13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Siblings, romance and mystery all rolled into one in Netflix original 'Dear Hongrang'
Series marks return of Cho Bo-ah, following indefinite delay of Disney+ megaproject 'Knock-off' on controversy involving co-star Kim Soo-hyun
True Korean beauty is set to return, weaving mystery into a high-stakes romance involving secrets.
Set against a moody, historical backdrop, Netflix Korea's latest original "Dear Hongrang" centers on Hongrang (Lee Jae-wook), who reappears after a mysterious 12-year disappearance with no memory of his past. His stepsister, Jae-yi (Cho Bo-ah), suspects he may not be who he claims to be.
The project comes from a powerhouse team that includes Kim Hong-sun, the director behind Netflix's Korean adaptation of "Money Heist" and hit occult thriller "The Guest," alongside Kim Jin-ah, the writer of Apple TV+'s first Korean-language thriller, "Dr. Brain."
At a press conference in Guro-gu, Seoul, Tuesday, the director shared his enthusiasm for the series, saying, 'This project is based on a novel. I read the book in one sitting. People often talk about fate, but the characters in the story have no intention of following their destined paths. The strength of the story is what led me to take on the role of director.'
The director identified 'longing' as the driving force of the narrative. 'When longing becomes too intense, it can turn into love — or resentment, and even hatred. Our work contains a lot of these emotions, and we tried to incorporate historical drama action scenes in a way that doesn't disrupt the emotional flow.'
Another key aspect of the series is its depiction of Korean heritage, with a particular focus on hanbok. The director emphasized the importance of staying true to Korea's cultural aesthetics, noting, 'I felt a sense of duty to showcase the beauty of Korea, so I tried to stay as historically accurate as possible.'
He added, 'Rather than aiming for a fashion-forward look, I focused on staying true to the basics, paying close attention to textures and fabric materials.'
The series also marks Cho's first return to the small screen since her nuptials last year. Although filmed prior to her wedding, the release was delayed due to an extended postproduction period.
"Dear Hongrang" is all the more a meaningful career point for Cho, as it is her first project to be released following the indefinite postponement of her highly anticipated Disney+ series "Knock-Off," which was originally slated to be released in April.
In "Knock-Off," Cho stars alongside Kim Soo-hyun as the lead, but the series — which reportedly cost 60 billion won ($42 million) to produce — has been delayed due to a scandal involving her co-star and the late actor Kim Sae-ron that has sent shock waves through the country and led Disney+ to postpone its release.
When asked about the situation during the press event, Cho declined to comment on "Knock-Off." However, with a faint smile, she shared, 'The production period for 'Dear Hongrang' was quite long, so I'm feeling a mix of nerves, excitement and worry. I hope many people will look forward to it and show it plenty of love.'
