Kim Seon-ho, Go Youn-jung lead Netflix rom-com about love lost in translation
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"In particular, Mu-hee and Ho-jin have contrasting ways of speaking: Ho-jin uses a 'language of straight lines,' marked by concise and sharp words, while Mu-hee speaks in a 'language of curves,' using longer, more elaborate expressions. This contrast in their modes of expression is one of the key points to watch."
"Deep in Mu-hee's heart is the simple message, 'I like you,' but Ho-jin doesn't understand unless it's stated directly. It's a story about two very different people meeting and learning to understand each other."
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Netflix Korea is ambitiously opening the year with a project that pairs star power with proven creative pedigree. The streamer's latest original brings together Kim Seon-ho, Go Youn-jung and the Hong sisters, the hit screenwriting duo behind K-drama staples such as "Hotel Del Luna," in a love story topped with the sharp romantic banter that has become the writers' trademark.
Titled "Can This Love Be Translated?," the 12-episode series follows Ho-jin (Kim), a professional interpreter fluent in four languages, including English, Japanese and Italian, and Mu-hee (Go), a breakout film star grappling with anxiety over the fragility of her fame. Ho-jin is hired to accompany Mu-hee on her overseas shoots, acting as her translator as she works across multiple countries. The story gains momentum during Mu-hee's filming schedule in Japan, where she participates in a dating reality show.
The series may inevitably draw comparisons to the 2003 Hollywood film "Lost in Translation," which follows two Americans (Scarlett Johansson and Bill Murray) who meet in Japan and form an emotional connection amid language and cultural barriers. But Netflix stresses that the series has no connection to the hit film.
Positioned as a reflection on modern relationships, director Yoo Young-eun emphasized the K-drama's theme of miscommunication and crossed signals at a press conference in Seoul on Tuesday.
"The story unfolds on the premise that everyone has their own language," Yoo said. "Just as each country and nationality speaks a different language, there are times when love feels like speaking different languages because everyone expresses it so differently," she added.
"In particular, Mu-hee and Ho-jin have contrasting ways of speaking: Ho-jin uses a 'language of straight lines,' marked by concise and sharp words, while Mu-hee speaks in a 'language of curves,' using longer, more elaborate expressions. This contrast in their modes of expression is one of the key points to watch."
"Deep in Mu-hee's heart is the simple message, 'I like you,' but Ho-jin doesn't understand unless it's stated directly. It's a story about two very different people meeting and learning to understand each other."
Given that dynamic, casting was central to the project. Yoo described both leads as essential to the series' emotional balance, particularly pointing to Kim's restraint as a key asset for the role.
"Because Ho-jin is such a neat and understated character, delicate and detailed emotional acting is essential, and that was an area where I felt I could trust Kim completely," she said.
"What I realized while filming was that whether it was comedy, romance, or even moments of cold rationality, he expressed everything so well that I felt he's an actor who can do it all."
Attention at the press event also centered on the Hong sisters, among the most recognizable names in Korean television writing. The project marks a return to straightforward romantic comedy for the duo after a run of fantasy-driven works, and the shift has fueled anticipation among viewers.
"When I read the Hong sisters' script, I felt they were writers who create warm and lovable characters and stories," Yoo said. "We had many conversations while working together, and as a director, it was a pleasure to work while looking at the fairytale-like, pure perspective and sensibility that the writers bring."
Beyond its cast and creative team, the series is also positioned as a visual travelogue. "Can This Love Be Translated?" was shot on location in four countries, Korea, Japan, Canada and Italy, with each setting tied closely to the characters' emotional journey.
"When choosing the filming locations, I wanted viewers to feel as though they were traveling along with the characters," Yoo explained.
"We selected spaces with distinctly different emotional tones, aiming to find places that would function not merely as backgrounds but almost like characters themselves, breathing and resonating with the emotions of the people within them."
"Can This Love Be Translated?" premieres on Netflix on Friday.
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