"We Got Married," the Korean reality show that pairs up celebrities to meet the challenges of married life, has gone global. And that may help change the way Koreans view inter-cultural marriage.
In the global version, celebrities have to adapt to more than each other's personalities, they also have to adapt to another culture.
The first international edition pairs 2 PM's Taecyeon, who appeared in "Dream High," with Taiwan's Wu Ying Jie, also known as Gui Gui. She starred in the Taiwanese dram "Summer Fever."
Wu speaks English, Japanese and Chinese, while Taecyeon is fluent in English. Both Taecyeon and Wu started their careers as idols and moved into acting.
During a press conference for the show, Wu was asked who her favorite 2PM member was. Without a pause, she said it was Nichkhun. After hearing his TV-wife's reply, Taecyeon acted as if he was outraged and everyone laughed.
"I am really happy to be collaborating with Taecyeon," said Wu.
When Taecyeon asked her "What about Nichkhun then," Wu said she was just joking.
"I love Taecyeon oppa the most," she said.
F.T. Island's Lee Hong Ki, who played Jeremy in "You're Beautiful," "marries Japanese actress Fujii Mina, who appeared in "The King of Dramas." Fujii speaks fluent English and Lee speaks some Japanese, having starred in the Japanese drama, "Muscle Girl."
Fans love the Korean version of the variety show because they get to see their favorite celebrities in comfortable settings. But some netizens say this edition also has the potential to positively influence public opinion on the subject of inter-cultural marriages, which are occasionally frowned on in Korea.
Both Taecyeon and Lee Hong Ki were eager to appear in the reality show and especially to have the chance to "marry" someone from another country.
"I have always wanted to get married to a foreigner," said Lee at the press conference. "There were even times where I imagined myself to be getting married. Although it is make-believe, it feels pretty interesting to be experiencing married life in reality. When I heard that 'We Got Married' was going global, I immediately accepted the offer to appear in it. If it was just the normal 'We Got Married,' I would most probably not appear in it."
You can tune into the global edition of "We Got Married" on dramafever.com, as well as Hulu and Hulu Plus.