'Way Back Love' to explore human life with kind-hearted grim reaper
Tving's upcoming original series, "Way Back Love," delves into love and the human experience through the story of a compassionate grim reaper guiding souls to their final moments, the cast shared Tuesday.
The six-episode fantasy romance follows Hee-wan (Kim Min-ha) and her first love, Ram-woo (Gong Myoung), who mysteriously reappears — not as the boy she once knew, but as a supernatural being tasked with leading the deceased to the afterlife. Last year, "Way Back Love" was invited to the Busan International Film Festival's On Screen section, which spotlights highly anticipated series set for streaming release.
Gong Myoung, known for his endearing performances in "Be Melodramatic" and his comedic turn as a detective in box-office hit "Extreme Job," said he drew inspiration from iconic grim reaper portrayals in Korean media.
"I had many discussions with the director about how I could be portrayed as a grim reaper. While referencing the characters of my seniors, I thought about how I could bring a different feel to the role. Since the grim reaper in 'Way Back Love' is different from existing characters, I studied the script extensively," Gong said during a press conference in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. He cited the performances of Ha Jung-woo ("Along with the Gods") and Lee Dong-wook ("Guardian: The Lonely and Great God") as key references.
Director Kim Hye-yeong described Ram-woo as a reaper unlike any seen before. "Kim Ram-woo is a grim reaper who gives people a chance. Our story features a kind-hearted grim reaper who provides an opportunity to fulfill unfinished memories and love while being with them for a week," he explained.
Kim Min-ha spoke about capturing the emotional complexity of Hee-wan, a once-outgoing woman whose personality shifts drastically after Ram-woo's departure.
"The character has both bright aspects and deep, dark extremes coexisting. I wondered how to portray this naturally, but since I also have those extremes within me, I was able to relate to Hee-wan more," she shared.
Kim, whose latest projects included blockbuster Disney+ series "Light Shop," also reflected on her tendency to choose work centered around love.
"The projects I want to work on always seem to have 'love' as their foundation. 'Light Shop' explores crossroads and the courage of making choices in the afterlife. It was a story I had been contemplating and wanted to express, so I was grateful when it came to me in script form."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Korea Herald
3 days ago
- Korea Herald
Webtoon to bring Disney titles to mobile platform
Platform to host 100 Marvel, 'Star Wars' titles as shares jump 28 percent on news Webtoon Entertainment, the US-based parent company of Naver Webtoon, struck a multiyear partnership with Walt Disney Co. to bring around 100 titles from Marvel, "Star Wars" and other Disney properties to its vertical-scrolling platform, the companies announced Wednesday. The partnership will release adaptations of existing comics for smartphone viewing as well as original content developed for the mobile format. The content will appear in a dedicated section of Webtoon's English-language app, Webtoon said. "Amazing Spider-Man" debuts this month, followed by "Avengers," "Star Wars" and other titles. Users can read initial episodes for free before purchasing additional chapters with in-app coins. The deal helps fill a major content gap for the Naver Corp.-backed company as it expands beyond Asian markets. The platform boasts 155 million monthly active users globally, but has lacked superhero titles — which Disney's Marvel catalog will now deliver in earnest. The platform's demographics skew younger and more female than traditional comics readers, and its popular titles lean toward fantasy, romance and slice-of-life genres. For Disney, the partnership marks a shift from Marvel Comics' traditional distribution through comic shops and download services that cater to older fans. The entertainment giant could tap into Webtoon's younger, mobile-first user base while opening new revenue streams for its extensive back catalog. "The Disney, Marvel, 20th Century and Star Wars brands are among the most legendary, creative and successful in the industry," said Yongsoo Kim, Webtoon's chief strategy officer. "We're bringing this legendary storytelling to a new generation of mobile-native comic fans." The announcement sent Webtoon shares up 28 percent in after-hours trading Tuesday, coinciding with second-quarter earnings announced the same day. Webtoon reported revenue rose 8.5 percent to $348.3 million, while net losses narrowed to $3.9 million from $76.6 million a year earlier. The company projects third-quarter revenue between $380 million and $390 million. Webtoon Entertainment went public on Nasdaq in June 2024. The US-listed company serves as the parent of Korea's Naver Webtoon following a May 2020 restructuring, with Naver Corp. maintaining majority control. The company reported 2024 revenue of $1.35 billion with a net loss of $152.9 million. Financial details of the partnership were not disclosed, but Disney's Daniel Fink, head of digital innovation, called it "one of the biggest" publishing partnerships his company has undertaken.
Korea Herald
5 days ago
- Korea Herald
Claudia Kim to host BIFF closing ceremony
Marvel actress joins Lee Byung-hun as festival bookends for milestone edition The Busan International Film Festival has tapped actor Claudia Kim as solo host for its closing ceremony on Sept. 26, organizers announced Monday. Kim will present the inaugural Busan Awards to winners of the festival's new competitive section — marking BIFF's historic shift to competitive status after 29 years as a non-competitive event. Kim bookends the festival's 30th edition, whose opening ceremony will be hosted by actor Lee Byung-hun. The festival runs Sept. 17-26 at the Busan Cinema Center and venues across the city. The event will screen approximately 240 films, up from 224 last year. Known as Soo-hyun in Korea, Kim broke ground as the first Korean actor in a Marvel film with "Avengers: Age of Ultron" (2015). She's since built a dual-track career spanning Hollywood blockbusters — including "Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald" (2018) and "The Dark Tower" (2017) — and Korean productions such as Netflix's "Gyeongseong Creature" (2023-2024) and "The Atypical Family" (2024). Her performance in the Disney+ film "A Normal Family" earned her best supporting actress at the 2025 Baeksang Arts Awards. The actor, 40, spent six years of her childhood in the United States and studied international relations at Ewha Womans University before pivoting to entertainment after winning a modeling competition in 2005. Festival organizers praised Kim's "elegant presence and depth on screen" as well as her command of English, noting her ability to bridge Korean and global cinema. Following Park Eun-bin's solo hosting debut in 2023, Kim will become the second woman to helm a ceremony alone at the festival.
Korea Herald
07-08-2025
- Korea Herald
Disney+ bets on midform variety shows
Following Netflix's lead, streamer debuts five programs designed to align with contemporary viewing habits Disney+ is set to launch five midform variety shows starting Aug. 22, each approximately 30 minutes in length, mirroring a format popularized by Netflix. The slate features five programs, each with its own concept and style, scheduled to premiere on fixed days from Friday through Tuesday. Episodes will release daily at 8 a.m., with the lineup expected to run through the end of the year. 'We're offering a fresh, flexible viewing experience that aligns with contemporary consumption habits,' a Disney+ official said in a statement. "The early morning release schedule allows viewers to engage with the content at their convenience throughout the day." The five shows include: "Anchovy Physical Camp," a hybrid fitness and variety show featuring TV personalities DinDin, Jonathan and Choi Daniel, premiering Aug. 22, and "60 Minutes to Love," which follows actor Ji Ye-eun as she embarks on a series of blind dates, with each date lasting just 30 minutes. The program premieres Aug. 23. "Belly Showdown," a fresh take on the "mukbang" trend of broadcasters eating on camera, will feature TV personalities Seo Jang-hoon, Shin Ki-ru, Shindong, Lee Kyu-ho, Pungja and Na Sun-wook as they tackle challenges involving high-calorie food consumption. The show will bring out a new episode every Sunday. Short-format interview show "Yoo Got a Minute?" -- hosted by comedian Yoo Byung-jae -- will air every Monday, while "Chef's Go-To," a variety series that visits the hidden favorite eateries of top Korean chefs, including breakout stars from Netflix's 'Culinary Class Wars,' will drop every Tuesday. This initiative marks the second major effort by a streaming platform to carve out the midform variety niche in Korea, following Netflix's rollout of five daily shows earlier this year. The format is understood as aiming at bridging the gap between traditional long-form variety shows and the booming short-form content space, delivering programming that can adapt to rapidly evolving viewer preferences.
