“Love in the Moonlight” stars Park Bo Gum, Kim You Jung, Jin Young, Chae Soo Bin, and Kwak Dong Yeon have come together for the September special covers of fashion magazine ELLE Korea!
First aired in 2016, “Love in the Moonlight” was widely loved for its beautiful hanbok, picturesque Korean scenery, and heartfelt portrayal of young love and growth.
Reuniting for the drama’s 10th anniversary, the cast dressed in hanbok and posed in a traditional Korean house for the first time in years, creating a magical moment where the past and present seemed to beautifully meet in a single frame.
Reflecting on the reunion, Park Bo Gum said, “Everyone looks exactly the same as when we first met. I’m really happy that we could put on hanbok again and capture who we are today. Even the weather is similar to when we were filming back then. Back then too, whenever we all got together, there was always so much laughter.”
When asked what his character Crown Prince Hyomyeong/Lee Yeong meant to him personally, Park Bo Gum recalled a line from the drama: “There’s a line You Jung says in the drama: ‘Who knows if the memory of being loved can become the strength that carries you through your whole life?’ Because so many people loved Lee Yeong, I’ve been able to keep walking forward with that strength.”
He also shared a heartfelt message for his co-stars: “Thanks to you, my youth—and our youth—was able to shine so beautifully. I hope we can all continue to shine brightly, like moonlight.”
Kim You Jung, who played the lovable and spirited Hong Ra On at just 17 years old, expressed her affection for the character, saying, “The name ‘Ra On’ itself is a pure Korean word meaning ‘joyful.’ Like her name, she was a character who shared warm affection with the people around her, and the feelings I experienced through Ra On were also a deep, heartfelt warmth.”
Looking back on the biggest change she has experienced over the past 10 years, Kim You Jung said, “I’ve gained a strength that feels truly my own. I’ve found the courage to face difficult situations more proactively and to willingly keep moving forward.”
To her younger self, she offered this advice: “My mother once told me, ‘If you endure, you’ll eventually find yourself where you need to be.’ Enduring doesn’t necessarily mean simply getting through difficult times. It means continuing to live your own life and do what you need to do, whether you’re having fun or going through a hard time. I’d like to tell the younger us that we don’t need to look too far ahead or become impatient.”
Jin Young spoke about the part of himself he hopes never to lose after a decade in the industry: “I don’t want to lose my love for people. I simply like people, spending time together, doing things together, and sharing things. I think it would be really sad if one day I stopped enjoying that.”
To his four longtime co-stars, he added, “Let’s stay together for a very, very long time. At first, we met through work, but maintaining a relationship for 10 years by keeping in touch, sharing parts of our lives, and supporting one another isn’t easy. I’m happy that we managed to do it.”
Chae Soo Bin, who played Jo Ha Yeon, a woman who boldly chose her own heart when it came to love, said that she now draws courage from her character. “Ha Yeon wasn’t someone who stayed stuck simply because she wasn’t loved. I remember her as a bold woman who chose her own life and had the courage to move forward,” she said.
If she could say something to her younger self, Chae Soo Bin said, “You’re doing well, you’ll continue to do well, and you’re living well. I think I always worked hard without worrying too much, but looking back, I was actually constantly anxious. In the end, none of those things were as big as they seemed, so I just want to tell myself that I’m doing a good job.”
Kwak Dong Yeon, who recently enlisted in the military, laughed and said he would tell his 20-year-old self, who had been working relentlessly, “Don’t be scared!” He continued, “Back then, I acted in every project and every scene as if it were the last of my life. I think that mindset ended up putting too much pressure on myself. If I had been more confident, I might have been able to show even more sides of myself.”
To his four fellow actors, he jokingly added, “I’ll be doing my part to protect the country until early 2028, so don’t worry and go after your dreams to your heart’s content.”
The covers featuring Park Bo Gum, Kim You Jung, Jin Young, Chae Soo Bin, and Kwak Dong Yeon, along with the full pictorial and interviews, will be available in ELLE Korea’s September special edition.
Also watch a short clip from their shoot below:
Binge-watch “Love in the Moonlight” on Viki below!
