What began as an awkward, high-pressure first shooting day has since grown into an unlikely and enduring friendship between Arci Muñoz and Korean actor Kang Donggun, proving that the real story behind Sweet Escape goes far beyond its romantic scenes.
At the gala premiere of the independent film, one of the entries in the 8th Sinag Maynila Film Festival, Muñoz and Donggun revealed that although the movie was filmed back in 2023, their connection has remained strong long after cameras stopped rolling. Their reunion at Gateway Mall in Cubao on Thursday night offered a glimpse into a partnership built not only on professional chemistry, but also on mutual admiration and cultural exchange.
Set against the scenic backdrop of Bohol, Sweet Escape casts Muñoz and Donggun in an enemies-to-lovers story, but off-screen, the two stars said their rapport developed naturally from the moment they met. For Donggun, that connection began even before he landed in the Philippines. After passing his online audition, he immediately looked up Muñoz and familiarized himself with her body of work.
He said he wanted to understand the actress he would be working with and came away impressed by what he saw on screen. When he finally met her at the Bohol airport, however, his first impression was far more disarming. She seemed, he recalled, like a cute and gentle girl. But it did not take long for that impression to evolve. Once filming began, Donggun said Muñoz instantly showed the depth of her talent, leaving him amazed by her command of the role and her presence as an actress.
Their first day on set, however, was anything but ordinary.
Instead of easing into the production with lighter scenes, the two were immediately thrown into one of the film’s most emotionally charged moments — a kissing sequence that came close to the story’s climax. Donggun admitted he was nervous. Director Rommel Ricafort had mounted an ambitious long take, with multiple cameras and a drone capturing the scene, requiring the actors to sustain emotion and intimacy for several minutes.
The pressure was high enough already, but the situation became even more memorable for a completely unexpected reason: after the long take was completed, the team discovered that the scene had not actually been recorded.
According to Donggun, the cameraman realized only after the director called “cut” that the record button had not been pressed. The result was an immediate return to position and a second attempt at the same extended kissing scene. Recalling the mishap, the actor could only laugh, turning what could have been an embarrassing on-set disaster into one of the production’s most unforgettable stories.
For Muñoz, though, the moment was never difficult to handle. She said working with Donggun felt easy because he was professional, respectful, and generous as a scene partner. With the guidance of the director, she said, they were able to navigate even the most delicate sequences smoothly and focus on telling the story truthfully.
That ease on set, it turns out, laid the foundation for a friendship that continued well beyond the film.
Muñoz shared that whenever she visits South Korea, Donggun makes time to help her around and even serves as a kind of personal guide. In one memorable moment, she said, he personally drove her to places associated with BTS, knowing how much she enjoys Korean pop culture. He even surprised her with BTS posters as gifts, a gesture she clearly remembers with fondness.
In return, Muñoz has made sure Donggun experiences a very different side of the Philippines whenever he is in town. She introduced him not just to the usual tourist stops, but to her own world — bars, gigs, and the local metal scene she loves. Laughing, she recalled bringing him to one of her gigs and immersing him in a nightlife atmosphere that may have come as a surprise to the Korean actor.
She even gave him a taste of one of her personal favorites: Red Horse. By her own amused account, the strong local beer may have shocked him, but it also became part of the fun and spontaneity that now define their friendship.
That dynamic — one actor opening the door to K-pop landmarks, the other ushering a co-star into the gritty energy of Manila’s music scene — has given their partnership a texture rarely seen in ordinary promotional interviews. It is not just a case of two leads saying they got along on set. It is a story of two artists from different cultures who found common ground through curiosity, humor, and shared adventure.
Now screening in select Metro Manila cinemas as part of the Sinag Maynila Independent Film Festival until March 29, Sweet Escape is being revisited not only as a romantic indie film, but also as the project that sparked a friendship still thriving years later. Produced by RR Entertainment Production, the film may sell a love story on screen, but its most charming revelation may be the one that happened behind the scenes — where a misfired camera, a first-day kiss, K-pop detours, metal gigs, and a bottle of Red Horse helped turn co-stars into genuine friends.