Jakarta – Playing a multilingual translator proved to be no easy task for Kim Seon-ho. In the new Netflix drama Can This Love Be Translated?, Kim revealed that his role as Ju Ho-jin even made him struggle with speaking his native Korean.
“All languages were challenging for me, but Japanese was probably the hardest, especially because there’s so much dialogue in it,” Kim said during a press conference at Kasablanka Hall, Jakarta, on Friday, January 16, 2026. He added, “Italian was also surprisingly difficult.”
Can This Love Be Translated?. (L to R) Kim Seon-ho, Go Youn-jung, Yoo Young-eun in Can This Love Be Translated?. Cr. Courtesy of Netflix © 2026
The challenge intensified when he had to translate Japanese to Italian and back in the same scene. “After that scene, we had another scene in Korean, but I kept making mistakes. I even almost forgot how to speak Korean,” he admitted with a smile.
The series also stars Go Youn-jung as Cha Mu-hee, a global star who is skeptical about love. During the press conference, Kim and Go Youn-jung were asked which foreign language they would like to master. Kim said he wants to learn English to connect better with his global fans.
“I hope I can become fluent in English so I can greet and chat with all the fans directly,” he said.
A funny moment happened when Go Youn-jung started answering the same question. Kim playfully nudged her to say Indonesian instead, since they were in Jakarta. Go Youn-jung then jokingly said, “Even though I really want to be fluent in English, I should say I want to be fluent in Indonesian,” prompting laughter from the media. The moment also highlighted the natural and warm chemistry between the two leads.
Kim Seon-ho spent four months preparing for the role, studying multiple languages. Director Yoo Young-eun noted that Ju Ho-jin’s character was intentionally portrayed as someone from a different language background than Cha Mu-hee, creating misunderstandings that drive the story. The director focused on expressing Ju Ho-jin’s emotions through glances, tone, and gestures rather than just dialogue.
The drama was written by the Hong Sisters, Hong Jung Eun and Hong Mi Ran, known for hits like Alchemy of Souls, Hotel Del Luna, and The Master’s Sun. Can This Love Be Translated? follows Ju Ho-jin (Kim Seon-ho) and Cha Mu-hee (Go Youn-jung), exploring how their professional relationship gradually grows into the first sparks of romance. The 12-episode series premiered on Netflix on Friday, January 16, 2026, promising a mix of romance, humor, and undeniable chemistry between its leads.
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