Kim Seon-ho interview: On ‘Can This Love Be Translated?’ and all things romance
What does it take to be the leading man in a romance K-Drama?
In Netflix’s newest show, Can This Love Be Translated?,Kim Seon-ho, the actor at the helm of it all, plays polyglot interpreter Joo Ho-jin. He is largely detached, no-nonsense and committed to ensuring emotions do not get in the way of his job. “I only pass along the words people say, not judge what kind of person they are,” he declares early on in the show.
It isn’t long before this resolve is put to the test as the show takes its leads, Seon-ho and actor Go Youn-jung, to Japan, Canada and Italy. Soon enough, sparks fly under the Northern lights, at quaint wine bars, a picturesque winery, and through winding cobblestone streets.
As scenic and ripe for romance as the setting is, the feelings throughout the series are a tangled web, often meandering, complex and something Seon-ho says he had to keep in mind while interpreting the character of Ho-jin, to go beyond the universal emotions and expressions that come with the genre.
Kim Seon-ho as Joo Ho-jin in ‘Can This Love Be Translated?’
| Photo Credit:
Netflix
“Ho-jin is not someone who is really out there or very active; he’s someone who’s very calm, very flat in a way, and also very reserved. I paid attention to little details that I could add to express his emotions. For instance, the way I would look at someone, the slightest movement of my eyebrows or just what he would do with his fingers,” he says, during a Zoom interview.
A seasoned theatre actor, Seon-ho further says he focused on expressing many nuanced details through reacting rather than acting, while designing the character.
Since its release on January 16, Can This Love Be Translated? continues to be among Netflix’s top five most-watched shows in India. Seon-ho is all smiles as he speaks about the show, and says that he began prepping for his role as an interpreter fluent in multiple languages from nearly four months before they started filming.
(L to R) Go Youn-jung as Cha Mu-hee / Do Ra-mi, Kim Seon-ho as Joo Ho-jin in ‘Can This Love Be Translated?’
| Photo Credit:
Netflix
“I met with the different coaches for each of the respective languages to study, and on the day we have those multilingual scenes, each language coach would be there on set with me. We would tweak the details and nuances together. I have to say, though, it was not easy to do,” he explains. Bringing up a specific scene where he had to speak Korean, Italian and Japanese, Seon-ho recalls how difficult this was. “And this is just a sidebar, but after finishing that shoot, I started stuttering when I was speaking Korean lines because I had been so nervous,” he laughs.
Director Yoo Young-eun speaks
Reflecting on casting for Can This Love Be Translated, director Yoo Young-eun says that she thought Kim Seon-ho was the perfect fit to play the role of Ho-jin.
“He has that sense of maturity and also being grounded, but at the same time, he is capable of really portraying nuances. The reason why Mu-hee, played by Go Youn-jun, too, is so lovable and earnest is because of how she says so much, and yet you can see right through her. She is very transparent, and I feel Young-jun is exactly like this in real life as well,” she says.
Filming the K-Drama at multiple locations around the world meant that she had to pay keen attention to ensure these places carried meaning in terms of the storyline’s progression and the meaning they inherently held. “Of course, when you are shooting in different countries outside of your home country, there’s a lot that can go wrong. However, thanks to the cast and crew putting in so much effort and really trying their best, I think we were able to do everything smoothly,” she adds.
After starring in the 2023 action-thriller film The Childe and thegritty thriller show The Tyrant in 2024, projects that came out after a professional break following a relationship controversy, he went viral in 2025 for his short, sweet cameo in the hit show Netflix’s When Life Gives You Tangerines. A scene from the show, where he winks and flashes his dimples, spawned a viral ‘smile challenge’.
Now, with the release of Can This Love Be Translated?, it is a return for the actor to the romance genre. He laughs when asked if the genre is something he particularly enjoys.
“I think I’m not somebody who’s drawn to a genre. I’m more drawn to the narrative and the character arc of the particular character that I would be playing. I’m really drawn to the backstory of these characters, what their life was like before we get to meet them, what they are struggling with, and how they resolve those struggles. I think that’s something that really makes me want to take on the challenge of playing a role,” he says, adding “I don’t know if I can say that I like or prefer the romance genre, but I think it is definitely a genre that’s challenging, and something that I enjoy.”
(L to R) Kim Seon-ho as Joo Ho-jin, Go Youn-jung as Cha Mu-hee / Do Ra-mi in ‘Can This Love Be Translated?’
| Photo Credit:
Netflix
With him being onscreen for a large chunk of the show with Go Youn-jung, Seon-ho says that as an introvert, he had to consciously work on being an extrovert on the set.
“You have to be really approachable and tear down any walls that you may have, in order to build that relationship and chemistry so that you and your scene partners feel very comfortable with one another,” he says. With Young-jun in particular, Seon-ho says this was easy to do given their interest in the show. “Her level of passion for acting is truly immense. I’m very grateful that she was my partner, and it was an honour for me,” he smiles.
Can This Love Be Translated?is currently streaming on Netflix
Published – January 29, 2026 04:52 pm IST
