Lee Sung Kyung and Chae Jong Hyeop launch the buzz around their upcoming MBC weekend drama series "In Your Radiant Season," which is planned to air on Feb 20, through a photoshoot and interview featuring information on the characters and the atmosphere on set from the actors themselves. The series tells the story of two individuals whose encounter transforms their respective "seasons."
"In Your Radiant Season" is about Sunwoo Chan, performed by Chae Jong Hyeop, who, as they say, enjoys every day as though it were summer, and Song Ha Ran, who, in contrast, emotionally seals herself off, boasting that it has been winter in her life, as portrayed by Lee Sung Kyung.
Speaking about what drew him to the project, Chae Jong Hyeop explained his initial impression of the script in an interview highlighted by Soompi. Before sharing his exact words, he reflected on how the title itself stood out during the selection process.
"I was charmed by the power of the drama's title and metaphor. The logline, 'What season of life am I passing through right now?' felt like it was asking a question about my own life," he said.
Lee Sung Kyung also discussed her reasons for joining the drama in the same interview. Introducing her comments, she described how the story's structure went beyond a conventional romance.
"Rather than just a simple story about love, it's a drama that carefully builds from the bottom up why these two people must meet each other. It's a project that satisfied my need for something that is drama-like," she said.
When addressing their characters, Lee Sung Kyung offered further detail on Ha Ran's emotional state, as reported by Esquire Korea. Setting context for her remarks, she described Ha Ran's defensive nature.
"My role Ha Ran is a figure who has put up an extremely solid protective barrier in order to defend herself. To others, that may seem pitiful, but to Ha Ran, it was a method of survival," she said. She added, "Chan is the person who saw Ha Ran beyond that protective barrier, and he tries to pull her out from there."
Chae Jong Hyeop expanded on Chan's inner conflicts in comments shared via Naver. Introducing his explanation, he focused on the character's emotional wounds. "Chan has issues with his memories, and the process of the clues tied to those memories being revealed is a core narrative of the drama. Chan has wounds, but he is a person who acts brightly so as to not reveal that pain," he said.
The two actors also spoke about their real-life chemistry on set. Lee Sung Kyung noted their contrasting personality types, saying, "I'm an ENFJ (Myers-Briggs Type Indicator), with an extroverted personality, so it is a perfect fit with actor Chae Jong Hyeop's INFJ personality." Chae Jong Hyeop added praise for his co-star, stating, "Lee Sung Kyung noona has incredibly healthy energy. The moment she appears, the set atmosphere becomes lively."
The full interview appears in the February issue of Esquire, ahead of the drama's premiere.
Read more: Chae Jong Hyeop, Kim Soo Hyun's New Romance Drama 'Is It a Coincidence?' to Air in THIS Month
