Many young South Koreans increasingly consider marriage a matter of personal choice and choose not to marry despite their parents' lamentation.

A new drama, "My Husband Oh Jak-doo," set to premiere Saturday on MBC, has taken the new social trend for a reality check.

The weekend series revolves around Han Seung-joo, a TV producer in her 30s, who decides to pretend to be married after going through as-yet-unspecified traumatic incidents. The producer, played by Uee, asks Oh Jak-doo, played by Kim Kang-woo, to move in with her, in an effort to protect herself from the social prejudice against single women.

"As society changes, we have more people living alone. The series will explore the life of a single woman who faces many difficulties while living alone in a big city," producer Paik Ho-min told reporters at a media event at the network's headquarters in Sangam-dong, western Seoul, on Friday.

(MBC)

"I hadn't thought about the matter seriously before producing the drama. But as I do now and have a daughter myself, I feel the matter more deeply ... the main character Seung-joo can be your colleague or your daughter. We will deal with the issue in a multi-faceted and delicate manner."

Uee, the idol-turned-actress, explained her character, the professional woman who never marries or finds true love, arranges with Oh the bizarre living arrangement out of necessity, but slowly finds out the true meaning of love.

The actress, 29, said although work had always taken priority over marriage in her real life, she now has a second thought about it.

"I had put more value on my work, but it changed while I was shooting the drama. I wouldn't want to hesitate or delay marrying if I meet the right person," she said. "For the past month, I found myself getting comfortable filming on set. I am sure that viewers can feel the same."

Saying the character Oh Jak-doo is a golden-hearted, innocent man who always tries to help others, the actor Kim said he hopes to see more "Oh Jak-doo" in real life.

"I think a drama like this has been rare recently. It is a fun drama that all family members can watch and enjoy together," he said.

Producer Paik said the upcoming series will be less dramatic than his previous dramas, such as "My Daughter, Geum Sa-wol" and "Jang Bo-ri is Here!" Despite their high ratings, the dramas were considered by some critics to carry preposterously contrived plots.

"This drama will deliver more socially important messages than my previous works, like why young people opt to lead a single life, and the misogynistic attitudes in some quarters of our society," he said.

"The story will resonate with many young Koreans who want to lead a single life despite social pressure against it," the network said in a statement. (Yonhap)