Park Shin Hye And Lee Jong Suk Worked Together Twice Before 'Pinocchoo'

Drama lovers think of Park Shin Hye and Lee Jong Suk as the actors who became a couple in the drama "Pinocchio." But the actors' friendship started before that. They actually worked together twice before the drama. The first time they met was to work on an advertising campaign for  a popular fashion brand.

 "We first met for a promotional shoot of a fashion brand in 2013," said Park Shin Hye in an interview in the April edition of InStyle magazine. "At the time Jong Suk was filming "I Hear Your Voice."

Lee Jong Suk noticed then that Park Shin Hye was a skilled model. But she worried that she would not look good standing next to him as she had a tan and he was pale. Dressed in the brand's sporty clothes, they made a wholesome couple, photogenic enough to attract the attention of casting directors.

Six months later the actors met for another photo shoot and a televised interview. Lee Jong Suk was shy about the idea of doing a televised interview but having Park Shin Hye by his side made him feel secure. She noticed how shy he was. Then they were paired up for the drama "Pinocchio." Having previous experience working together made it easy for them to develop a sweet onscreen camaraderie.

She played Choi In Ha, a woman with Pinocchio syndrome, which meant she could not tell a lie without hiccupping. He played Choi Dal Po, her adopted brother. He needed to find out the truth behind the lies that ruined his real family. The characters grew up together, were friends and fell in love. They were so considerate and supportive of each other that viewers cared about their relationship. The drama was a success. At the SBS Drama Awards, the show earned seven awards, including the Best Couple Award for Park Shin Hye and Lee Jong Suk.

The actors also became better friends while filming together. At the Drama Awards Lee Jong Suk was asked if he and Park Shin Hye were affectionate even when the cameras were not rolling.

"Yes," he said.

So it's interesting that before the drama began Park was not sure that she and Lee Jong Suk would make a believable couple. She still wondered whether they would look good together and  would complement each other.

But they suited each other more than was expected.

To read more of the interview, check out the April edition of InStyle magazine.