A battle of characters with a charm like potato chips that you can‘t stop watching once you get into them.

The production team of tvN’s new Saturday-Sunday drama ‘Potato Research Institute’ (directed by Kang Il-soo and Shim Jae-hyun, written by Kim Ho-soo) released character posters for Kim Mi-kyung (played by Lee Sun-bin), So Baek-ho (played by Kang Tae-oh), Park Ki-se (played by Lee Hak-joo), Lee Ong-ju (played by Kim Ga-eun), and Kim Hwan-gyeong (played by Shin Hyun-seung) on the 18th.

‘Potato Research Institute’ depicts a healing comic romance where Baek-ho, a cold-hearted man of principle, appears in front of Mi-kyung, for whom potatoes are her whole life, and she swirls around like a whirlwind of potatoes. The romance between two polar opposites, grilling, frying, and boiling in a potato research lab is expected to bring about pleasant laughter and a different kind of excitement. It is a work in which director Kang Il-soo and writer Kim Ho-soo, who previously worked on ‘Rookie Historian Goo Hae-ryung’, and ‘Solomon‘s Perjury’, have joined forces.

The released character posters draw attention with their distinct charm. First, Kim Mi-kyung, who says, ‘Life is all about going straight!’, is 70% hot-tempered, 10% patient, and 100% potato-loving. Kim Mi-kyung, who is a ‘potato-crazy person’ who has devoted her life to potatoes, faces an unexpected and exciting change when she confronts So Baek-ho, the director of the strategy planning department of Wonhan Retail, who suddenly rolls in and shakes up the potato research lab. “Come whoever you want. The phrase, “I’ll show you what hell is,” makes us look forward to Kim Mi-kyung’s fiery performance and the romance she will create with So Baek-ho.

The character poster of So Baek-ho, who has 10% humanity, 80% spite, and 100% sexiness and has different ingredients from Kim Mi-kyung, is also interesting. His personality that says, “Life is all about principles!” can be seen in his neatly organized hairstyle, immaculate suit, and cool gaze. However, So Baek-ho experiences the greatest upheaval of his life when he encounters the unmanageable variable of Kim Mi-kyung at the Potato Research Institute where principles do not apply. Attention is being paid to what Kim Mi-kyung’s impulsive action will destroy the principles that So Baek-ho has been keeping.

Park Ki-se, the real power behind Wonhan Retail and the ‘Super Gap’, who appeared like a comet, is a master of worldly wisdom and the owner of an addictive and intense charm like ‘Truffle Flavored’ potato chips. Although he has 0% luck, he is made up of 70% worldly wisdom and 100% self-esteem, and he is the character who reunites with his ‘ex-lover’ Kim Mi-kyung at the potato research center. The meaningful look in his eyes added to the phrase ‘This is not the Park Ki-Se you knew before’ makes us wonder what timing Park Ki-Se is aiming for.




The character poster of Princess Lee brings to mind the lovely and sweet ‘Sweet Cheese Flavored’ potato chips. Princess Lee, who says ‘Life is unconditional love!’, is an irresistible ‘romance nerd’ who sees the world in pink. Her dopamine-filled eyes, which seem to have her romance radar turned on and are looking somewhere, give us a glimpse of an imaginative and popular web novel writer. The anticipation for Cupid‘s activities, complete with his trio of wit, kimchi stew, and spunk, who will be the first to detect his best friend Kim Mi-kyung’s romance, is in the air.

Kim Mi-kyung‘s youngest brother Kim Hwan-gyeong’s pitiful expression and smile catches the eye. Unlike his older sister‘s ‘Spicy’, he has zero fighting power and is an optimist who lives life as ‘Onion Flavor’ Kim Hwan-gyeong, who believes that ‘Good is Good’, sometimes brings about unexpected variables by triggering his ‘Foolishness’ (charm of being fooled like a fool), but like the king of positivity ‘Young-eul-li’, he is always full of energy around him. 100% positive energy, overflowing with charm, it is anticipated how the ‘folk power’ will captivate the viewers.

The production team said, “Like potato chips that you choose by type, the characters’ charms will provide diverse fun.”Please look forward to the synergy of Lee Sun-bin, Kang Tae-oh, Lee Hak-joo, Kim Ga-eun, and Shin Hyun-seung, who will double the charm of the characters.””‘Potato Research Institute’ will first air on March 1st at 9:20 PM.

Hong Se-young, Donga.com Reporter projecthong@donga.com

This article is automatically translated using Google AI. If you notice any inaccuracies, please let us know at allkstar@donga.com.