Kim Seon Ho, Go Youn Jung introduce Netflix rom-com 'Can This Love Be Translated?'

Actors Kim Seon Ho and Go Youn Jung pose at a production presentation for the Netflix series 'Can This Love Be Translated?' at Josun Palace Seoul Gangnam in Seoul on Jan. 13, 2026. [Photo by Yoo Dae Gil, dbeorlf123@ajunews.com]
SEOUL, January 13 (AJP) - The Hong sisters - Hong Jung-eun and Hong Mi-ran -, the popular writing duo behind fantasy hit series such as "Hotel Del Luna" are returning with a straight romantic comedy, teaming up with actors Kim Seon-ho and Go Youn-jung for Netflix’s upcoming series “Can This Love Be Translated?”

Anticipation is building over whether the series, which explores romance through the gap between language and emotion, will resonate with global audiences and revive the lackluster performance of K-drama on Netflix.

A production presentation for the series was held Tuesday morning at Josun Palace Seoul Gangnam in Seoul. Director Yoo Young-eun attended the event alongside Kim Seon-ho and Go Youn-jung, sharing insights into the project.

"Can This Love Be Translated?” follows Ju Ho-jin, a multilingual interpreter who is assigned to work for Cha Mu-hee, a global top star with an unpredictable charm. The Hong sisters, known for blending fantasy with emotional depth in “Alchemy of Souls” and “Hotel Del Luna,” return to the romantic comedy genre with Yoo, the director of “The Red Sleeve,” at the helm.

“The biggest appeal was doing a pure romantic comedy with the Hong sisters’ writing,” Director Yoo Young-eun said. “I was fascinated by the emotional dilemmas that arise from the profession of interpretation — words you have to convey even when you don’t want to, and moments when you wish someone else’s words could become your own.”

Yoo added that the story begins with the premise that people use different “languages” and styles of expression when it comes to love. Ho-jin speaks in a direct, straight-line manner, while Mu-hee tends to express her emotions in a roundabout way. Their repeated misunderstandings, she said, will form a key point of empathy and humor for viewers.

Actor Kim Seon Ho, actor Go Youn Jung and director Yoo Young-eun pose at a production presentation for the Netflix series 'Can This Love Be Translated?' at Josun Palace Seoul Gangnam in Seoul on Jan. 13, 2026. [Photo by Yoo Dae Gil, dbeorlf123@ajunews.com]

Kim Seon-ho plays Ho-jin, an interpreter fluent in Italian, English, Japanese, Chinese and French.

“He works with multiple languages, but he’s clumsy when it comes to expressing his own feelings,” Kim said. “Because I had to deliver the dialogue accurately while carrying the character’s emotions, I spent about four months before filming practicing both language and emotional expression.”

The director described Ho-jin as a “neat and understated” character, noting that delicate emotional acting was essential. “It’s a role that carries the added burden of language, but I knew I could trust Kim Seon-ho,” she said, calling him an irreplaceable choice capable of handling both romance and comedy.

Go Youn-jung portrays Cha Mu-hee, an actor who becomes a global top star overnight.

“Mu-hee doesn’t hide her emotions — she expresses them transparently,” Go said. “I felt that making the lines ambiguous would weaken the character’s appeal, so I tried to stay faithful to the script. That alone was enough to make Mu-hee a fun and layered character.”

The director also praised Go Youn-jung’s casting, saying her sense of purity and toughness aligned well with the role. She described Mu-hee as a character requiring significant movement and action, adding that viewers would discover a new side of Go by the end of the series.

The production filmed on location in several countries, including South Korea, Japan, Canada and Italy. The director explained that each setting was designed to function as a character reflecting emotional shifts within the story.

“Japan represents the freshness of their first meeting, Canada captures the more dramatic moments as emotions deepen, and Italy was placed with the balance of the latter half of the story in mind,” Yoo said.

Kim spoke highly of his on-screen chemistry with Go, noting that her dynamic portrayal naturally drew out his reactions. “She’s very quick to absorb her scene partner’s lines, and I learned a lot from her on set,” he said. The director echoed the sentiment, saying she was confident the two shared “the best” chemistry.

Moreover, the director revealed that each episode will feature different cameo appearances. To make Mu-hee’s status as a global star feel more realistic, familiar faces will appear throughout the series, adding fresh moments to each episode.

“Love is a universal emotion, and we placed it against landscapes from different countries,” Yoo said. “I hope it becomes a story people can relate to, even if the language is different.” She added that she hoped the series would deliver positive energy for the new year, likening it to the aurora she witnessed while filming.

Go asked viewers to watch the series with a warm, fairy-tale-like perspective. Kim described the production as feeling like a gift, adding that he was happy to pass that gift on to audiences.

“Can This Love Be Translated?” will be released worldwide on Netflix at 5 p.m. on Jan. 16.

* This article, published by Aju Business Daily and edited by AJP.
Choi Song-hee 기자 alfie312@ajunews.com