'Squid Game' star ventures into new territory with gender-bending spin on the rom-com formula
Actor Im Si-wan, whose resume includes defining Korean television hits, from the award-winning workplace drama "Misaeng" to Netflix's global phenomenon "Squid Game," is entering uncharted territory with his latest project: a gender-bending romance.
In tvN's upcoming series "Love in Disguise," Im stars as a wealthy chaebol heir linked to a murder investigation. His personal assistant is Jae-hee (Seorina), an undercover female detective on the case.
As an unexpected connection blossoms between the two, Yi-joon finds himself falling for his assistant while remaining oblivious to Jae-hee's true identity, believing he is developing romantic feelings for another man.
For Im, whose 14-year career spans diverse genres, the series marks his first foray into a romance driven by gender confusion and attraction.
"Because this was my first time exploring a bromance-centered storyline, I spent a lot of time reflecting on how to approach the genre," Im said during a press conference on Wednesday. "A past project actually came to mind. I remembered working with veteran actor (Sul Kyung-gu), who played a character deeply in love with mine."
Im was referencing the 2017 neo-noir crime thriller "The Merciless," which featured an intense bond between his character and Sul's.
"I wondered if he approached that film with a similar mindset and level of dedication. For me, taking on this dynamic felt like a completely fresh and exciting creative challenge," Im said.
Director Park Dan-hee noted that the series uses its unconventional character dynamics and mistaken identity tropes to examine emotional authenticity.
"None of our main characters fit conventional molds," Park said.
"We all wear masks in our daily lives, but I believe we truly strip those masks away in front of the people we love. At its heart, this is a story about two individuals who find healing and solace in one another as they face their emotional wounds."
Meanwhile, the role demanded a major physical and thematic transformation for co-star Seorina, who appears in her first full-fledged gender-bending romantic comedy. Since her debut in 2015, the actress has built a varied filmography in historical dramas, comedies and romances, the most popular of which were "Mr. Queen" and "Business Proposal." But playing a detective posing as a man required adopting both a masculine appearance and persona.
"It felt surreal when I first cut my hair short for the role, but it also signaled that I was fully ready to step into Jae-hee's shoes," Seorina said, admitting the physical change initially took an emotional toll.
"When I first looked in the mirror, I honestly felt a bit down. ... But then I realized, 'There's a side of Seol I've never seen before.' It became a fantastic opportunity for self-discovery," said the actor, who also goes by the name Seol In-ah.
Seorina added that letting go of conventional aesthetic expectations ultimately allowed her to inhabit the character more authentically.
"Rather than constantly viewing the short hair as a disguise to play a man, I chose to embrace it simply as an organic part of who Jae-hee is," she said.
"Love in Disguise" is set to premiere this Monday on tvN.
yoonseo.3348@heraldcorp.com