Actress Lim Ji-yeon is making her return to the small screen with the new SBS Friday-Saturday drama Wonderful New World. This marks her first comeback in a year since Hateful Love and another attempt at the romantic comedy genre. All eyes are on whether she can recover her reputation as a “guaranteed hit” after facing harsh criticism for her previous work.
Premiering on the 8th, Wonderful New World is a high-tension romantic comedy featuring Shin Seo-ri (played by Lim Ji-yeon), an unknown actress who becomes malicious after being possessed by the soul of a notorious Joseon-era villainess, and Cha Se-gye (played by Heo Nam-jun), a ruthless chaebol known as a “monster created by capitalism.” Lim Ji-yeon will play the role of Shin Seo-ri, who is possessed by the soul of the Joseon villainess Kang Dan-shim, alternating between comedy and serious acting.
At the production presentation held on the 7th, Lim Ji-yeon shared, “I encountered this script while I was deeply into comedy,” and teased a total acting transformation, adding, “I’m confident because I’ve poured everything I have into this role.” Having reached a peak with her intense villain roles, her “villainess-possession comedy” is one of the most anticipated points for viewers.
Lim Ji-yeon is in desperate need of a turnaround with Wonderful New World. Last year’s tvN drama Hateful Love was plagued by controversy throughout its run. Despite featuring a romance with Lee Jung-jae, who is 18 years her senior, viewers coldly described the pairing as looking like “an uncle and a niece.” In particular, the character Wi Jung-shin, played by Lim Ji-yeon, sparked dislike due to her rude attitude and nuisance-like settings, eventually ending with a disappointing low rating in the 3% range.
It wasn’t just about the low ratings. Hateful Love was shunned by viewers due to a lack of character charm and a plot that was difficult to empathize with. Instead of the loveliness typical of rom-coms, Lim Ji-yeon’s Wi Jung-shin earned the nickname “nuisance female lead” for her reckless behavior that troubled those around her. Additionally, the lack of a narrative device to overcome the age gap with Lee Jung-jae was seen as a fatal flaw. Critics pointed out that Lim Ji-yeon’s star power, built through previous successes, was trapped by the character.
To restore her pride, she will now share a kiss with actor Heo Nam-jun, who is three years her junior. Lim Ji-yeon previously received praise for her stable chemistry with Chu Young-woo, who is nine years younger, in The Tale of Lady Ok. Since she has shown much more natural synergy with younger actors than older ones, there are high expectations that this rom-com pairing is the perfect fit for her. Heo Nam-jun also expressed confidence at the production presentation, stating, “The peak viewership will likely exceed 20%.”
Currently, the drama The Grand Prince’s Wife, starring IU and Byeon Woo-seok, is dominating the ratings, surpassing 11%. The key point will be whether Lim Ji-yeon’s brand of comedy can win over viewers in a head-on battle with the massive fandom of The Grand Prince’s Wife. Since the failure of her previous work was attributed more to an incompatible pairing than her acting skills, this project is expected to be a litmus test for Lim Ji-yeon’s rom-com appeal.
