Ju Ji Hoon Praises Ha Ji Won as His On-Screen Wife in ‘Climax’: “She Softens Even the Most Tense Moments”

On March 10 at 2 p.m., the production press conference for ENA’s Monday–Tuesday drama Climax (written by Lee Ji Won and Shin Ye Seul, directed by Lee Ji Won) was held at The Saint in Guro District, Seoul.

Climax tells the story of Bang Tae Seop, who rises to the top of South Korea’s power cartel, and the people surrounding him. The series has already drawn attention for pairing Ju Ji Hoon and Ha Ji Won as a married couple.

When asked about their romantic chemistry, Ju Ji Hoon explained that the drama portrays a more realistic relationship rather than a youthful romantic story.

“We’re no longer in our early twenties we’re adults,” he said. “There might be fresh romantic comedy–style melodramas out there, but a real married couple isn’t always happy. They fight, but they also trust each other and keep weighing the feeling that ‘this person won’t betray me’ until the very end. While acting out those emotions, I definitely received a lot of help from Ha Ji Won.”

Ju Ji Hoon also expressed gratitude toward his co-star for handling the many intense scenes in the drama. He noted that her experience and calm demeanor made the filming process smoother.

“There were many rough situations, but she’s such a veteran that she handled them so well. In situations that could easily become tense, she has this ability to make people feel comfortable from the morning as soon as they arrive on set,” he said. “When she’s on set, everything becomes softer. Watching her, I learned that even difficult scenes can be prepared without becoming overly tense.”

Ha Ji Won responded warmly to the praise and reflected on her own experience working with Ju Ji Hoon.

“I’ve done romantic comedy–style melodramas before, but this is my first time doing such an intense melodrama,” she said. “I think it worked even better because my partner was Ju Ji Hoon. He’s very cool and honest, and our acting chemistry was great.”

She added that their collaboration felt natural because they trusted each other during scenes.

“We accepted each other’s ideas without hesitation, so acting together was really fun. Even when the takes themselves weren’t particularly entertaining, we matched well emotionally in scenes where our characters argue or confront each other.”

Meanwhile, ENA’s new Monday–Tuesday drama Climax is scheduled to premiere on March 16 at 10 p.m.

Sources: Nate