Actors My Guilty Man stars Im Si-wan and Seol In-ah deliver a unique blend of bromance and romance through the upcoming tvN drama.
On the afternoon of the 14th, an online production presentation was held for the new tvN Monday-Tuesday drama ‘My Guilty Man’. Director Park Dan-hee, along with actors Im Si-wan, Seol In-ah, Kim Jung-hyun, and Roh Yoon-seo, attended the event to share details about the series.
Based on the web novel ‘Why Don’t You Know I’m a Woman?’, ‘My Guilty Man’ is a close-contact thriller romance about an arrogant third-generation chaebol targeted as a murder suspect and a special forces agent disguised as his bodyguard.
When asked about the focus in directing a ‘thriller romance’ genre, Director Park Dan-hee explained, “Since Jae-hee is working undercover to investigate, it naturally intersects with romantic comedy elements. I put a lot of thought into balancing thrillers, romance, comedy, and action. What gave me confidence were the actors; they all play unique characters with hidden secrets. I focused my direction on how these characters clash, fall in love, and heal each other’s scars amidst various incidents.”
Im Si-wan plays Yoon Lee-joon, the next successor of Taegang Group who becomes a murder suspect. Reflecting on his role as a chaebol—a stark contrast to the grueling characters he usually plays—Im joked, “This was the most pleasant and comfortable environment I’ve ever worked in.” Describing his character, he said, “I focused on the past of this character, who inevitably projects the image of a sharp-tongued cat. I realized he was born into a predetermined destiny where personal desires took a backseat. I thought about how those minor deviations gradually escalated into a bigger personality, creating a chaebol character quite different from the conventional ones we usually see.”
Regarding his styling, he added, “This is a project where I paid extraordinary attention to outward appearances. The lonelier the character, the more lavishly he adorns himself, much like a peacock. I utilized various devices to highlight his internal emptiness through external flair, so I paid great attention to the wardrobe. In fact, compared to all my previous works combined, this one had an overwhelmingly high number of wardrobe changes.”
Seol In-ah takes on the role of Kang Jae-hee, a former non-commissioned officer of the Army Special Warfare Command and a detective in the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency’s violent crimes unit, who goes undercover as Lee-joon’s bodyguard while disguised as a man. Sporting a bold short haircut for the male disguise, Seol shared, “Cutting my hair felt unfamiliar at first, but it made me realize I was ready to become Kang Jae-hee. Seeing this entirely new side of myself was a great opportunity. Although I practiced hard with the director regarding tone and stride, I ultimately focused on immersing myself completely in Kang Jae-hee.”
Despite hearing praises that she looked “too handsome,” Seol admitted to a complex mix of feelings, saying, “Naturally, I was born a woman, so I occasionally felt a touch of melancholy.” However, she quickly added, “I kept reminding myself to focus entirely on being Kang Jae-hee. Once I got immersed, I actually found it quite comfortable and great. Kang Jae-hee doesn’t care about appearance; the short hair wasn’t just for the disguise, but a reflection of someone completely consumed by her work. I didn’t attach too much significance to the haircut itself.”
As the role required intense action sequences, she noted, “Rather than trying to show off athletic prowess, I focused on looking like someone rigorously trained. I dropped the ambition to ‘do action well’ and focused purely on looking proficient.” Director Park Dan-hee praised her performance, saying, “During rehearsals, the martial arts director and I thought a certain sequence might be too difficult, but she executed the action moves right away, prompting us to actually change the action choreography. She is the first actor I’ve seen who is better than the stunt team.”
Kim Jung-hyun plays Kim Si-hyun, a lawyer affiliated with Taegang Group’s legal team. He teased, “There are many hidden layers that aren’t immediately clear. These aren’t just superficial traits; he has a definite, steadfast goal, and fitting those puzzle pieces together takes time. Since every detail holds meaning, I hope viewers will follow through to the end to fully appreciate the richness of our drama.” When asked if his character can be trusted, he left a cryptic remark: “What would be better? Does he seem trustworthy? Even within the drama, his position serves a deeper purpose and meaning, which I hope viewers will watch closely.”
Speaking about his chemistry with Im Si-wan, Kim noted, “We didn’t deliberately try to get close during prep. We just read through together, checked each other’s tones, and on set, Si-wan made it so comfortable that I could act freely.” Im responded, “It felt completely natural for me too. He is an actor who actively improvises. His improvisations became a vital source of making the drama more vibrant, to the point where I started looking forward to and welcoming his spontaneous additions.”
Meanwhile, Roh Yoon-seo plays Lee Hye-jung, the secretary to Taegang Group Chairman Yoon Tae-shik. She described her character: “Hye-jung is thorough, meticulous, and cold while working, but she occasionally shows a soft side if you look closely. Those moments are something only I can feel, so I wanted to quietly hint at them.” She added, “Hye-jung draws a clear line between work and everyday life. With people facing so much stress these days, her ability to unwind when off duty while remaining fiercely professional at work is her greatest charm.”
Because the story revolves around a romance with a female protagonist in disguise, ‘My Guilty Man’ naturally blends bromance and romance. When asked which aspect was more engaging, Im Si-wan said, “Since my character is under a misconception, I seem to experience both bromance and romance simultaneously. From that perspective, I suppose this is my first time directly experiencing a bromance genre. Reflecting on it, a certain previous project crossed my mind—a senior male actor who loved me passionately in that story. I imagined how our Seol [Kyung-gu] senior must have approached and filmed that project, making it a fresh and exciting new challenge for me,” playfully mentioning actor Sol Kyung-gu from the movie ‘The Merciless’.
Seol In-ah shared her perspective, saying, “Living as Kang Jae-hee, I felt it was somewhat sad. She constantly wonders, ‘Does this person like Kang Jae-hee, or do they like me as a bodyguard?’ Jae-hee herself gets confused about whether Lee-joon likes men or women. Still, because their tiki-taka chemistry is so strong, I hope viewers will enjoy it as a romance.”
Director Park Dan-hee highlighted the contrasting chemistry between the two couples, stating, “None of the four characters fit the mold of normal; they all possess unique quirks. We all wear masks in daily life, and the moment we take them off is usually in front of the person we love. The romance between Yoon Lee-joon and Kang Jae-hee is a narrative of mutual healing and salvation. On the other hand, Si-hyun and Hye-jung navigate a tense, walking-on-thin-ice dynamic filled with a simmering, mature adult romance. Comparing the two romances will make the show even more fun.”
Concluding with key viewing points, the director praised the cast’s dedication, recalling an incident where Seol In-ah slipped and was rushed to the emergency room during a hotel action scene, only to return an hour later insisting, “I’m completely uninjured, let’s finish today’s shoot.”
Im Si-wan expressed his affection for the project, noting, “What made this work even more meaningful and valuable is that every staff member poured their passion into it. Working with a young, stylish, and passionate director and crew made the collaborative process itself thoroughly enjoyable.”
‘My Guilty Man’ is scheduled to premiere on October 19 at 8:50 PM KST.
