“Professor” Lee Bong-ryun on “Resident Playbook” Romance: “I Also Married Through Workplace”
On May 20, actress Lee Bong-ryun sat down for an interview in Gangnam, Seoul, to discuss the conclusion of tvN’s weekend drama Resident Playbook*, which aired its finale on May 18.
Lee played the role of OB-GYN professor Seo Jung-min, a character known for her dramatic transformation from a “devilish boss” in March to the “Professor of the Year” by December.
When asked why she thought the drama was so popular, Lee joked, “First, the residents’ growth arc is compelling. But let’s be honest it’s also thanks to the workplace romance between Gu Do-won (Jung Joon-won) and Oh Yi-young (Go Youn-jung).”
She added with a laugh, “If Seo Jung-min were real, she’d totally know about their relationship. Even in the script, there’s a line from an OR staff member saying the couple was obvious. Do-won wasn’t exactly subtle about it.”
Touching on the topic of office romance, Lee got candid: “It’s not just something that happens in dramas. People fall in love with colleagues in real life too. I married an actor myself.” She was referring to her husband, Lee Kyu-hoe, whom she met through theater.
“Ours wasn’t even a secret relationship,” she revealed. “My husband couldn’t hide his affection, while I was completely clueless at the time. I was so focused on theater, I didn’t notice. Our friends ended up pushing us together.”
The couple recently appeared in the same episode of Netflix’s When Life Gives You Tangerines. Lee Kyu-hoe played a groom in a memorable family gathering scene, while Lee Bong-ryun portrayed a head nurse. “I honestly didn’t know we were in the same episode until people pointed it out,” she said.
Lee expressed that they find it more enjoyable when people take longer to realize they’re a couple. She shared that they always support each other’s work, choosing to offer encouragement rather than criticism, since they’re already well aware of their own shortcomings.
Their quiet, mutual respect speaks volumes, showing that behind the scenes, their strongest role is being each other’s biggest fan.
