Jo Bo-ah Caught in Kim Soo-hyun Fallout, Returns with Lee Jae-wook After 7 Months of Marriage

Jo Bo-ah, who married a non-celebrity in October last year, was initially set to appear in “Knock-Off” alongside Kim Soo-hyun. However, the release of the Disney+ series has been indefinitely suspended due to a privacy controversy involving Kim Soo-hyun and his alleged connection to the late actress Kim Sae-ron.

With the future of “Knock-Off” uncertain, Jo Bo-ah is now drawing attention for her compelling performance in Netflix’s new original series “Dear Hongrang,” where she stars opposite Lee Jae-wook.

“Dear Hongrang” is a Netflix original Korean drama set in the Joseon era, blending mystery, romance, and historical elements. The series explores themes of identity, family, and forbidden emotions, with Jo Bo-ah and Lee Jae-wook leading a narrative-driven story.

In the series, Jo Bo-ah displays quintessential Korean beauty and an unprecedented level of acting prowess. The series is a mystery-melo historical drama that follows Hong-rang, the son of Joseon’s largest merchant group, who returns after 12 years of disappearance with no memory. His half-sister Jae-yi, played by Jo Bo-ah, is the only one who doubts his identity, and the story explores the inexplicable emotions that develop between them. In the drama, Jo Bo-ah portrays Jae-yi, Hong-rang’s half-sister, who has lived under oppression for years. Convinced that the returned Hong-rang (Lee Jae-wook) is an imposter, Jae-yi grapples with conflicting emotions as she grows unexpectedly drawn to him, delicately portraying her inner turmoil.

Playing the complex role of Jae-yi, Jo Bo-ah shared her reason for joining the project, “While reading ‘Dear Hongrang,’ I wanted to express the heart of a sister longing for her brother Hong-rang, which led me to take on this challenge.” She added, “I put the most effort into distinctly separating Jae-yi’s feelings for the ‘real’ Hong-rang and the unconscious attraction she feels toward the ‘fake’ Hong-rang.” She urged viewers to closely follow Jae-yi’s evolving emotional journey.

“Dear Hongrang” premiered on Netflix on May 16 (Friday) at 4 PM.