Netflix’s ‘You and Everything Else’ explores 3 decades of friendship, heartbreak

Actors Kim Go-eun, left, and Park Ji-hyun pose during a press conference for their upcoming Netflix series "You and Everything Else," at the Ambassador Seoul — A Pullman Hotel in Seoul, Friday. Yonhap

Actors Kim Go-eun and Park Ji-hyun take on a sweeping story of admiration, resentment and forgiveness in Netflix’s upcoming series “You and Everything Else.” The show follows two women whose bond stretches from their teenage years into their 40s, charting a shifting landscape of envy, longing and reconciliation.

Director Cho Young-min described the project as “a story about two friends across nearly 30 years — at times they admire each other, at times they resent each other.”

“What captivated me wasn’t just the scale of the story, but how gradually it deepens with each episode,” Kim said during a press conference at The Ambassador Seoul — A Pullman Hotel in Jung District, Seoul, Friday.

“I’d only read up to the fourth episode when I first got the script, but episode five kept echoing in my mind — that’s where the drama’s real depth pulled me in.”

Park, who plays Sang-yeon, cited trust in the team as her reason for joining the cast. “Sang-yeon’s backstory was so compelling, and knowing the director and Kim Go-eun were involved made me want to do it,” she said.

The two main characters are opposites. Eun-jung (Kim) is raised modestly by her mother, feeling both loved and self-conscious about her family’s poverty.

“She’s honest with her emotions but carries a quiet shame about her circumstances,” Kim explained.

Sang-yeon, meanwhile, grows up in an affluent but emotionally distant household. Park described her as “a person full of wounds and pain,” often feeling as if everything she valued was slipping away because of Eun-jung.

Park Ji-hyun in a scene from “You and Everything Else” / Courtesy of Netflix

Both actors prepared extensively to portray their characters at different ages. Kim said she gained weight to retain the softness of her character when playing her in her 20s.

Park lost weight and focused on Sang-yeon’s restrained exterior. “She doesn’t speak much and can seem cold or misunderstood,” Park said. “In her 20s she’s going through more hardship and I wanted that to show physically.”

As the women reunite in their 30s, their relationship takes a darker turn. “She’s not honest and ends up hurting people around her,” Park noted of Sang-yeon. “Whether intentional or not, I tried to find justification and worked closely with the director to understand her actions.”

By their 40s, the drama reaches its most painful chapter. Sang-yeon, facing death, asks Eun-jung to accompany her in assisted dying. Park said she immersed herself in documentaries and books to prepare. “It might seem brazen to ask for such a thing, but for Sang-yeon it was about wanting forgiveness before the end.”

Kim became visibly emotional, recalling the weight of Eun-jung’s role as she accompanies her friend.

“I thought about how I could truly let her go and send her off well,” she said, pausing as tears came. “It made me reflect deeply on the feelings of those who remain and the opportunity to provide care and closure for someone I love.”

Set to premiere on Netflix on Sept. 12, “You and Everything Else” aims to resonate across generations.

Park described the work as “a series about friendship that anyone can quietly relate to,” while Kim added, “Ultimately, it’s a story moving toward its final chapter, leaving a deep, lingering impression like finishing a beautiful book. I hope viewers follow our journey closely.”

Youn Ye-jin is a Korea Times intern.