Netflix romantic comedy 'Mr. Plankton' takes viewers on a road trip around Korea

What starts off with a dramatic circumstance transforms into a heartfelt exploration of love and life, as well as Korean culture and stunning scenery in the upcoming Netflix romantic comedy series "Mr. Plankton."

From left, actors Woo Do-hwan, Lee You-mi and Oh Jung-se pose for a photo during a press conference for Netflix's romantic comedy series ″Mr. Plankton″ held in Mapo District, western Seoul, on Monday. [NEWS1]

What starts off with a dramatic circumstance transforms into a heartfelt exploration of love and life, as well as Korean culture and stunning scenery in the upcoming Netflix romantic comedy series "Mr. Plankton," an "adventure that you won't regret watching," according to its cast and director.

“The series is a work that is not only entertaining and full of excitement but also, by the end, has touching moments that can unexpectedly bring a lump to your throat, and poses questions for viewers to think about,” actor Oh Jung-se said during the series’ press conference held in Mapo District, western Seoul, on Monday.

Directed by Hong Jong-chan, who was behind the Netflix series “Juvenile Justice” (2022), and written by Jo Yong, who wrote the tvN series “It’s Okay to Not Be Okay” (2020), the upcoming Netflix drama follows the story of Hae-jo, a man without a family, as he embarks on a journey to find his biological father during his last days. He is accompanied by Jae-mi — the “unluckiest” woman in the world.

The story begins with Hae-jo crashing Jae-mi’s wedding day and forcibly taking her with him on his journey, while Eo Heung, Jae-mi’s fiance, chases after them to take back his true love. The series features Woo Do-hwan as Hae-jo, Lee You-mi as Jae-mi and Oh Jung-se as Eo Heung, as well as Kim Hae-sook as Eo Heung’s mother. It is set to be released on Friday and consists of 10 episodes.

Still from Netflix's romantic comedy series ″Mr. Plankton″ [NETFLIX]

The director and cast have shown strong trust in writer Jo, with director Hong saying that “the writer’s message deeply touched his heart.”

The actors echoed this sentiment, especially Oh, who said that the main reason he chose to take on his role was because of the strong energy he felt from the script.

“At first, the story felt a bit cartoonish because of its character names,” Oh said. In the series, the character names refer to specific meanings in Korean, such as Hae-jo meaning seaweed, Jae-mi meaning fun and Eo Heung referring to the sound of a tiger in Korean and the word heung, which means excitement.

“But as I continued turning the pages, it became more grounded than any other work I’ve encountered by the time I reached the end.”

Still from Netflix's romantic comedy series ″Mr. Plankton″ [NETFLIX]

In the series, actor Woo plays a man who is seeing his last days, a challenge he did not anticipate when he first accepted the role.

“During shooting, I struggled a lot trying to figure out how someone would feel when they are about to face death,” he said. “This was one of the most difficult parts for me, which I never expected and was truly hard.”

Woo, who is well-known for having strict self-discipline, added that this time, he let himself go in order to immerse himself in his character.

“I felt that if I wanted to play Hae-jo, I needed to step outside my comfort zone and try things I hadn't done before,” he said, admitting that he doesn’t enjoy drinking. “So, I started living as someone who liked drinking, and then suddenly, I found myself craving alcohol.”

Still from Netflix's romantic comedy series ″Mr. Plankton″ [NETFLIX]

The series is one big road trip, featuring various locations in Korea. It spends summer in Busan and Namwon, North Jeolla, fall on Jeju and winter in Gangwon. The director added that the settings became another “main character” of the drama.

Along with showcasing beautiful scenery, the show also presents various Korean cultural aspects, according to actor Kim.

“We showcase so many beautiful aspects of Korea and its traditions on screen, which I believe will give the show a fresh approach and offer a deeper understanding of Korean culture,” Kim said.

The word "Plankton" in the title is also an important symbol for the work, according to the director, as he says that plankton play a crucial role on Earth, even though they’re almost invisible.

From left, actors Woo Do-hwan, Lee You-mi, Kim Hae-sook and Oh Jung-se pose for a photo during a press conference for Netflix's romantic comedy series ″Mr. Plankton″ held in Mapo District, western Seoul, on Monday. [NEW1]

“I want to tell people that they are as bright and precious as plankton,” Hong said.

He also hopes the series will leave an impression, saying, “What I felt while creating the drama was excitement and joy, and I hope the viewers experience the same, leaving them with the thought that watching it was a worthwhile journey.”

BY KIM JI-YE [kim.jiye@joongang.co.kr]