'Dear Hongrang' explores mystery, sibling romance, trauma

Netflix Korea’s latest original series, "Dear Hongrang" explores the provocative concept of romance between siblings, setting the stage for a historical drama woven with mystery and psychological trauma.

Set in the Joseon period, "Dear Hongrang" centers on Jae-yi (Cho Bo-ah), who grows suspicious when her younger brother, Hongrang (Lee Jae-wuk), reappears after a 12-year disappearance. As Hongrang struggles with amnesia regarding his childhood, he begins to develop a romantic connection with Jae-yi. The series unfolds as a cascade of revelations peels back layers of long-buried secrets.

Lee Jae-wuk, who leads the drama as the enigmatic Hongrang, reflected on the emotional demands of his character during a recent group interview held in Samcheong-dong, Seoul.

“I still tear up when thinking about Hongrang,” said Lee. “He’s such a tragic character who grew up in a harsh environment. I regret that I couldn’t portray him perfectly. I often find myself thinking about him -- Hongrang still holds a place in my heart.”

“To be honest, I don’t think I was able to express even 10 percent of this character’s pain. After we wrapped filming, I kept asking myself every night, ‘Did I do a good job?’ It was really upsetting at times.”

Lee also revealed the intentional focus of his performance: that no matter how cold or conflicted Hongrang appeared, his attention always returned to Jae-yi.

“At the end of Hongrang’s gaze, there always had to be Jae-yi. He felt compassion for her, and it seemed like, subconsciously, he needed her to be there. So even when he acted harshly and pushed her away, I tried to make sure his eyes were always on Jae-yi,” said Lee.

Cho Bo-ah, who portrays Jae-yi, the emotionally complex anchor of the story, described the series as a layered ensemble of characters driven by sorrow rather than malice.

"Each one carries their own sense of sorrow. There’s no clear villain -- every character has their own backstory and their motivations are convincing. Through them, the series captures various forms of desire and greed," said Cho.

Rather than playing Jae-yi as a conventional period drama heroine, Cho leaned into the emotional vulnerability at the core of her character.

“Rather than portraying Jae-yi as a strong, assertive and independent character, I approached her more through emotion -- through the sorrow she carries. She grew up without receiving love from her parents and lost her younger brother, Hongrang, the only person she considered family. I tried hard to understand the pain she’s endured since childhood.”

She continued, “I do think Jae-yi might come across as somewhat passive. Still, I believe she carried each moment of the story in her own way, with sincerity and effort.”

Cho also addressed the indefinite postponement of her high-profile Disney+ project "Knock Off," a series reportedly budgeted at 60 billion won ($43 million), which was shelved due to controversy surrounding co-star Kim Soo-hyun.

"I’d prefer to hold back on this, as my words might hurt someone," she said carefully. "It’s a project we all worked hard on together for a long time, pouring a lot of love into it. I believe that someday, people will recognize our efforts and it will lead to good results."

All 11 episodes of "Dear Hongrang" are now streaming on Netflix.