Road trip romance series 'Mr. Plankton' explores 'essence of humanity' in Korea's scenic locations

Netflix's new romance series "Mr. Plankton" may seem like a lighthearted love story at first glance, but according to its cast, it dives much deeper.

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

Netflix's new romance series "Mr. Plankton" may seem like a lighthearted love story at first glance, but according to its cast, it dives much deeper. Beyond the playful romance lies a heartfelt message about healing, growth and championing all beings, reminding viewers of the unique value within each person.

“'Mr. Plankton’ is one of the most heartwarming dramas I have worked on,” actor Woo Do-hwan said. “I wished the viewers could see that aspect. The series is not just about the characters or just a romance, but a work that explores the essence of humanity and life, as it follows the story of people who are hurt and being healed. I also saw it as a drama that carries a message of support, reminding everyone that their existence has value."

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 10-episode series was released on Nov. 8.

The 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 after being diagnosed with an incurable disease. He is accompanied by Jae-mi, his ex-girlfriend and the so-called “unluckiest” woman in the world.

Actor Woo Do-hwan [NETFLIX]

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 as Hae-jo, Lee You-mi as Jae-mi and Oh Jung-se as Eo Heung.

Actors Woo and Oh sat down separately with local reporters for an interview to talk about their roles and the recently released series at a cafe in Jongno District, central Seoul, on Wednesday.

In the series, Woo’s character, Hae-jo, is portrayed as bold and fearless, unbothered by what tomorrow might bring — a trait that intensifies after he's diagnosed with an incurable brain disease. However, the actor warns viewers not to be misled by Hae-jo’s rough words and actions, as there is more to his character than meets the eye.

“I think Hae-jo has a warm heart,” Woo said.

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

“I interpreted him as someone born with a warm nature, but shaped by society into a rough and tough person. The memories of being loved and happy during his childhood, before being abandoned by his parents, left deep wounds that have shaped him into the person he is today.”

Hae-jo is abandoned by his parents, particularly by his father who truly loved him, after he discovers that Hae-jo is not his biological son.

With this in mind, the actor sought to showcase the heartwarming side of Hae-jo whenever the opportunity arose.

“He is someone who knows how to give love,” he added. “I wanted to avoid portraying only his rough side and instead wanted to show the viewers that he is also a warm person."

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

The drama never specifies Hae-jo's disease, only mentioning that he has an impaired brain. This was the most challenging part for Woo, as he wasn't sure how to convey his character's pain, saying, “There wasn’t a clear or specific condition he should be in, like how we associate a cold with a runny nose.”

The on-screen chemistry between Woo and Lee You-mi, who plays Jae-mi, was built on strong mutual trust, according to Woo. He shared that they had to often perform with minimal instructions, as the series follows a road trip format with many montage scenes.

“There were many moments where we didn’t decide on anything specifically and just jumped into it," Woo said, adding that director Hong placed a camera in their car and asked them to do whatever they wanted for an hour for a scene.

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

While watching the drama, many viewers questioned the age gap between Woo, Lee and Oh, as the three form a love triangle. In real life, Woo and Lee are in their early 30s, while Oh is in his late 40s.

The actors, however, seemed to be surprised by such responses, denying they felt the age difference.

“I also thought I looked young,” Oh said with a laugh. “There was basically no awkwardness about the age difference for me, as I thought [more] about finding Eo Heung’s true self to embrace the flaws that he has.”

“I don’t think I really had any specific ideas about the characters’ ages,” he added. “I was more focused on expressing Eo Heung’s depth of love for Jae-mi rather than on what to do, as we have an age gap.”

The series marks Oh’s second collaboration with writer Jo, following their work together on tvN’s "It’s Okay to Not Be Okay" (2020). The actor revealed that Jo was the main reason he decided to join the project, as he has great faith in the writer.

Actor Oh Jung-se [NETFLIX]

“[When I select my work,] I think I tend to select it when something really resonates with my heart,” he said, adding that in this case, it was the writer.

“I gained so much from the work 'It's Okay to Not Be Okay.’ So, I thought I really wanted to be a part of whatever Jo would create,” Oh said. “And fortunately, Jo reached out to me with the precious character Eo Heung.”

Though less than week has passed since its release, the actors showed strong enthusiasm to spread the positive message the series holds.

“I often talk with Lee about ‘just wishing people to see it because it’s so good and that if they give it a try, they would understand why we asked them to do so,’” Woo said.

“So, we just ask for people to put it on when they're bored. I believe that if they do, they'll find themselves sitting in front of the screen before they know it."

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