“It feels like I’ve finally finished my long-overdue vacation homework and am being praised by my teacher.” The journey of Yumi, which began in 2021, has come to an end after five years. From an ordinary office worker suffering through love and picking up a pen to chase her dreams, to finally meeting her life partner. We met Director Lee Sang-yeob, the visionary who guided Yumi’s Cells, at a cafe in Jongno-gu, Seoul on the 7th.
When Seasons 1 and 2 were being made, Season 3 wasn’t even in the plans. However, thanks to the passionate support of the fans, a third story was created, capturing the final romance between Yumi (Kim Go-eun), who has become a star writer, and the younger man Shin Soon-rok (Kim Jae-won). After its release, it received an explosive response, ranking first in the number of contributors to TVING paid subscriptions.
Regarding the decision to compress this season into eight episodes, Director Lee stated, “There were changes in the viewing environment, but more than anything, I wanted to wrap up Yumi’s growth and life in the most dense way possible.” The decision to increase the age gap between Yumi and Soon-rok compared to the original work was also intentional. “I felt that a successful Yumi needed a barrier she could personally feel when falling in love again,” he explained. “I wanted to depict the emotion of liking someone while hesitating, wondering, ‘Is it really okay for me to like this person?'”
As for the new face, Kim Jae-won was Soon-rok the moment the director saw him. “The way he tried not to show his nervousness despite being tense was just like Soon-rok. His attitude, as if he had a protective shield around him, seemed cute and cool,” he recalled. He didn’t hold back his praise for his long-time partner Kim Go-eun, calling her “an actress who always shows more than expected.” Kim Go-eun’s own filmography naturally connects with the poise of Yumi, who has grown into a successful writer in the series.
The direction started with preserving the sentiment of the original work. “Maintaining a lovely and warm tone was the most important thing,” Director Lee explained. “I kept the webtoon-like settings but refined them to feel realistic, and instead of scale, I focused on the details of the improved animation technology.” Since it was the final season, he also more actively attempted direction that combined the cells with reality.
About the wedding scene, he laughed, saying, “Go-eun looked so beautiful in her dress that I felt like I was marrying off my own younger sister.” He added, “When handing over the bouquet, she seemed to think she might cry, so she strictly told me, ‘Director, don’t cry!'”
“Yumi seems friendly at first glance, but the more you look into her, the more she sparkles.” He explained that the specialness hidden within the ordinary touched the lives of viewers, drawing empathy and comfort. “Ultimately, it was the fans who raised Yumi. Season 3 is a work that could not have been made without that love. I am sincerely grateful to everyone who cried and laughed with Yumi until the very end.”
