Red Velvet’s Joy and rising actor Kim Hyun Jin have shared new details about their characters and on-screen chemistry ahead of the premiere of TVING’s upcoming romantic comedy, “One of a Kind Romance.” The two leads sat down for a written interview on November 6, 2026, where they discussed why they chose the project, how they prepared for their roles, and what viewers can expect from the unlikely love story at the center of the show.
The drama, based on a popular Naver webtoon by Dooboo, follows Gong Yu Il (Joy), an ordinary woman struggling through the job market who unexpectedly becomes the manager of Tak Mu I (Kim Hyun Jin), a top star hiding emotional scars from a stalking incident. Their paths cross by chance, and a sweet, gradual romance develops between two people who are, in many ways, each other’s biggest fan.
Why Joy Chose the Role of Gong Yu Il
Joy, who also goes by her real name Park Soo-young, explained that the core of the story was what drew her in. The actress said the drama is not just about romance but about two very different people learning to understand and accept each other’s pain and shortcomings.
“What resonated with me most was the process of two very different people meeting, understanding each other’s pain and shortcomings, and embracing one another. I felt it was a project that offers warm comfort.”
She described Gong Yu Il as a character she found both lovable and admirable. Despite facing difficult circumstances, Yu Il continues to live her life with a bright and spirited attitude. Joy said she tried to bring out that easygoing side naturally while also making sure not to overlook the vulnerability that occasionally shows through.
“I found her lovable and, in a way, admirable because she continues to live her life with a bright and spirited attitude even when faced with difficult circumstances.”
The character’s resilience, according to Joy, does not come from a simple positive personality. It comes from an inner strength that allows Yu Il to get through each day in her own way, even when reality is harsh. That balance between brightness and hidden fragility is what the actress focused on while preparing for the role.
Kim Hyun Jin on Bringing Tak Mu I to Life
For Kim Hyun Jin, the starting point was the original webtoon. The actor said he paid close attention to how closely the drama’s script would follow the source material that fans already know. He was excited about the different sides of Tak Mu I he could portray and how closely he could capture the original character.
“I think I was particularly interested in how similar the script would be to the original. I was excited imagining the different sides of Tak Mu I that I could portray and how closely I could capture the original character.”
Kim described Tak Mu I as a character who shows different sides of himself depending on the situation. He is different when he is working, different in his everyday life, and different when he is around someone he likes. That last side, the one that comes out when Mu I is with Gong Yu Il, was especially important to get right.
“Tak Mu I shows different sides of himself when he’s working, in his everyday life, and when he’s around someone he likes.”
For the scenes where Tak Mu I openly expresses his affection for Gong Yu Il, Kim said he worked closely with the director and his fellow cast members on set to create moments that feel genuine and compelling.
The Story Behind the Romance
“One of a Kind Romance” is a 12-episode romantic comedy that premieres on November 9, 2026, at 6 p.m. KST on TVING. The story begins with Gong Yu Il renting out her rooftop apartment as a filming location to make extra money. Tak Mu I, the country’s biggest star, mistakes her for a stalker during their first encounter. Yu Il wants nothing to do with him after that disastrous first impression, but a string of unexpected meetings keeps pulling them back together.
The layers of their connection go deeper than a simple celebrity-meets-ordinary-person setup. Tak Mu I found the strength to keep going through a novel that Gong Yu Il wrote years ago. The drama tracks how these two people, who each carry their own wounds, gradually become important to one another.
The cast is rounded out by Shin Hyun Soo as Kang Hee Soo, a star chef, and Kang Na Eon as Joo Da Hong, an actress. Their presence complicates the central romance and sets up a tangled love rectangle that adds tension to the story.
Joy’s Physical Transformation for the Role
The role of Gong Yu Il required more than emotional preparation. Joy revealed on November 5, 2026, during an appearance on Kian84’s YouTube channel “Life 84” that she lost a noticeable amount of weight while filming the drama. When Kian84 guessed she might have slimmed down to play a sick character, Joy corrected him. The weight loss came from the physical demands of portraying a job seeker who works four to five part-time jobs a day.
“That was when I really lost the most weight. It was so hard.”
The detail adds a layer of realism to Gong Yu Il’s daily grind. The character is not just looking for a corporate job. She is piecing together a living through multiple part-time gigs, and that exhausting routine was something Joy physically embodied during production.
A Global Release Across Multiple Platforms
“One of a Kind Romance” is set for a multi-platform rollout that gives viewers in different regions several ways to watch. TVING carries the drama in South Korea, with new episodes arriving on Mondays at 6 p.m. KST.
For audiences outside Korea, Viki streams the series in select regions, including the Americas and Europe. Viu holds the rights for Asia, the Middle East, and Africa, releasing it as a Viu Original in 18 regions across those markets. In Japan, ABEMA premieres the show on the same day at 6 p.m. JST and will release two episodes each week. KOCOWA+ also brings the series to its subscribers on November 9.
The 12-episode run means the story is tightly paced, with the entire season unfolding over roughly three months of weekly broadcasts. That structure keeps the focus on the central relationship and the four leads without stretching the plot beyond what the webtoon offers.
A Story About Two People Who Save Each Other
The promotional materials for “One of a Kind Romance” have consistently highlighted the idea that Gong Yu Il and Tak Mu I are fans of each other in different ways. She is a struggling writer who once put a story into the world. He is a star who found something in that story that helped him keep going. When they meet in person, the dynamic is not one of a powerful celebrity and a helpless fan. It is two people who have already been quietly connected through words, now trying to figure out how to exist in each other’s real lives.
Joy described the project as one that offers warm comfort through the process of two people embracing each other’s pain. Kim Hyun Jin emphasized the importance of matching the original webtoon and building scenes that feel true to the characters fans already know. Together, their comments point to a drama that leans on emotional honesty rather than grand gestures.
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“One of a Kind Romance” premieres on November 9, 2026, at 6 p.m. KST on TVING, with simultaneous and regional releases on Viki, Viu, ABEMA, and KOCOWA+.
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For more K-drama cast interviews, release guides, and streaming updates, keep reading on VvipTimes.
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