Woo Do-hwan and Lee Yoo-mi will be showing off their special and delightful romantic chemistry in the new Netflix original series ‘Mr. Plankton’, which will be released on the 8th. Having specialized in genre works such as ‘Hunting Dogs’ and ‘Squid Game’, these two actors will ‘appeal’ with their new charm through the only romantic comedy drama among Korean Netflix series this year.

The drama depicts the story of Hae-jo (Woo Do-hwan), who sets out on a journey to find his biological father after being diagnosed with a terminal illness while living without a family, and Jae-mi (Lee Yoo-mi), a woman who wanted to be a mother but was diagnosed with early menopause before her wedding.

The drama is expected to present laughter and deep emotion as a man who has been living a wandering life like plankton and a woman who desperately wants a family to share their warmth fight, reconcile, miss each other, and eventually find happiness for each other. Director Hong Jong-chan, who directed the drama, said with confidence, “It‘s a story where you can find comfort as you pleasantly follow the free-spirited and pure characters.”

This drama is especially eye-catching as it is the only romantic comedy that Netflix has released this year. Starting with ‘Seonsan’ in January and up until ‘Squid Game’ season 2 which will be unveiled on December 26, many of the 15 dramas that Netflix has released this year have been thrillers and other genres. The mystery series ‘Trunk’ starring Gong Yoo and Seo Hyun-jin, which will be released on the 29th, and the globally anticipated ‘Squid Game’ season 2, ahead of the light and pleasant ‘Mr. Attention is focused on whether ‘Plankton’ can achieve a surprise hit.

In addition, how Woo Do-hwan and Lee Yu-mi, who starred in Netflix hits ‘Hunting Dogs’ and ‘Squid Game’ Season 1, respectively, will portray a cheerful and cute romance is also a point of interest.

At the production presentation held at the Hotel Naru Seoul M Gallery on the 30th, Woo Do-hwan said that he wanted to express “the freedom that the seaweed character possesses”in his own way, and “but it wasn’t easy to act out a character with many shortcomings. The word that defines this character is wandering. “I had to express a character who lives a life without a destination or purpose as ‘wandering, not wandering,’” she said.

Lee Yu-mi likened the character in the play to a ‘beautiful flower that blooms well even in the midst of any misfortune,’ and smiled, saying, “From the moment I first read the script, I found the character so attractive that I was worried that it might be greedy of me to play this character. I fell in love with the fun and in an instant, and I ended up acting greedily.”


Reporter Lee Seung-mi smlee@donga.com