male teachers arrive at the school, sparking Eui-ju's inspiration and propelling her novel to success.

Gladys, 29, takes on the role of Jenny, a Singaporean exchange student who forms a friendship with Eui-ju. "She's a second-year student who adores K-pop and Korean culture. Beyond that, she's vibrant and carefree. When she sees her friends in distress, she goes above and beyond to assist them," Gladys explained, noting that she auditioned for the part.

In addition to working with Hyang-gi, Gladys had scenes with Cha Hak-yeon from Vixx, who plays math teacher Ga Woo-su, though she kept further details under wraps.

Having been an exchange student in South Korea herself, Gladys is familiar with the language. "During my four months there, I picked up the language fairly quickly since I was dancing with the locals, which allowed for more interaction with Korean people," she said. Represented by Mediacorp's talent management agency, The Celebrity Agency, she has previously acted in local dramas such as Under the Net and Highway to Somewhere.

Despite her basic proficiency, Gladys still considers herself a beginner: "My grammar isn't perfect, and I could improve my vocabulary. However, after shooting the K-drama, I've noticed my Korean sounding much better."

Cultural Differences

Gladys shared a humorous moment from behind the scenes of the drama. She explained how responding with a sound of agreement is common in English and Chinese, but not so straightforward in South Korea, where formal and informal speech is used. In a classroom, students must use formal speech when addressing their teachers.

She recounted: "In English or Mandarin, when someone tells me, 'You can sit here,' I typically respond with a sound like, 'Oh, mm.' There was a scene where the teacher introduced me as a new student and said, 'Okay, you can sit here,' to which I replied, 'Oh, mm.' From a South Korean perspective, my informal response as a student was quite surprising!" she laughed.

After the rehearsal, Gladys suggested including this blunder in the final scene, and the director agreed: "In South Korea, such sounds are considered informal. Responding with a noise like that isn’t respectful, but I felt it was relevant for an exchange student." She also attempted to incorporate Singlish into the show, but her Korean teacher deemed it "too informal."

Filming in South Korea for 2 to 3 Months

The drama is co-produced by Coupang Play, Mediacorp, Good Wave Inc, and Borderless Film, with all scenes filmed in South Korea. Gladys spent two to three months in Seoul, completing her scenes in January this year.

The journey to the filming locations often involved long drives: "We filmed in Seoul, Jeonju, and Buan. I lived in Seoul, so each week we would drive around four to five hours to Jeonju. Sometimes from Jeonju, it was another hour to Buan and then back to Seoul, which could take five to six hours during peak hours," she explained.

A memorable experience for her was shooting a scene in a hanok village during a chilly winter day. "As a Singaporean, I had never filmed in winter before. We had a scene where Jenny hosts a pajama party in a beautiful hanok village," she recalled. "It was delightful, but so cold! I loved the experience despite freezing!"

'It Inspired Me to Improve My Skills'

Absolute Value of Romance is set to premiere on April 17, and with the release date approaching, Gladys expressed her excitement: "Learning from another country and culture has significantly helped me enhance my acting and expand my skill set," she said.

During filming, she often found herself alone, with her manager and a staff member only joining her in the first and last week of the shoot. "I navigated the experience of being in a foreign country by myself, and I'm proud of that while thoroughly enjoying my time and learning a lot," she noted.

Her biggest takeaway? "The experience itself has contributed greatly to my growth as an actress. I feel that the way they express the language carries different nuances in acting. Their professionalism has motivated me to elevate my own skills," she concluded.