Lim Ji-Yeon Meets Lee Jung-Jae In K-Drama ‘Nice To Not Meet You’

Actors can surprise you, especially if they turn out to be very different from the characters they play on TV or in films. That’s what happens when Jeong-shin, an entertainment writer, played by Lim Ji-yeon, is assigned to interview Kang Pil-gu, the beloved protagonist of a hit detective series now heading into its fifth season. Jeong-shin is not an entertainment writer by choice.

She’s a decorated political journalist, suddenly reassigned to the celebrity beat because she enthusiastically pursued a story on major corruption. Pil-gu, played by Lee Jung-jae, is tired of playing the same character and longs for more emotionally complex roles. However, success is hard to quit. These two dissatisfied characters clash when they first meet in Nice to Not Meet You, a witty romantic look at the k-drama entertainment world.

Viewers who only know Lee Jung-jae from playing Gi-hun in the award-winning Korean series Squid Game might be surprised to find he’s starring in a rom com. It’s not his first.

“It’s not that I’ve never done comedy before,” said Lee. “If you look at my earlier works, I played quite a few lighter characters, and there were many people who enjoyed seeing that side of me. Even Gi-hun in Squid Game started off that way. But I think the projects that left the strongest impression of me tended to be heavier in tone and subject matter, which is why people may see me that way.”

Lee is one of Korea’s most successful actors, appearing in dozens of films such as Svaha: The Sixth Finger, Along With The Gods, The Thieves and The Housemaid and TV dramas such as Chief of Staff. He likes to challenge himself by playing different kinds of characters.

“When I choose my next project, what matters most to me is whether the character feels completely different from the ones I’ve played before,” said Lee. “Since this was my return to TV series after a long time, I wanted to show a side of myself that was entirely different from Squid Game. That’s when I came across the script for Nice To Not Meet You, and I thought it would be a great gift for fans who had seen me in heavier roles for such a long time.”

Viewers might also only know his co-star from playing a vicious bully in The Glory or her recent roles in The Tale of Lady Ok, Lies Hidden In My Garden and The Killing Vote. In Nice To Not Meet You Lim plays a writer who may be surprised that an actor is nothing like his TV character. She surprises people too when they meet her in person.

“Unlike when I first debuted, in recent years I’ve often played villains or stronger characters, so many people tend to see me as a tough type,” said Lim. “They’ve also gotten used to seeing me in glamorous roles on screen. But in reality, I’m full of flaws and quite down-to-earth, so I often hear that I’m not what people expected.”

In real life actors can also be much nicer and more charming in person than their roles suggest. Lim is a great example.

“People you see on TV are, after all, just ordinary people living their lives.” said Lim. “I’m sure there are sides of me that are different from the image the public sees as well. I’d love to be thought of as someone kinder and more charming too.”

Despite gaining international recognition for some serious roles Lim has acted in a few romantic stories.

“When I first debuted, I appeared in quite a few youth romance projects,” said Lim. “At the time, I was still young, so I felt I lacked the depth to fully portray the range of emotions that come with love, and I sometimes regretted that. More recently, many of my works have dealt with darker and heavier emotions, but when I read the script for Nice To Not Meet You, it felt like a refreshing change. I believe viewers will also be able to feel the same brightness and pleasant energy that I did.

The drama also stars Kim Ji-hoon (Genie Make A Wish, Death’s Game, Love To Hate You) and Seo Ji-hye (Love Next Door, Adamas, Kiss Sixth Sense), Choi Gi-hwa (Bon Appétit) and Jeon Sung-woo (A Hundred Memories).

The story is directed by Kim Ga-ram (Good Partner, Nevertheless) and written by Jung Yeo-rang (Doctor Cha). Nice To Not Meet You premieres Nov. 3 on Prime Video, with new episodes on Monday and Tuesday.