Lee Jung-jae and Lim Ji-yeon might’ve won the hearts of K-drama fans with their tragic characters, but they are also capable of portraying lighter and more free-spirited roles on screen.
Lee was propelled to superstardom after starring as Seong Gi-hun in ‘Squid Game,’ which became a local and international sensation. Initially starting out as a heartthrob in the 1990s, the actor’s gripping portrayal of deeply flawed characters led him to often getting cast in darker roles. On the other hand, Lim became notable for portraying the villainous Park Yeon-jin in ‘The Glory,’ which talks about the harsh realities of bullying.
This explains why ‘Nice to Not Meet You’ was a refreshing change of pace for Lee and Lim.
‘The first reason is because Lim Ji-yeon picked me. The second reason is because my previous works were a bit heavy, so I wanted to do something lighter and fun,’ Lee said, noting that he has been a fan of the actress’ work.
‘Romantic comedies are great to watch at the end of the year, and coincidently, ‘Nice to Not Meet You’ will be airing around the end of the year. I hope you enjoy watching,’ he continued.
Meanwhile, Lim said she wanted to do something ‘brighter’ this time around.
‘I also worked on many dark and heavy genres and projects. I wanted to do something that was brighter and matched my age better,’ she said.
Contrary to their past work, ‘Nice to Not Meet You’ tells the story of Wi Jung-sook (Lim), a star reporter who ends up losing her position in the politics beat after messing up on the coverage of a corruption scandal. She is then assigned to the entertainment beat where she crosses paths with Lim Hyun-joon (Lee), a popular star known for playing detective roles. However, he wants to shift into a more serious actor with a knack for melodrama. Directed by Kim Ga-ram and written by Jung Yeo-rang, the romantic comedy will premiere in Prime Video and tvN on Nov. 3. Joining Lee and Lim are Kim Ji-hun and Seo Ji-hye.