“Oh! Master” is the latest iQiyi original and exclusive Korean drama that everyone can watch on iQ.com starring Korean singer and actress Nana, and actors Lee Min-ki and Kang Min-hyuk.
In the drama, Nana plays the role of Oh Joo In, an actress while Lee Min-ki is Han Bi Soo, a thriller drama writer. The two find it difficult to fall in love until they live together in the same house.
Nana
Nana, who topped the list of the 100 most beautiful faces in the world and a member of K-pop group After School, plays the lead role of Oh Joo In, a popular romantic comedy actress, in “Oh! Master.”
On how she prepared for her role, Nana said, “When acting out a role, it is crucial for an actress to tap on the feelings she got from the initial script reading. So that the acting doesn’t come out as too exaggerated. This way, the viewers can understand the writer’s intentions.”
“I did my best to deliver Joo In’s heart-throbbing feelings to the viewers. Also, I’ve made efforts to portray both sides of Joo In – her glamorous life as a popular romance-comedy actress versus her ordinary everyday life,” she added.
Nana described her character as the “go-to actress for romance-comedy shows” but is inexperienced when it comes to romance. “She’s very filial to her mother, they share a special bond. Her cheerfulness and kind heartedness are what we have in common.”
“In the drama, Oh Joo In expresses love for different people. There is romantic love between a man and a woman. She is also a loving daughter to her mother. I believe that the two different perspectives of love shown by Joo In will give you the chance to rediscover the warmth of human relations,” she said.
Nana said, “‘Oh! Master’ isn’t just a romance piece, it’s a story about all kinds of love. I wish to convey the message of hope. I hope viewers will heal from wounds inflicted by other people.”
Lee Min-ki
Lee Min-ki gained popularity through the 2007 drama “Dal-ja's Spring” together with actress Chae Rim and actor Lee Hyun-woo.
This is the first time that he has worked with Nana and according to him, “When I first met her, Nana seemed shy of strangers. But once I got to know her, she couldn’t hide her bright and cute side, she has the innocence of a child.”
In the drama, he and Nana live together. When asked what his ideal roommate is, he said, “It would be a person who is well-balanced between individualism and altruism.”
About the drama’s message to the audience, Lee Min-ki said, “I’d say that the writer’s intention is to show that time spent not loving is time spent without purpose. I think it’s a great message.”
He said he was attracted to star in “Oh! Master” as it is “filled with optimism and warm-heartedness.”
On his character and himself, Lee Min-ki said, “The biggest difference is that I’m not the kind of person who can make belittling remarks to others as Bi Soo does.”
Lee Min-ki said “Oh! Master” is “different from others because it is a story of love in various forms of life.”
Kang Min-hyuk
Kang Min-hyuk is a member of pop rock band CNBLUE who has branched out into acting, appearing in dramas such as “My Husband Got a Family” and “The Heirs.”
In “Oh! Master,” he plays the role of Yu Jin, a close friend of Joo-in who is in love with her.
To prepare for his role, he said, “The scriptwriter asked me to portray my character as someone who is warm-hearted, caring and considerate. After giving it some thought, I concluded that I should portray Yu Jin as someone who’s always at ease.”
“Yu Jin only has eyes for his first love, Joo In, from the day he met her. He also has a heart of gold. You could say that his optimism is similar to my character,” he said.
He added, “Yu Jin is friends with Joo In. Even though he is in love with Joo In, he prioritizes Joo In’s well-being over his personal feelings. He stands by Joo In, and is her reliable pillar of strength. That’s what I like about Yoo Jin.”
Kang Min-hyuk describes Yu Jin as someone who “is motivated and handles himself confidently. His thoughtful and attentive nature makes him an attractive guy, plus he doesn’t bear grudges.”
This is also the first time that he has worked with Nana and said, “We had a blast working together, she brings such a positive energy to the set.”
He finished his military service in March 2020 and returned to acting after a three-year break.
“Before joining the cast of ‘Oh! Master,’ I filmed the drama ‘How to be Thirty,’ which allowed me to get back on track as an actor. That filming experience relieved my awkwardness and anxiety I felt from returning to the set for the first time after my military discharge,” he said.
To his fans, Kang Min-hyuk said, “I can’t wait to meet you all in person. But given the situation, I’m still glad and thankful that I can at least meet you all as Yu Jin.”
Viewers can access “Oh! Master” for free on iQiyi International’s website at iQ.com or through its mobile app which can be downloaded from the Apple Store or Google Play Store. For access to new episodes as they drop, viewers have the option to sign up for a weekly Standard VIP subscription at P49, or monthly Standard VIP account at P99 or a Premium VIP account at P249.