SINGAPORE — Speaking to reporters can be exhausting.

Which would explain why Choi Jin-hyuk looked so sullen during his interview with journalists in Singapore.

The South Korean actor, who was in town with on-screen love interest Song Ji-hyo to promote their new romantic comedy series Emergency Couple, spent most of the interview staring at his shoes and answered only three questions during the 20-minute session at Pan Pacific Hotel on Thursday evening.

But if his cheerful and more forthcoming co-star is to be believed, Choi doesn’t always give the most accurate first impressions.

“We met for the first time on (popular Korean variety show) Running Man, and due to the nature of the show, we didn’t interact very much,” said Song, the only female member of Running Man. “When I first met him, I thought he was a very strong man with a bad-boy image and perhaps somebody who would be difficult to get close to.”

“But after I got to know him better, I realised he is actually very passionate and hard-working, and he loves what he does,” the 32-year-old added. “It was a great pleasure working with him.”

Choi’s first impressions of Song, however, seem to match her on-screen personality. “During the filming of Emergency Couple, I realised Ji-hyo is very friendly and true to herself,” said the 28-year-old, who has also starred in the popular drama series The Heirs. “She doesn’t force anything — that was my first impression.”

Perhaps it’s just a matter of getting enough caffeine?

Q: Ji-hyo, how would you rate Jin-hyuk’s comic talent?

Song: His previous roles were a lot more serious and very different compared with his role in Emergency Couple. I think some of the members of the audience might find it a little strange, seeing him that way. But he actually shares many similarities with the character he plays, Oh Chang-min. I think the role suits him very well. It was great working with a partner who helped to draw my character out as well.

Q: What was the greatest challenge you faced during filming?

Choi: I wouldn’t say this was the most challenging, but shooting a medical drama requires special knowledge. Even though our characters were just interns, it was difficult to look as if we knew medicine.

Q: Are either of you afraid of blood or needles?

Choi: No.

Song: I am afraid of sharp items, including needles. But we used so many medical instruments and needles in this drama, so that helped me overcome my fears a little. I think it was a good opportunity, even though we had a few injuries on set, during filming.

Q: There were a few kissing scenes. Was it difficult to be so intimate with each other?

Song: The drama begins with a huge fight — that is how the relationship begins, quite negatively. Gradually, the relationship progresses to love. We shot the series over three months, so it wasn’t very difficult filming intense fight or love scenes, because we weren’t involved in those scenes at the beginning. And it was good, because we both enjoyed shooting them towards the end of the production.

Q: Has this show changed your views on marriage?

Choi: You can see that divorce is an important issue in this drama series. I think it is a real social issue, and you can see that it’s quite common. That is why we see divorce featuring in many more dramas and movies. This show is about how a divorced couple falls back in love and reunites. I’ve seen a couple like that before and it made me think a lot.

Song: This drama begins with divorce, rather than marriage, and it leads back to love once again. It gave me opportunities to think about what it really means to marry someone. If you love someone, and are willing to commit to each other and take the responsibility that comes with being a spouse, then it shouldn’t lead to divorce. And even if it does, you really need to think if it is the right choice. Look at our characters — they got back together at the end. So one has to be a little more cautious when it comes to decisions about this.

Q: Gary (Ji-hyo’s other half on Running Man’s Monday Couple) did a cameo on the show. Whose idea was it?

Song: It was my idea. There was a very minor role in the script and it was not directed at Gary, but we were hoping he would take it. He happened to be in Singapore when I called him and he took the role right away. It was a very minor role, but he was very willing to participate and I am very grateful to him for that. I would also be happy to invite him to be a part of my next drama or production.

Q: How would you rate Gary’s acting?

Song: To be honest, Gary’s forte is singing and mine is acting, so I cannot really rate his acting. It would be like asking him to rate my singing! This particular scene was also very easy, and it was done so that Gary wouldn’t feel pressured. We tried to accommodate him as much as possible. I had a lot of fun having him on set.

Q: What was the most exciting thing that took place during filming?

Song: The chemistry between everyone on set — the directors, production crew and the actors — was very strong. Even though we had to live on set for three months and despite our lack of sleep, it was a really fun experience and I enjoyed working with every single one of them. Every moment was fun for me.

Emergency Couple airs every Monday and Tuesday at 10pm on channel M (StarHub TV Ch 824/mio TV Ch 518).