BLACKPINK’s Jisoo explores virtual dating in 'Boyfriend on Demand'

BLACKPINK's Jisoo, center, poses with actor Seo In-guk, right, and director Kim Jung-sik during a press conference for Netflix series "Boyfriend on Demand" at JW Marriott Dongdaemun Square Seoul, Thursday. Courtesy of Netflix

Undeterred by criticism of her previous acting, BLACKPINK’s Jisoo now has her eyes set on rom-com queen status in the upcoming Netflix series “Boyfriend on Demand.”

The singer-actress will portray Mi-rae, an exhausted webtoon producer who finds escape in a mysterious app that delivers a custom-fit heartthrob boyfriend each month to tend to her emotional needs.

“Virtual reality didn’t feel like a distant future, and my character, Mi-rae, is about my age too. I chose this project because I could really relate myself to the way Mi-rae wrestles with her worries and works through them,” the actor saud during a press conference for the show at JW Marriott Dongdaemun Square Seoul, Thursday.

The virtual dating subscription in the show delivers 900 themed dates at the slip of a simple device, letting anyone dive into risk-free romance, hitting home for today’s burned-out people, where even dating feels like just another grind.

“As a total homebody, when I saw the device, I immediately thought, ‘You could travel through all kinds of worlds without ever leaving your house,’ and that felt incredibly appealing. I remember thinking ‘I’m jealous — Mi-rae is so lucky,’” she said. “It didn’t feel wildly unrealistic, but more like, ‘This could really exist someday,’ which made the premise hit closer to home and feel even more fun.”

As Mi-rae’s virtual avatars change with her subscription, so do her professions. “There’s a part where I become a flight attendant, and a major incident occurs midflight. It was thrilling to imagine a device that allows you to experience such surreal scenarios safely,” Jisoo said.

She also wears some 250 outfits throughout the series, serving a kaleidoscope of looks that guarantee a visual feast.

Jisoo appeared in the TV drama “Newtopia” and the film “Omniscient Reader: The Prophecy” last year, along with a couple of other titles in previous years.

Addressing lingering criticism of her acting, she said, “I talked a lot with the director. Playing a peer-age character let me slip into the role like a custom fit — I’m hoping it shows.”

A poster for the Netflix series "Boyfriend on Demand" / Courtesy of Netflix

Director Kim Jung-sik, who created rom-com gems like “Work Later, Drink Now” (2021-23) and “No Gain No Love” (2024), came up with the odd-yet-plausible premise from a simple “what if.”

“I started with a simple question: ‘What if you could subscribe to love?’” he explained. “It’s a tale of a scarred heroine healing via monthly virtual boyfriends, letting one actor flex multiple personas. This tech’s probably brewing somewhere,” he said, teasing, “We packed in every date you could dream up.”

Opposite Jisoo, Seo In-guk stars as Kyeong-nam, Mi-rae’s hypercompetent but seemingly cold colleague and rival producer who harbors his own hidden secrets.

Adding to excitement, the series features a star-studded lineup of actors appearing as “virtual boyfriends,” including Seo Kang-joon, Lee Soo-hyuk, Ong Seong-wu, Lee Jae-wook, Lee Hyun-wook, Kim Young-dae, Jay Park and Lee Sang-yi.

Director Kim pointed to Lee Soo-hyuk and Seo Kang-joon as standouts.

“For Lee Soo-hyuk’s character, I wanted someone with AI (artificial intelligence)-like, webtoon visuals who could pull off that slightly cringey old-school acting style,” he said. “As for Seo Kang-joon, his visuals are so stunning even men fall for him. He appears in the early to middle sections of the show and provides a major plot twist.”

The drama renders virtual reality with striking realism thanks to heavy lifting by the art and computer graphics teams. The cast was equally fascinated by the technical ambition of the project.

“I’m a huge fantasy, gaming, webtoon, comic and anime fan, so the idea of jumping into alternate worlds beyond reality hooked me instantly,” Seo said. “Bringing each character and their perfect themes to life was a blast — and I know viewers will feel that same thrill. It’s gonna be so much fun.”

The 10-part series will be released on Netflix on March 6.