The Red Sleeve star Lee Se-young says bath scene with topless Lee Jun-ho was her favourite but she couldn't fully enjoy it

Being in a steamy bath with 2PM's Lee Jun-ho and his chocolate abs may be a dream come true for many.

But Lee Se-young told AsiaOne she has some regrets when it came to that particular scene in the duo's new period drama The Red Sleeve.

Unfortunately, the 28-year-old actress wasn't feeling her best during filming.

"The filming of that scene had to be called off as I wasn't in a great condition when we were halfway in. I felt apologetic towards Jun-ho as he had put in a lot of effort to prepare his physique for that scene," Se-young revealed.

The scene takes place in the sixth episode and in what was eventually telecast, court maid Seong Deok-im (played by Se-young) and Crown Prince Lee San (Jun-ho) end up bickering adorably while he takes a bath. One thing leads to another and Deok-im falls in, setting the scene for a romantic moment between the two.

[embed]https://www.instagram.com/p/CXA3xK_pnIy/[/embed]

We also get some gratuitous shots of Jun-ho's well-defined abs — the product of a strict chicken breast diet and some last-minute push-ups before the camera started rolling.

Despite her difficulties filming the scene, Se-young named it as her favourite to film, and we totally get it — it was also one of our favourites to watch.

As for Jun-ho, 31, his favourite scene to film was the pair's first time meeting as adults in a library.

He explained to AsiaOne: "The livelier we act, the more enjoyable the scene is. That being said, our scenes have always seemed enjoyable."

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxgcLOTZB48[/embed]

With the sizzling chemistry between the two and the endearing banter between their characters, it's all too easy for us to get accustomed to the sweet moments. But there'll definitely be some tears in store because the drama is based on a novel which tells the story of ill-fated lovers King Jeong Jo and Royal Noble Consort Uibin Seong.

In fact, Se-young confessed that she "couldn't stop crying" when she read the book.

"Even after I finished reading it, it lingered with me for a very long time. At that same time, I thought I should make sure that viewers can also feel this lingering feeling."

Jun-ho, too, shared that he relates to his character's struggle to choose between duty and love.

"Just like Lee San in the drama, I don't think I can give up on any of the two," he said.

Nevertheless, the stars shared that it's not all doom and gloom on set.

[embed]https://youtu.be/6UNCInK4gi4[/embed]

For Se-young, things are kept lighthearted thanks to some good old-fashioned ribbing from her cast mates.

As she's been acting for over 24 years since she was a child, her colleagues jokingly call her their "senior", she told us.

"When that happens, I would just try to keep the atmosphere amicable by playing along with them."

Junho also shared that he tries not to carry the weight of his sadder scenes with him once they are over, adding: "The atmosphere of our film set is generally a comfortable and enjoyable one. Hence, I have always been able to go through the filming with a smile on my face."

The Red Sleeve is streaming on Viu.