The upcoming eight-part series Love in the Big City is quickly becoming a hot topic after its teaser was released ahead of its October 21st debut on TVING.
Based on the bestselling novel by Park Sang Young, which was nominated for prestigious awards like the Booker Prize and Dublin Literary Award, the drama brings the entire original story to the screen. Park Sang Young himself penned the script, and the production takes a Hollywood-style approach with different directors helming each episode. The team includes Hur Jin Ho, Hong Ji Yeong, Son Tae Gyum, and Kim Se In, each adding their unique directorial flair to the 50-minute episodes, with two released per week for a total of eight.
Love in the Big City follows Ko Young, a writer who navigates life and love through various relationships in his twenties and thirties. Nam Yoon Su, known for his roles in The King’s Affection and Today’s Webtoon, plays Ko Young and leads the series through his character’s emotional love stories.
The first two episodes, titled “Mi Ae,” introduce Ko Young’s tumultuous twenties, focusing on his friendship with Mi Ae, his roommate, where both bond over their carefree attitudes toward relationships and shared interest in men, as well as his first love, Nam Gyu. The episodes are directed by Son Tae Gyum, who won third place at the Cannes Film Festival’s Cinéfondation for the short film Night Flight. Kwon Hyuk from The New Employee stars as Ko Young’s first love, Nam Gyu, while Lee Soo Kyung, who won a Baeksang Arts Award for Miracle: Letters to the President, plays Mi Ae, injecting energy into the storyline with her strong performance.
Episodes 3 and 4, “Rockfish, a Taste of Our Universe,” delve into Ko Young’s complicated relationship with Yeong Su, a mysterious man he meets during philosophy lectures while caring for his terminally ill mother. Directed by renowned melodrama master Hur Jin Ho, the episodes star Na Hyun Woo as Yeong Su and Oh Hyun Kyung as Ko Young’s mother, adding emotional depth to the series.
In episodes 5 and 6, titled “Love in the Big City,” Ko Young’s long-term relationship with bartender Kyu Ho reaches a turning point as life throws unexpected challenges their way. Directed by Marriage Blue helmer Hong Ji Yeong, Jin Ho Eun, rising star from All of Us Are Dead, plays Kyu Ho, capturing Ko Young’s most authentic love story.
The final two episodes, “Vacation in the Late Rainy Season,” explore Ko Young’s bittersweet memories of Bangkok with Kyu Ho, evoking feelings of loss and loneliness. Directed by Kim Se In of The Apartment with Two Women, the episodes close out the series with a lingering impact. Notably, top model Kim Won Joong makes his acting debut as the mysterious Japanese character Habibi.
Love in the Big City premieres on October 21st on TVING, with two episodes released weekly for a total of eight.
Source: TVING
