Go Youn-jung calls Netflix romance a gift

“I traveled to so many countries and made so many joyful memories while filming that it felt like flipping through diaries from summer and winter vacations.”

Actress Go Youn-jung, 30, whom we met on Jan. 23 at a cafe in Seoul’s Jongno District, described the Netflix series "Can This Love Be Translated?," released on Jan. 16, as “a gift-like project.” The romantic comedy follows multilingual interpreter Joo Ho-jin, played by Kim Seon-ho, who is assigned to work with global superstar Cha Mu-hee, portrayed by Go. Shot over eight months across South Korea, Japan, Canada and Italy, the series drew attention as Go’s first foray into the romantic comedy genre.

Go said she was initially drawn to the project by its premise of an interpreter crossing paths with a top star, a concept she found both relatable to her work as an actress and refreshingly unrealistic. Known for fully immersing herself in her roles, she said, “After working on a series written by the Hong Sisters, it felt like I stepped into a fairy tale and returned.” She added that the immersion lingered even after filming wrapped. “I was so absorbed that real life felt almost flat,” she said. “When the shoot ended, the sense of emptiness was surprisingly strong.”

“I watch 'Coffee Prince' every summer. When the weather gets hot, that drama always comes to mind,” she said. “You could say it is my all-time favorite. I hope 'Can This Love Be Translated?' becomes a show someone thinks of when cold winds start blowing, just as I think of Gong Yoo and Yoon Eun-hye every summer.” Laughing, she added that it still felt unreal to imagine herself becoming part of someone else’s all-time favorite.

While the series has drawn attention for its exotic filming locations and the on-screen chemistry between the two leads, the production also presented a significant challenge for Go. She plays both Cha Mu-hee and Dorami, a character that exists within Cha’s imagination, a dual role that initially surprised her when she first read the script. “I am not someone who feels uncomfortable with change, so I soon became excited,” she said. “I kept thinking that this was a character I had never played before, and that made the experience even more enjoyable.”

That openness to new challenges is reflected in her body of work. Since her debut in 2019, Go has steadily built a diverse filmography across genres, including "Sweet Home" in 2020, "Law School" in 2021, "Alchemy of Souls" in 2022, "Moving" in 2023, "Light Shop" in 2024 and "Resident Playbook" in 2025. She said her top criterion when choosing a project is whether it offers a character distinct from those she has portrayed before.

“I am not entirely sure what kind of image viewers have of me, but I want to show them many different sides,” she said. “When I look at actors I truly respect, such as Lee Byung-hun, Jeon Do-yeon and Yum Jung-ah, they have something in common. No matter how many times I watch their work over the years, I never get tired of it. The characters may seem similar at first glance, but they are clearly different.” She said that aspiration is why she gravitates toward unfamiliar roles, even when the difference lies simply in a character’s profession.

Her next project is "Everyone Is Fighting Their Own Worthlessness," a new series written by Park Hae-young, known for "My Mister." The drama centers on a character pushed to the brink by envy and jealousy after failing to succeed while surrounded by accomplished friends, ultimately searching for inner peace. “'If Can This Love Be Translated?' felt like a fairy tale, then 'Everyone Is Fighting Their Own Worthlessness' is a black comedy sitcom filled with people who shimmer inside gray concrete,” Go said. “Every time we film, I find myself deeply moved by the script.”


김태언 beborn@donga.com