First day, first kiss: Arci Muñoz, Kang Dong-gun spill ‘Sweet Escape’ on-set surprise

The “Sweet Escape” stars open up about their awkward first meeting, instant chemistry, and real-life bond.

They had barely said hello, and suddenly, they were kissing.

On the very first day of shooting “Sweet Escape,” Arci Muñoz and Kang Dong-gun were thrown into what most actors would call a nightmare scenario: a long, emotionally loaded kissing scene with a co-star they had just met at the airport hours earlier.

“And then our director shouted, ‘Cut!’ While I was asking her, ‘Are you okay?’ we heard the cameraman say, ‘Oh my God! You didn’t push the recording button!’ It was just a joke, of course,” Kang told reporters during the premiere of the romantic drama directed by Rommel Ricafort.

The moment quickly turned into the ultimate icebreaker for Arci and Kang, setting the tone for a film built on spontaneity, vulnerability, and two strangers figuring things out as they go, on and off screen.

From awkward airport introductions to unexpected chemistry

“Well, we’re both professionals, and he’s a gentleman. We had Direk Rommel to guide us through all of the scenes, so I’m just really happy that I was able to pull it off,” Arci added.

“Because the first time I met him was when he fetched me at the Bohol airport. That was a short intro before we started shooting the following day. And the first couple of scenes were, you know, the sweet segments.”

What began as a whirlwind introduction soon evolved into something far more genuine. Before they even met, Kang had already done his homework, looking up Arci’s past projects and noting her strength in drama. But nothing quite prepared him for the transformation he witnessed in person. 

At the airport, she struck him as simply “a cute girl.” The next day on set, she was something else entirely. “My goodness,” he recalled. “She’s amazing.”

That contrast—between first impression and full-on performance—became the foundation of their dynamic. From near-strangers navigating an intense first scene, the two gradually built a rhythm that extended beyond the camera.

Off-screen, the connection only deepened. Arci would later tour Kang around her world—from local hangouts to the Philippines’ metal scene—introducing him to experiences far removed from his usual “gentleman” roles in Korean dramas. Yes, that included making him try Red Horse beer.

He didn’t mind. In fact, he liked it.

In return, Kang embraced Arci’s love for Korean culture, even going as far as driving her around Korea to visit spots tied to BTS and surprising her with merchandise. It was a full-circle moment for Arci, a longtime fan who suddenly found herself living out a K-drama-adjacent reality.

From an almost-missed first kiss to shared inside jokes and cross-cultural adventures, what started as an awkward, high-pressure introduction quietly turned into a friendship that feels as natural as the story they’re telling on screen.

And in many ways, that story isn’t far from their own.

Finding a sweet escape through travel and connection

For Arci, the idea of a “sweet escape” isn’t just a plot device but a way of life. The actress, who has long embraced travel as both passion and perspective, sees escape as a form of learning. “When you travel, you learn about culture,” she shared. “You see the world, you experience different things. For me, that’s the sweetest escape.”

It’s a sentiment that mirrors Kang’s character, a man searching for freedom and a new beginning in an unfamiliar place. After more than two decades in the Korean entertainment industry, the actor admitted he was drawn to the film’s quiet longing—for change, for connection, for something real.

“I like that he escapes to the world,” Kang said of his role. “He finds a new life. He wants freedom… and finally finds real love.”

Set against the natural beauty of Bohol—which Arci proudly calls home—the film becomes more than just a romantic backdrop. It’s a refuge, a meeting point, and perhaps even a character in itself, where two people, both carrying their own burdens, find clarity in each other.

For Arci, stepping into this role felt almost serendipitous. Known among fans as a longtime lover of Korean culture—from dramas to food to music—she admitted that the connection may have played a part in landing the project in the first place. When people think of a Korean drama fan in the Philippines, she joked, she’s often part of that conversation.

That enthusiasm translated naturally into her performance, but it also shaped her experience off-camera. Working alongside Kang wasn’t just another role—it was, in many ways, a lived version of the stories she had long admired. And with a co-star who fully embraced her fangirl moments—driving her around Korea, indulging her love for K-culture—it made the journey feel even more personal.

In a way, Arci wasn’t just acting in a cross-cultural romance—she was living one, in her own uniquely unscripted way.

 

 

Because the first time I met him was when he fetched me at the Bohol airport. That was a short intro before we started shooting the following day. And the first couple of scenes were, you know, the sweet segments.

Arci Muñoz

 

 

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