Im Siwan + Seol In-ah, a Dazzling Romance Between a Murder Suspect and a Cross-dressing Detective

Im Siwan and Seol In-ah will unfold a precarious romance amidst suspicion and pursuit surrounding a murder case. With the unconventional combination of a third-generation chaebol and a detective from a special forces unit, combined with undercover investigation in male attire, attention is focused on whether the new tvN Monday-Tuesday drama 'Love In Disguise' can emerge as a new hit card for the home screen in the second half of the year. Expectations are also high due to the meeting of Im Siwan, who left a strong impression with Netflix's 'Squid Game Season 2,' and Seol In-ah, who made a mark on the public with 'Mr. Queen,' which recorded a peak viewership rating of 17.4%.

'Love In Disguise,' which premieres on the 19th at 8:50 PM, tells the story of Yoon I-jun, an arrogant third-generation chaebol identified as a strong suspect in a murder case, and Kang Jae-hui, a detective who infiltrates him disguised as a personal secretary to secure decisive evidence. As Kang Jae-hui, who enters a personal secretary position that only hires men, monitors the suspicious chaebol heir, unexpected feelings bloom between the two. The relationship between a detective who must reveal the truth and a suspected suspect is a key device that injects tension into the romance.

Im Siwan transforms into Yoon I-jun, a powerful successor of Taegang Group, attempting a new transformation different from the roles he has shown so far. A key point of interest is what kind of inner self he hides behind the appearance of a cold and unrestrained third-generation chaebol. The setting of being a strong suspect in a murder case makes him a character who evokes both suspicion and curiosity rather than just a romantic partner. In particular, how Yoon I-jun responds while being monitored by Kang Jae-hui and how far their relationship changes is expected to dictate the flow of the drama.

Kang Jae-hui, played by Seol In-ah, is a detective who cannot tolerate injustice. As she hides her identity and infiltrates as a male personal secretary to uncover the truth of the case, she must naturally oscillate between the two faces of a strong detective and a secretary who must maintain a disguised identity. It is a complex character who must handle action, romance, and undercover investigation. Regarding the reason for choosing the work, Seol In-ah stated, "When I first read the script, the story read very quickly," and "From the setting of being a detective and infiltrating as a male personal secretary to the action and delicate emotional acting, the fact that I could show various aspects was the most attractive."

The part Seol In-ah showed particular affection for is Kang Jae-hui's professional conviction. She explained that she considers the identity as a detective more important between the two aspects, saying, "Ultimately, at the starting point of all actions, there is the conviction of detective Kang Jae-hui to uncover the truth of the case." Her approach to the cross-dressing acting was also not simply about imitating a male appearance. Seol In-ah revealed, "Rather than 'acting as a man,' I prepared with the focus of 'what would Kang Jae-hui look like if she disguised herself as a man.'" It is an approach to give persuasiveness to the disguised identity while maintaining the character's identity.

The preparation process for action was also not easy. To live up to the setting of being from a special forces unit, Seol In-ah consistently combined action training with physical management. She said, "I thought the movements should be natural, like someone who has been trained for a long time," and shared that she closely observed everything from walking, center of gravity, sitting posture, the way hands are used, to the gaze scanning the surroundings. She also studied the movements of actual trained people by looking up related videos. The intention is to show through gestures that Kang Jae-hui is not just a person in male clothing, but a detective who can respond to any situation at any time.

The direction of the romance the two actors will portray is also interesting. Im Siwan defined the relationship between Yoon I-jun and Kang Jae-hui with one word: 'purity.' He said, "It may sound strange, but if you look simply at the situation they are in, Yoon I-jun and Kang Jae-hui are in a relationship that can never be joined," and "A chaebol heir who is a murder suspect and the detective who suspects and chases him—what a bone-chilling combination." He explained that although they start from a relationship where they have no choice but to be wary of each other, the sincerity blooming within can become the power that connects the two.

Seol In-ah described the relationship between the two as 'from suspicion to trust.' She said that while they cannot trust each other at first, they gradually expand their scope of understanding as they experience the case together. Additionally, she cited a 'twist' that flips the familiar structure of existing romances as a point of differentiation. Seol In-ah mentioned, "There are scenes where Kang Jae-hui protects Yoon I-jun, or rather, uses her body more actively," suggesting that the unexpected chemistry will be a unique charm of the two. Moving away from the typical structure where a male protagonist protects a female, the scenes where the female detective directly leads the situation are elements that will simultaneously raise the fun of action and romance.

In addition to the two protagonists, Kim Jeong-hyeon as Kim Si-hyeon, a lawyer for the Taegang Group legal team, and Yeon-woo as Lee Hye-jeong, the chairman's secretary, join to expand the web of relationships in the drama. How characters placed in different positions will develop love is another point of interest. It is expected that how organically the mystery surrounding the chaebol family, the undercover investigation, and the psychological warfare of characters hiding their identities mesh with the romance will determine the completeness of the work.

'Love In Disguise' combines the genre devices of a murder case and cross-dressing infiltration with a familiar chaebol romance. Attention is focused on whether Im Siwan's new character transformation, Seol In-ah's action acting, and the relationship between the two, who cannot help but be attracted to each other while suspecting one another, can stimulate viewers' curiosity. However, a hit is not guaranteed solely by the flashy setting and the combination of star actors. Only when the plausibility of the case and the emotional lines of the romance mesh persuasively can the result of rising viewership ratings be expected. 'Love In Disguise' premieres on the 19th at 8:50 PM, and global viewers can also meet it through Amazon Prime Video.

Read the original (Korean)