With a perfect blend of romance, drama, and heart-fluttering moments, Netflix’s latest romance K-drama Doona! is a must-watch. And let’s not forget the cherry on top: the undeniable chemistry between the two lead stars, Bae Suzy and Yang Se-Jong. But if you’re still on the fence about diving into this series, we’ve got you covered. Here are the top 10 reasons why Doona! should be on your binge-watch list.
1. Bae Suzy’s performance as Doona
Even before Doona! premiered, there was a lot of buzz surrounding Suzy’s excellent portrayal of former K-pop idol Doona. Director Lee Jung-Hyo said that the role required her to do many things, from singing to dancing to acting. He praised both her performance and her dedication on set. Co-star Yang Se-Jong also said: “She really helped me focus and immerse into my character because she was doing so well becoming Doona.”
2. Doona!‘s depiction of ‘early 20s’ love
The lead characters in the series, Doona and college student Lee Won-Jun, are in their early 20s, and the series focuses on the delicate emotions that come with falling in love during that age. Director Lee Jung-Hyo described it as a time “when you are not as skilled with everything, you are a little bit naive. And I really wanted to focus on that youth.”
3. The heart-fluttering chemistry between the leads
Both stars worked closely together to convey the emotions of their characters. Yang Se-Jong said: “As we were acting together, we didn’t even have to say things because we would know what each other’s thinking just by looking at the glances of each other. I think we had really nice chemistry on set.”
4. The stars give their own spin to their characters
While both Bae Suzy read the webtoon which the series is based on, she decided to add her own personalities to the roles. Suzy said that she wanted to show off the hidden ‘cold-hearted’ side of herself through her portrayal of Doona. Yang Se-Jong revealed that he worked closely with the director, and chose to follow the script’s interpretation of Won-Jun, rather than his own definition of the character from the webtoon.
5. Bae Suzy shows off a Hime Cut hairstyle
Besides her amazing visuals in Doona!, Bae Suzy is getting a lot of attention for her Hime Cut hairstyle, which is slightly different from how the character appears in the webtoon. Suzy said: “I thought that I needed a new hairstyle that really showed the characteristics of Doona, because she’s very fickle, she is very frank about herself. So I wanted to add a styling that is kind of new and something that people wouldn’t do so much.”
6. Yang Se-Jong was handpicked to play Won-Jun
Director Lee Jung-Hyo said that he wanted to cast Yang Se-Jong after seeing him act in another K-drama. “When I saw Se-Jong for the first time, I had that feeling that he was the perfect person for this role,” he said. “And as I was talking with him, I felt like he is truly Won-Jun himself. There are certain emotions that he feels, and when he communicated those feelings with me, I felt like he is so green and naïve and I really love that aspect of him.”
7. Yang Se-Jong transformed himself for the role
In real life, Yang Se-Jong is a decade older than his character Lee Won-Jun. To pass as a college student, he lost some weight and underwent laser treatment to remove his facial hair. He also took baths and applied face masks in order to retain a youthful appearance on camera. His efforts to change his physical appearance was highly praised by both the director and co-star Bae Suzy.
8. The visual elements help tell the story
Director Lee Jung-Hyo explained that the production added visual touches that viewers can pick up. Ranging from toe socks that Doona wears (“she says she likes ordinary things, but she also wants to stay special and be special”) to the outdoor sets (“I wanted to portray a lot of meanings through these setups and prop and sets”). He added: “If you keep watching the show, you might be able to think about what this means.”
9. The musical performances in Doona!
Bae Suzy has several scenes with Doona’s girl group DREAM SWEET. Those scenes perfectly capture the life of a K-pop idol, with Suzy showing off her skills as a former idol herself. One iconic scene was filmed at last year’s KCON Japan, featuring the incident that led Doona to retire from the music industry. Suzy and her DREAM SWEET co-stars even recorded a music video as the group.
10. The romantic vision of Lee Jung-Hyo
Doona! is helmed by renowned director Lee Jung-Hyo, known for K-dramas like Crash Landing On You, Romance is a Bonus Book, and I Need Romance 2012. This is director Lee’s first attempt at adapting a webtoon. “When we think about romance shows, what’s really important is the chemistry between the two characters,” he said. “So I thought it was important to communicate and talk with the two actors to learn about their feelings, their opinions.”
Doona! is now streaming on Netflix.
READ | Bae Suzy was the ‘only choice’ for the role of Doona!
READ | Stars Bae Suzy and Yang Se-Jong in heart-fluttering Doona!
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