K-drama actors Yeonwoo and Kim Hyun Jin on AI romance in Love Phobia and a possible Bollywood turn

AS AI chatbots more and more use up o'er the reins of mundane lifespan, it may only be a matter of time before they begin dictating our love lives and relationships as well — if they haven’t already. The Korean romantic comedy Love Phobia explores a near-future Korean society that may be beholden to AI-driven dating apps, where technology begins to replace human connections.Momoland’s Yeonwoo plays Yun Bia, the cold genius creator of the AI app “IT’S You”, which serves as an AI romantic partner for lovelorn city dwellers. As she develops and creates perfect viral reality romances, it has a direct bearing on the life of romance novelist Han Sun Ho (Kim Hyun Jin), who is not only suffering from writer’s block but also finds his own girlfriend hooked to the app.Even as several K dramas explore themes of love and dating in an AI-driven world — the recent one being Blackpink Jisoo’s Boyfriend on Demand — Kim Hyun Jin says it was the novelty of the theme that drew him to the project.“The fact that this drama brought together the globally advancing technology of AI — something that’s been developing rapidly over the past few years — with a love story. There have been plenty of dramas and films dealing with AI as a subject, not just ours, but I don’t think I’d seen one quite like ours that used love as its central theme alongside it.”Playing love’s creatorTalking about his character, described as “the idol of the romance world”, Hyun Jin says, “He is a novelist but he’s a character who captivates people more through his appearance than his writing. I tried to genuinely understand the emotions behind my lines — his dislike of that side of himself, and yet his inability to let go of his novelist’s instincts.”For Yeonwoo, it was the human touch within the AI driven premise that drew her to the story. “What first caught my attention was the subject of ‘AI’ — something that’s becoming more familiar to many people, yet still feels somewhat unfamiliar at the same time. Within that striking premise, I was drawn to the layered story: Bia’s dark past, her journey toward love, and the friendship that needs to be worked through. I felt a distinct kind of appeal in all of that.”Though the actor adds the role came with its own challenges. “The CG filming was the biggest challenge. It was my first time with that kind of shoot, and it wasn’t easy having to rely on imagination when I couldn’t quite picture how the final result would look. But the process itself was new and exciting in its own way. Bia’s emotions resonated with me in many ways overall, but there were clearly parts of her that differed from me, so I remember working hard to understand and empathize with the character more deeply.”A hungry actor discovering new rolesYeonwoo, formerly a member of the K pop girl group Momoland, has made a smooth transition into acting. Receiving strong acclaim for her recent performances in Dog Knows Everything and The Tale of Lady Ok, she says she is still exploring and discovering herself as an actor.“I think I’m still at a stage where it’s less about me choosing projects and more about gaining experience one by one through the opportunities that come my way. So I think what’s stronger in me right now is this feeling of not wanting to let any opportunity that comes to me slip by. With that mindset, I try to approach every project with gratitude.”She says her process remains fairly intuitive. “I think when I sense a moment that makes my heart ache a little for the character, I become more absorbed. When I start to understand the wounds and pain that person carries, I grow more curious about what comes next and find myself naturally drawn in. On the other hand, I’m also easily pulled toward a character who just makes me feel good when I think about them. Those emotional entry points feel like what matters most,” she said. Describing herself as a “hungry actor”, she adds, “I’ve experienced various genres, but honestly, there’s so much I still want to try. Every time I watch a new drama, I find myself thinking, ‘I want to do a project like that,’ or ‘I’d love to play a role like that’ — my mind keeps changing. Lately I’ve been drawn to something like the genre of 〈Lady Dua〉, and I’d also love to take on something like a romance film, which is a genre I love. I don’t want to set limits for myself — I want to experience as many different roles as possible.”Having been in the public eye since her musical debut in 2016, Yeonwoo says she has also redefined her understanding of success. “In the past, I think I was very tied to the idea of ‘success’ — I had a strong sense that I needed to achieve something and prove it. But now, I’ve come to think that being able to feel satisfied with yourself and love who you are might be the greater kind of success. I’m finding that the process of recognizing and accepting yourself is what truly matters,” she said. Why romcoms still excite Kim Hyun JinKim Hyun Jin, known for his performances in Cheer Up and Crushology 101, has also seen his popularity grow with his recent turn as a hacker investigator in the hit series Idol I. Known for portraying emotional depth with ease on screen, he says his acting process remains simple.“I think understanding the character’s backstory and personality has to come first, above all else.” However, he admits he has a favourite genre. “I still love romantic comedies. I want to keep getting better at them. So perhaps because of that, doing romantic comedies is still when I feel the most excited. That said, I’m not avoiding other genres either!”Bonding over BollywoodAs Korean dramas continue to grow in popularity across India, both actors reveal their fondness for Indian cinema. Kim Hyun Jin names Aamir Khan’s 3 Idiots as a favourite, while Yeonwoo points to Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Black. Both say they would welcome the chance to collaborate with Bollywood.“The Indian film Black comes to mind — I watched it when I was young. I think Indian films offer a lot of visual joy through their vibrant music and performances, but Black left a deep impression on me as a film that delivers a different kind of profound emotion. If the opportunity arises, I’d love to take on a project that holds a wide range of feelings and stories,” says Yeonwoo.Hyun Jin adds, “I actually watched it at school and have seen it several more times since. I’d love to explore not just that genre but various others as well, and if the opportunity arises, I’d love to meet Indian audiences.”As K dramas continue to make audiences around the world fall in love with romance again, Yeonwoo says that in real life she is drawn to a simple and comfortable kind of love.“Above all, I think I value a relationship where both people feel at ease with each other. I think I tend to like that kind of atmosphere in romance dramas too. A connection that’s realistic and naturally blossoms feels more genuinely exciting to me.”Love Phobia is streaming exclusively on Channel K in India.