[Sportschosun Jiyoung Cho] Netflix series "This Awful Love" (written by Mo Ji-hye, directed by Kim Jang-han) will meet viewers around the world next month as a familiar, crowd-pleasing rom-com set against the backdrop of the Middle East.
Set to premiere on August 7, "This Awful Love" is a sweet-and-salty romance born from an inseparable fate, and it is expected to stir viewers' hearts. Above all, the pairing of Jung Hae-in and Ha Young, both known for their strong rom-com appeal, is raising expectations even higher.
In the teaser poster released with the announcement, Jang Tae-ha (Jung Hae-in) and Go Eun-sae (Ha Young) are seen in the quiet small town of Gujin Yot Village, sparking curiosity. The contrast between Jang Tae-ha, who wears a gentle but somehow suspicious smile in the middle of a cozy country house yard, and Go Eun-sae, who looks on with a puzzled question mark above her head, is intriguing.
The line, "No memory, no records. The only person I can trust is this man!" also raises questions about what will happen to Go Eun-sae, who arrives in Yot Village after losing all her memories and following the man she claims is her boyfriend.
The teaser trailer released alongside it captures the intriguing first meeting between the somewhat suspicious Jang Tae-ha and Go Eun-sae. First, Go Eun-sae appears in a sports car and introduces herself with charisma, saying, "I'm prosecutor Go Ji-won from the anti-corruption investigation division at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office." That image makes viewers wonder what she was like before losing her memory. After the tense Go Eun-sae, who is being chased by someone, comes Jang Tae-ha with his dark aura, and the secret order from the gang boss Baek Sang-gil (Heo Sung-tae) draws attention to their mysterious relationship.
The mood suddenly shifts. Go Eun-sae wakes up in a hospital with amnesia and an unidentified identity, so much so that even her fingerprints cannot be confirmed. When Jang Tae-ha appears before her, he drops a bombshell: "Don't you know who I am? I'm your boyfriend." His words suggest that their connection is anything but ordinary.
Even though she has lost her memory, her taste seems unchanged. Go Eun-sae is also seen rejecting reality, insisting that the shabby-looking Jang Tae-ha could never be her boyfriend. She cannot believe his claim that he had persistently followed her after their first meeting in the mountains. Saying, "In a nutshell, I'm screwed, right?" she is thrown into confusion in a strange situation with no memories and no clues. Her pitiful yet funny reaction adds to the humor. Whether Jang Tae-ha, who calls himself Go Eun-sae's boyfriend, is telling the truth or lying remains to be seen, making viewers curious about how their relationship began.
"This Awful Love" follows the sweet and sticky cohabitation of a prosecutor with amnesia and a boxing coach who insists he is her boyfriend. Jung Hae-in, Ha Young, and Heo Sung-tae star in the series. It is written by Mo Ji-hye, who penned "You Raise Me Up," and directed by Kim Jang-han, who helmed "You Raise Me Up" and "My Demon." The series will be released on Netflix on August 7.
Jiyoung Cho, soulhn1220@sportschosun.com
