'Call It Love' when a quest for revenge turns into romance

Television

Published: 21 Feb. 2023, 16:15 Updated: 21 Feb. 2023, 18:27

'Call It Love' when a quest for revenge turns into romance

Lee Sung-kyung, left, and Kim Young-kwang pose for a photo during a press conference for Disney+'s ″Call It Love″ at a hotel in Dongdaemun District, eastern Seoul, on Tuesday. [YONHAP]

A story of a new kind of love, “Call It Love,” starring Lee Sung-kyung and Kim Young-kwang, is a new romantic drama with a revengeful twist, to be released on Disney+ Wednesday.

Depicting a woman and man who meet with the intention of getting revenge but instead get entangled in feelings of love, “Call It Love” centers on Lee’s character Shim Woo-joo, who founds out by chance that her father is having an affair. Kim plays the mistress's son, Han Dong-jin.

Although the story of two young people falling in love through the hurt caused by their parents’ actions is unlikely, that is precisely why this love story will be something completely new, the “Call It Love” cast and director said during a press conference for the drama at a hotel in Dongdaemun District, eastern Seoul, Tuesday.

“Some people may even say that this story is a revenge story, not a love story,” said director Lee Kwang-young. “But it’s a story about a fragile character, Lee’s Woo-joo, who rushes to protect something important to her but encounters unexpected emotions in the process.”

Kim’s character Dong-jin is someone who has it all — looks, a good job, power and money — but feels empty inside. Despite having everything, he has an innate loneliness, until he meets Woo-joo.

We all meet someone that stands out during our menial day-to-day lives, and that changes us, director Lee Kwang-young said. She wanted to depict how these chance encounters change our lives in the long run.

“Everyday life is work after work, but we all meet someone and experience change,” said Lee. “That sometimes becomes a turning point in our lives. I wanted to comfort all of us who live diligently day after day and deliver a message of encouragement and compassion.”

Main poster for ″Call It Love″ [DISNEY+]

Both Lee Sung-kyung’s Woo-joo and Kim Young-kwang’s Dong-jin have their own scars and problems, but they carry on, said director Lee.

“I wanted to say to all of us who wake up and go to work every day, that you are not alone, and we all live like that. You will experience change sometime in your life,” said Lee.

Lee Sung-kyung expressed how, because there is a revenge element, “Call It Love” could be seen as another show that tries to supply an exhilarating plot and ending, but said the drama will not be as predictable.

“'Call It Love’ is more about how we as flawed human beings strive to protect what is important to us and face unexpected emotions in such situations,” said the actor.

While Lee has played a lot of bright and upbeat roles in the past, she wanted to break away from that image and play Woo-joo, who experiences intense emotions, according to Lee.

“I tried to look at myself and what emotions I had while playing this character, and the director believed in me and trusted me so it worked out,” said Lee.

Though they had been close friends for a long time, actors Lee and Kim purposefully stayed away from each other during filming in order to stay in character.

“I ran away from Lee on set during filming because I wanted to stay in character and be the character entirely,” said Kim during the press conference. “I have known my co-star Lee for a long time, so we are close. But I tried to refrain from breaking character, and I felt that I needed to stick to the slightly dark and melancholy characteristic of Dong-jin.”

Lee and Kim are accompanied by actors Sung Joon, Ahn Hee-yeon and Kim Ye-won, who play supporting roles in “Call It Love.” All five actors had a unique style and the end result is something to look out for, according to the director.

“Call It Love” can be viewed with English subtitles on Disney+ starting Wednesday.

BY LIM JEONG-WON [lim.jeongwon@joongang.co.kr]