The two actors will lead TVING’s upcoming original series “Love Virus,” produced by CJ ENM STUDIOS and Studio Phoenix.
The drama follows Ha Do Woon and Kang Chae Rin, who have been each other’s first and only romantic partners for nine years. Just as marriage begins to feel like the natural next step, they make a surprising agreement to take a “break time” and freely meet other people before committing for life.
Jung Hae In Plays the Perfect Longtime Boyfriend
Jung Hae In stars as Ha Do Woon, a successful lawyer and Kang Chae Rin’s longtime boyfriend.
Born into a wealthy family as an only child, Do Woon appears to have everything going for him. He is talented, accomplished and popular, yet has remained committed to his first love throughout their long relationship.
The role is expected to show a different side of Jung Hae In as he moves between the comfort and emotional depth of a nine-year romance and the tension created when both partners begin seeing other people.
The drama’s unconventional relationship experiment is also expected to add a provocative edge to his character.
Shin Se Kyung Questions the Life She Has Always Known
Shin Se Kyung plays Kang Chae Rin, a dentist who has been dating Do Woon since they were young.
Chae Rin seemingly has an enviable life. She has a stable career, an attractive longtime boyfriend and a healthy work-life balance.
But after spending years following one clear path, she begins to wonder whether she has missed out on other possibilities.
Her growing uncertainty becomes especially important as marriage approaches.
Shin Se Kyung is expected to portray both the familiarity of a woman who knows her partner inside and out and the independent, unpredictable side of someone beginning to question the choices that shaped her life.
Why Do They Decide to Date Other People?
The central conflict of “Love Virus” begins when Do Woon and Chae Rin start seriously considering marriage. Because neither has ever dated anyone else, they worry that curiosity about other partners could eventually create regret or instability after marriage.
Their solution is drastic. Before walking down the aisle, they agree to give each other permission to meet and date new people during a temporary “break time.” The idea is meant to remove any lingering doubts before marriage. But whether the experiment strengthens their relationship or destroys it becomes the central question of the drama.
A Romance Built Around Temptation, Trust and Regret
Rather than focusing on the beginning of a romance, “Love Virus” starts with a couple that already shares nearly a decade of history.
That setup allows the series to explore a different question: what happens when two people who have only ever loved each other deliberately introduce temptation into their relationship? Their experiment could prove that their nine-year bond is strong enough to survive anything. Or it could expose feelings they never expected to have.
The chemistry between Jung Hae In and Shin Se Kyung is therefore expected to play a major role in making the emotional stakes of the story convincing.
‘My Liberation Notes’ Director Joins ‘Love Virus’
The drama also brings together an experienced creative team.
Director Kim Seok Yoon, whose credits include “My Liberation Notes,” “The Light in Your Eyes” and “Heavenly Ever After,” will direct the series. The screenplay is written by Choi Soo Young, known for “Love to Hate You” and “My ID Is Gangnam Beauty.”
Their collaboration is raising expectations for a romance that combines unconventional relationship questions with grounded character-driven storytelling.
TVING’s “Love Virus” is scheduled to premiere sometime in 2027. The series will mark the first on-screen romance pairing between Jung Hae In and Shin Se Kyung. With a nine-year couple, an approaching marriage and a mutual decision to date other people, the drama is already attracting attention for turning the usual breakup-and-reunion formula on its head.
Editor’s Insight
In South Korea, relationship anniversaries are not always measured only in years. Many couples celebrate their 100th day together and continue tracking major day-based milestones afterward. That makes the premise of “Love Virus” even more striking: Ha Do Woon and Kang Chae Rin have been together for nine years more than 3,000 days before deciding to temporarily date other people. Imagine spending nine years collecting couple rings, anniversaries and memories only to agree to start dating other people before the wedding.