Exclusive | Can This Love Be Translated? actors Kim Seon Ho and Go Youn Jung on the charm of romance

“Every time my fans tell me that they liked my work or performance, or when my favourite filmmakers or friends say, ‘Oh, you were completely in character,’ it makes me so happy — so much so that my heart beats fast, sometimes for three days. I feel like I’m on a high,” he says, flashing his famous smile in an exclusive online interview.

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Fans have reason to celebrate as the versatile actor returns to screens, leading Netflix’s romantic comedy Can This Love Be Translated?

He plays Joo Ho Jin, a multilingual interpreter who is an ace at interpreting people’s words but struggles to express his own. Things change when he meets top star Cha Mu Hee (Go Youn Jung). The two first meet as strangers in Japan, sharing nuggets about each other’s lives. Things take a turn when they meet again in a professional setting. Their relationship unfolds in unpredictable and heartwarming ways as they travel halfway across the world, speaking a language only their hearts understand.

Drawing an interesting parallel between an interpreter and an actor’s process, Kim Seon Ho says, “As an actor, through my dialogue and performance on screen, I convey emotions, while an interpreter, through words, delivers not just words but emotions and intent. In both cases, we’re speaking to a third party — someone who is watching, or someone who needs another person interpreted for them.

“However, one thing that is very different is that Ho Jin, because he is interpreting words, focuses only on the words themselves. As an actor, I focus more on conveying emotion than words. In that way, what an interpreter does and what I do as an actor are more different than similar. An interpreter delivers only what is on the surface, whereas I need to deliver emotion first. To narrow that gap, I worked with tutors and coaches to think about how to convey that. Sometimes I realised that while interpreting on screen, I was too emotional, so I worked hard to fine-tune and get the right tone and make it as neutral as possible,” he says.

Go Youn Jung’s character, Cha Mu Hee, a top star riding the wave of sudden success, finds herself grappling with imposter syndrome. The actor, who has earned acclaim for her performances in Moving, Alchemy of Souls 2, and Resident Playbook, says playing an actor on screen intrigued her.

“Since Mu Hee and I share the same occupation, there are both pros and cons. One of the pros is that, as an actor, I know the little details and habits the character might have. At the same time, I felt that if I portrayed the occupation in a stereotypical way, it wouldn’t be received well. That was the first thing that stood out to me. I was also drawn to the fact that this was a fully committed romantic comedy. I had done rom-com elements before, but they leaned more toward melodrama. This was a full-on rom-com, and that was its biggest charm for me.”

A seasoned stage actor, the 39-year-old Kim Seon Ho did not make his screen debut until his 30s. His easy-going performances and ability to inhabit characters across genres made him stand out regardless of role length. The 2020 drama Start-Up proved to be his breakout role, where he played hedge fund manager Han Ji Pyeong, emerging as a scene-stealer.

In 2021, he led the hit romantic drama Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha, followed by a chilling turn as a violent mercenary in The Childe, proving his range yet again.

“I want people to see me as an actor with a wide range. I want them to think that I’m capable of portraying many kinds of characters. I want to be someone storytellers can trust with their characters and stories. If I continue to work on my craft and grow, I hope I can be remembered as an actor like that,” he says.

However, he pragmatically adds that there are challenging days as well, but it is his love for the craft that keeps him going.

“There are days when I feel low and face challenges. You can’t be satisfied with every scene, but when a scene works and you feel good about it, that’s what keeps me going — that’s what makes my heart beat,” he says.

With India being one of the largest consumers of K-dramas, the actor shared a heartfelt message for Indian fans.

“We poured our hearts into this show, and we were very happy while making it. I truly believe that happiness will be conveyed to Indian viewers. I hope you enjoy it, and I’m very excited for you to watch it,” says Kim Seon Ho.

Can This Love Be Translated? is streaming on Netflix.