Kim Seon-ho and Go Youn-jung decode language, love in new Netflix romance
Kim Seon-ho, left, and Go Youn-jung in the Netflix series “Can This Love Be Translated?” Courtesy of Netflix
"Your language is too difficult for me. You speak in opposites to hide your weaknesses and lash out in anger."
Joo Ho-jin (played by Kim Seon-ho), a multilingual interpreter who is fluent in Korean, English, Japanese and Italian, often finds himself hitting a communication wall with global star Cha Mu-hee (Go Youn-jung). While Ho-jin communicates in a direct and logical “language of straight lines” Mu-hee speaks in a “language of curves,” circling around her true emotions.
Released on Jan. 16, the Netflix series "Can This Love Be Translated?" follows two people with contrasting communication styles as they misunderstand, hurt and eventually come to understand each other.
The Hankook Ilbo recently sat down with actors Kim Seon-ho and Go Youn-jung, along with director Yoo Young-eun, at a cafe in Jongno District, Seoul, to talk about the series.
Ho-jin, left, helps Mu-hee as her interpreter in “Can This Love Be Translated?” Courtesy of Netflix
In the drama, interpretation works both as a plot device and as a metaphor. The two first met in Japan, where Ho-jin translates for Mu-hee during her days as an unknown actress. She later rises to stardom after playing a zombie in a hit film, leading to her joining the cast of a dating reality show filming in Canada and Italy.
Ho-jin joins the production as an interpreter, and as they travel together, Mu-hee develops a crush on him. However, their different ways of expressing themselves cause tension, bringing them together and pushing them apart.
For Kim Seon-ho, the project's appeal boiled down to a single line of dialogue: "Everyone on earth has their own language."
To portray Ho-jin, Kim focused on the idea of “steadfastness.”
“Ho-jin translates other people’s emotions and words, yet he’s not good at expressing his own,” he said. “I tried to keep a steady center, from his posture to the way he presents himself.”
Interestingly, the actors' real personalities are the opposite of their characters.
“At first, when I couldn’t connect with a scene, I would switch roles with Youn-jung and read it,” Kim said. “It was exciting when the character eventually felt like mine and I gained the conviction that ‘this is who Ho-jin is.’”
A scene from “Can This Love Be Translated?” shows Mu-hee appearing as Do Ra-mi at an award ceremony. Courtesy of Netflix
Mu-hee is a character suffering from childhood trauma and anxiety. While she craves love, she fears abandonment and is convinced that people will leave once they see her darker side, causing her to ramble when she panics.
Go Youn-jung drew from her own experience of often getting nervous at official events.
“I’m not usually like that, but I wondered why I get so tense at official events. It might come from anxiety,” she said. “I get stuck on the thought, ‘What if I mess up?’ before anything even happens. I tried to tap into those emotions to build the character.”
A polarizing element of the series is the genre shift that comes as Mu-hee's zombie character “Do Ra-mi" eventually emerges as a distinct alter ego.
A scene from the Netflix series “Can This Love Be Translated?” / Courtesy of Netflix.
For Go, playing two roles was a welcome challenge.
"It was exciting because the tone was different from characters I've played before," Go said. "If Mu-hee protects herself with 'rambling words,' Do Ra-mi protects her with 'direct and blunt' words. I approached Do Ra-mi as a free-spirited persona who speaks for Mu-hee and translates her true feelings to Ho-jin."
With the help of this “other interpreter,” Mu-hee and Ho-jin finally face their feelings honestly and accept each other as they are.
Director Yoo Young-eun explained that the story evolves from romance to a broader understanding of human nature.
“It’s about two people speaking different languages getting closer, but it grows into a deeper understanding,” Yoo said. “The scene where Ho-jin embraces Do Ra-mi, the embodiment of Mu-hee’s scars, with compassion and love shows how their relationship evolves.”
Later in the series, Ho-jin confesses his love indirectly by saying, "I can see the aurora," signalling that he has finally grasped Mu-hee’s indirect "language of curves."
“Can This Love Be Translated?” has found global success, ranking second on Netflix’s Global Top 10 chart within its first three days. It entered the Top 10 in 36 countries and reached No. 1 in Korea.
“Everyone is waiting for someone who can embrace even their ugly and twisted sides,” Yoo said. “I hope viewers feel warmth and empathy through this drama, which depicts a love that accepts even darkness and scars.”
This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.