Kim Min-kyu on “first, For Love“: Finding the Perfect “first Love” Look & Learningโ fromโฃ Veteran Co-Stars
Seoul, Southโค Korea – September 12,โฃ 2025 – โRisingโ starโ Kim Min-kyu is โขcaptivating audiences โwith his role โฃas the charming and endearing Ryu Bo-hyun โin the TVN drama โข”First, For Love.” The series,โค which explores the complexitiesโ of second chances and finding happiness, has garnered praise โคfor its heartwarming story and โฃstrong performances – โคparticularly โMin-kyu’s. In a โขrecent โฃinterview, theโ actor โฃdiscussedโ his โคapproach to the role, the challenges of portraying “first love,” and the invaluable guidance he received from his esteemed co-stars.
“First,Forโ Love” centers around a single mother navigating life with her daughter,and the โunexpected connections they forge.Min-kyu’s character, bo-hyun, is โa young farmer who embodiesโค aโ gentle โคspirit and a captivating innocence, quickly becoming a fan favorite.โค
To authentically portray bo-hyun’s youthful โcharm, Min-kyu delvedโค into the concept of “first โคlove”โข itself. “I hadn’t experienced myโฃ own first love yet,” he admitted, “but Iโฃ thought it wouldโ be that feeling ofโฃ beingโ willing to โdoโ anything for thatโฃ person, even to the pointโ of sacrificing everything.” He also drew โinspiration from the experiences of friends,โ noting, “My hometown friends often say love is both โคa blessing andโค a mistake. I have โa friend who is still with his first โlove, and โthat gave me a lot to consider.”
The โคpursuit of the perfect visual representation of “first love”โ also played a role in his preparation. Min-kyu revealed he underwentโฃ a significantโ physical transformation,โฃ losingโ 13kg for a previous role in the web drama โ”Cheongdam International High School.” โข”The character in โฃthatโ drama wasโ supposed to be very lean and sharp, so I made โthe effort to achieve that look,” he โฃexplained.
Beyond physical preparation, Min-kyu emphasized theโ crucialโ role of director Yoo Je-wonโ in helping him embody Bo-hyun. “The director’s โvision was amazing,” heโค said. “He reallyโ understood the character, and he helped me to fullyโ immerseโข myself in โthe role. I’d heard โfromโ seniors that it’s not easy to work with Director Yoo, but the experience was โฃtruly โexceptional.”
Working โคalongside veteran actors Park Hae-jun and Yeom Jung-ah โproved โto be a masterclass in acting. โMin-kyu expressed his admiration for their dedication and authenticity. “They brought soโ much energy and conviction to their characters,” โคheโ shared. โ”I had ideas about how they might play โฃtheirโ roles, but โseeing them in โฃaction was even โคmore inspiring. I learned โคsoโข much just by โฃobserving them.” He recounted a particularly โtouchingโ moment where Park Hae-jun offered him guidance during a period of acting uncertainty, โขinviting