Warning: This article may contain spoilers.

While global viewers fell for the character of Cha Mu-hee, the lovable character at the center of the newly released Netflix rom-com series “Can This Love Be Translated?," actor Go Youn-jung, who played Mu-hee, revealed that she, too, grew deeply attached to her role, saying the series holds a “special” place for her.

“It really felt like I’d lived in a beautiful, heart-fluttering, almost fairy-tale world,” said Go during an interview with reporters at a cafe in central Seoul on Friday. “It even made my reality suddenly feel so dull. And I was also so immersed in Cha Mu-hee that I honestly wished I could live as her just a little longer.”


Go also reached 10 million followers on Instagram on Thursday — mirroring Mu-hee’s milestone in the series. The coincidence became a buzz among fans, further fueled after her co-star Kim Seon-ho, who plays romantic interest and multilingual interpreter Joo Ho-jin, commented, “Congratulations, Ms. Cha Mu-hee!” to which Go replied, “Mr. Joo Ho-jin... Is this a dream?”

Reflecting on the moment, Go said, “It felt kind of surreal. Of course, if I kept working hard and my following continued to grow, I knew hitting 10 million could happen someday. But reaching that moment through this project, just like Mu-hee, made it hard not to read meaning into it, even though I’m not usually someone who does that.”

Directed by Yoo Young-eun, the series follows the unexpected romance between Mu-hee, a globally famous actor, and Ho-jin, a multilingual interpreter, whose communication styles, including how they approach love, are completely different.

The series was penned by renowned screenwriters Hong Jung-eun and Hong Mi-ran, known as the Hong sisters, who have written numerous hit series, such as “Hotel del Luna” (2019) and “Alchemy of Souls” (2022-23), the latter of which also starred Go.

While the first half of the series depicts Mu-hee’s rise from unknown actor to fame, the narrative takes a dramatic turn with the emergence of Do Ra-mi, a breakout character that Cha portrays in a hit zombie film. Playing her brings Mu-hee to stardom, but Do Ra-mi also later becomes a figure in her mind, criticizing and haunting her.

Go admitted she was unaware of the shift when she first accepted the role, having only received scripts for the first four episodes at the time.

“I had no idea the story would take that turn, so when I first read the script, it felt like a really fresh shock,” Go said. “It even felt like the genre was shifting. And it made me realize I needed to prepare even more.”

Portraying two emotionally distinct characters — Mu-hee, who is indirect and unstable, and Do Ra-mi, who is blunt and expressive — required careful balance. Instead of drastic shifts, Go differentiated them subtly through their communication styles, calling Do Ra-mi “an interpreter” for Mu-hee’s thoughts and emotions.

“Though Mu-hee and Do Ra-mi may appear like completely separate characters, I thought that if the gap between them became too big, it might be hard for viewers to accept and for me to play as well,” Go said, explaining that their common ground lies in their shared instinct to protect Mu-hee. “So, I focused on changing just one key point and approached them as the same person while acting.”

And between the two roles, Go noted that Do Ra-mi felt closer to her own personality.

“I’m not very good at speaking indirectly, and I’m also not good at picking up on it when others do either,” she said. “So, a lot of Mu-hee’s lines were pretty challenging for me, since she tends to talk in such a roundabout way. I spent a lot of time breaking down what she really meant beneath the words. Because of that, Do Ra-mi actually felt easier to play. She’s more straightforward, consistent and simple.”

In a romantic comedy, the chemistry between the two leads is crucial. Prior to the premiere, concerns were raised over the 10-year age gap between Go and Kim. However, the controversy quickly subsided after the series aired, with viewers praising their on-screen chemistry. Kim even admitted in a recent interview that he actually felt his heart flutter at times while filming.

Go said she felt the same way, adding that, however, when she first met Kim, she worried she might not be able to get close to him, as she saw him as a daeseonbae, a term referring to a highly respected senior actor. Those concerns soon faded, however, as the two bonded over a shared sense of humor, which encouraged her to improvise more on set.

“We really clicked, which made me feel comfortable improvising,” Go said. “I think it’s because we’re on a similar wavelength. That created a sense of mutual trust, like if I did something a certain way, the other person would respond in kind.”

Sharing that the series aired almost a year after it finished shooting, Go said that watching it was like “flipping through an old summer or winter vacation diary.” She also hopes that this personally meaningful project could become an “all-time favorite” for viewers, even if just one.

“I watch ‘Coffee Prince’ [2007] every summer,” Go shared. “Whenever the weather starts to get hot, that drama just comes to mind. That’s why it’s my all-time favorite.”

“I hope this series can become something like that for someone, a show that comes to mind when the cold wind starts to blow. Even if it’s just for one person, I’d be happy if it’s a drama they think of when they feel that chill.”


BY KIM JI-YE [kim.jiye@joongang.co.kr]