Date K-drama star of your choice with Blackpink's Jisoo
전체 맥락을 이해하기 위해서는 본문 보기를 권장합니다.
"I liked the idea of it as a device that lets you travel through different worlds, it even made the future feel enviable," she said. "Rather than feeling completely unrealistic, it felt like something that could actually be possible one day, which made it more fun."
"Jisoo really put in a tremendous amount of effort," he said. "She handled a wide range of settings and characters extremely well. Viewers will be able to see not only the character's growth, but also Jisoo's growth as an actor. Watching her made me realize that effort can overcome talent."
이 글자크기로 변경됩니다.
(예시) 가장 빠른 뉴스가 있고 다양한 정보, 쌍방향 소통이 숨쉬는 다음뉴스를 만나보세요. 다음뉴스는 국내외 주요이슈와 실시간 속보, 문화생활 및 다양한 분야의 뉴스를 입체적으로 전달하고 있습니다.
This may be K-drama rom-com at its most indulgent.
With a lineup of Korean drama heartthrobs paired opposite a global K-pop superstar, Netflix Korea's "Boyfriend on Demand" is positioning itself as a high-concept crowd-pleaser for romance fans worldwide.
The 10-episode series stars Blackpink's Jisoo as Mi-rae, a webtoon producer drained by the monotony of office life. Her escape comes in the form of a subscription-based virtual dating simulation that promises the boyfriend of her dreams, no strings attached. The title refers both to the series and to the in-story service, which offers users romantic scenarios tailor-made to their ideal type.
Upon entering the program, Mi-rae is guided by a dating manager played by Yoo In-na and quickly swept into an array of fantasy romances. Her digital dates range from a fairy-tale prince and a nostalgic first love to a charismatic doctor and an A-list celebrity. Each scenario unfolds like a genre unto itself, leaving Mi-rae increasingly addicted to the illusion of perfect romance.
Director Kim Jung-sik said the project originated from a single speculative question.
"It started from the idea, 'What if you could subscribe to dating?'" said Kim, at a press conference held in Seoul on Thursday.
"It feels like a device that might realistically exist someday and I thought it would be interesting for viewers to experience it in advance. We tried to pack as many audience tastes as possible in the series," he added.
That sense of imaginative possibility was also what drew Jisoo to the project.
"I liked the idea of it as a device that lets you travel through different worlds, it even made the future feel enviable," she said. "Rather than feeling completely unrealistic, it felt like something that could actually be possible one day, which made it more fun."
Kim said that the same balance between fantasy and emotional accessibility informed his casting choice. Explaining why he selected Jisoo for the role of Mi-rae, he emphasized the scope of the character's narrative burden. "Mi-rae needed an energy like someone standing on a stage," he said. "Jisoo carries more than 95 percent of the story, and we gave her character an ambitious range of settings and personalities. She expressed all of them exceptionally well."
Meanwhile, the series marks Jisoo's first attempt at romantic comedy and another high-stakes test in an acting career that has yet to silence its skeptics.
The project follows a run of prominent K-content appearances, including the 30 billion won ($21 million) fantasy epic "Omniscient Reader: The Prophet," which drew roughly 1 million moviegoers, far short of its 6 million admission break-even threshold. She also previously starred opposite Park Jung-min in Coupang Play's "Newtopia," as well as in "Snowdrop," a heavily promoted series opposite Jung Hae-in that ultimately failed to meet expectations.
Criticism of the K-pop star's acting prowess has accumulated over the course of her roughly decadelong screen career, and when asked whether "Boyfriend on Demand" represents a turning point, Jisoo offered a measured response.
"Since I take on different roles in ('Boyfriend on Demand'), I met with the director many times and had extensive discussions so that I could show a better side of myself this time as well," she said. "This time, I'm playing a character who's around the same age as me, so it felt like acting in clothes that fit me perfectly. When audiences watch this project, I think they will feel that I've met a character that suits me."
The director was more emphatic in his defense of the casting choice.
"Jisoo really put in a tremendous amount of effort," he said. "She handled a wide range of settings and characters extremely well. Viewers will be able to see not only the character's growth, but also Jisoo's growth as an actor. Watching her made me realize that effort can overcome talent."
"Boyfriend on Demand" premieres on Netflix on March 6.
Copyright © 코리아헤럴드. 무단전재 및 재배포 금지.