‘I bowed 100 times a day on set’: Singapore actress Gladys Bay makes K-drama debut

SINGAPORE – Singaporean actress Gladys Bay, runner-up of local talent competition Star Search 2024, is set to make her K-drama debut in Absolute Value Of Romance.

A co-production between South Korea’s Coupang Play and Singapore’s Mediacorp, the romantic comedy series premieres on Prime Video on April 17 and stars South Korean actress Kim Hyang-gi of Along With The Gods: The Two Worlds (2017) fame, Cha Hak-yeon of K-pop boy band VIXX and Kim Jae-hyun of South Korean rock band N.Flying.

It follows aspiring writer Yeo Eui-ju (Kim Hyang-gi), a seemingly ordinary high school student leading a secret double life as an anonymous web novelist. Her world is turned upside down when four charismatic new teachers arrive at her school and become unexpected muses for her stories.

Kim Hyang-gi (left) and Cha Hak-yeon in Absolute Value Of Romance.

PHOTO: PRIME VIDEO

In an interview with local Chinese-language daily Lianhe Zaobao, Bay said she discovered that filming etiquette in South Korea and Singapore differs greatly.

The 29-year-old, who recently starred in Mediacorp’s netball-themed drama Under The Net (2025) and road trip drama Highway To Somewhere (2026), added that on sets in Singapore, a simple hello or a nod and eye contact often suffice, but it was not the case on South Korean sets.

“I bowed 100 times a day on set – and that’s no exaggeration because there were 100 people in the crew, and they place great importance on such etiquette,” said the Mediacorp artiste.

In Absolute Value Of Romance, Bay plays Jenny, a 17-year-old student from Singapore on an exchange programme in South Korea.

In real life, the Nanyang Technological University alumna was an exchange student at Chung-Ang University in Seoul, so she is no stranger to the local customs.

As the only foreigner in a large cast, Bay said: “There are specific phrases for greeting people when arriving on set, for saying goodbye before leaving to eat, for before and after meals, as well as upon returning to the set and when wrapping up for the day. This is their culture, and I want to respect it.”

The role of Jenny, who is skilled in K-pop dance, seemed tailor-made for Bay, who is also a breakdancer and speaks Korean.

However, she said she secured the part through an audition – part of which involved recording a self-introduction video in Korean. When planning the content, Bay said she had a clear goal.

“I decided to project a youthful vibe and showcase my happiest, most carefree side because that’s exactly what the character is like.”

Bay, who is married to fellow breakdancer and Star Search 2024 finalist Marcus Sim, would dance with her co-stars during filming breaks, which caught the production team’s attention. Scenes were subsequently added to showcase her dancing skills.

“We went to rehearse, learnt the choreography from a dance instructor and danced to a song from the (show’s soundtrack),” she said. “I had a solo part because they knew I could do breakdancing; they said it was unique and decided to include it.”

Gladys Bay, who was from Nanyang Technological University, was an exchange student at Chung-Ang University in Seoul.

PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO

Bay, who started breakdancing in her second year of university, never imagined that her interest would one day pay off.

She added: “It’s like when I studied Korean. I didn’t think it would come in handy in Singapore, since I wasn’t planning to work in South Korea and didn’t have any Korean friends here. Through this K-drama, I’ve discovered that things will eventually come full circle.”

Bay was also not bothered about the size of her role, preferring to adopt a “glass half-full” mindset.

She said: “I see only the positive side. I was already so happy to be filming my first K-drama in South Korea. I looked forward to it every day and thought about how to perform better.”