A chance to study Japanese literature is what brings Korean student Choi Hong to Japan. Hong, played by Lee Se-young in the Korean drama What Comes After Love, has barely arrived in Japan when she meets and falls for an aspiring Japanese writer, Jungo Aoki, played by Kentaro Sakaguchi. Despite initially seeming perfect for each other, they eventually break up and Hong returns to Korea. Then the plot jumps forward a few years. An older and much less romantic Hong works in a Korean publishing company and is ready to make a more pragmatic matrimonial choice. However, she's called on to translate for a visiting Japanese author, who happens to be Jungo.
Lee's performance in this drama is all the more impressive when you consider that most of her lines are in Japanese.
"I had never spoken Japanese before and was first introduced to it through the drama script," said Lee. "Learning a new language is fun, so I was eager to take it on even though it was challenging. There was a lot of kanji and difficult vocabulary, and it became a bit harder during filming since I had to act while listening closely to my co-actors. I'm grateful that everyone said my Japanese sounded fluent, though I feel I'm fluent only in the drama dialogue."
Hong and Jungo meet again because her publishing company has translated his novel for sale in Korea. So, what comes after the love they had? She can barely stand to be in the same room with him. He has obviously never forgotten her. Who can they be to each other? Enemies? Friends? Lovers again?
Before taking on the role Lee read the novel the drama is based on, written by Kong Ji-Young and Hitonari Tsuji. She was curious to see how the story would translate to the screen. While she wanted to play Hong, a character whose personality seemed quite different to her own, she also liked the way the novel explored the idea that a love that might not work out in one time and place but could work out in another. Fate does present Hong and Jungo with another chance.
"Hong in the present time is very different from me," said Lee. "So it was interesting and fun to portray her. I'm not one to stay in conflict for long, so I was concerned I might act differently from how Hong should be. However, I came to understand her more deeply during filming. I think it's possible that love can come later, and if it does, I believe I would see it as something truly fateful. I feel timing is very important for love to happen, as well as the environment I'm in and the situation the other person is in, because these factors can create obstacles in a relationship."
One strain on their early relationship was how lonely Hong felt in Japan and how much she missed her family back home. Lee can see herself moving to another country for love, but only under certain conditions.
"I don't think it would be an obstacle," she said. "But if I had to give up my job, that would be a problem. I think I would go to where my partner is when I'm not working, and return to Korea when I am."
What Comes After Love was filmed in Korea and Japan, but filming the love story in Japan did not allow much time to sightsee.
"We shot mostly in Kyoto and, although I didn't get a chance to explore much, I still had a great three days there," said Lee, who previously appeared in the dramas, The Red Sleeve, The Crowned Clown, The Story of Park's Marriage Contract and Kairos. Her next drama appearance will be in Motel California.
The drama's bilingual cast also included Hong Jong-hyun and Anna Nakamura. Directed by Moon Hyun-sung, What Comes After Love can be seen on Viki.com.