The writer behind the upcoming romance drama “What a Boss Wants” is opening up about why the story hooked her in the first place — and what she believes makes its love triangle tick.
Screenwriter Nam Ji Yeon said she first read the original web novel two years ago and felt a spark she had not felt in a long time. That rush of excitement convinced her the story deserved a drama adaptation.
Set to premiere on November 11 at 10:20 p.m. KST on Viki, the series stars Sung Hoon as Kwon Do Hyuk, a chaebol heir with no sense of taste who becomes obsessed with finding the woman whose voice he heard on an album. Oh Se Young plays Lee Eun Chae, the indie band vocalist who turns his perfectly ordered life upside down, while CNBLUE’s Lee Jung Shin rounds out the main trio.
Lee Jung Shin as Moon Tae Kyung (Credits: Soompi / Viki)
Why the Writer Fell for the Story
Nam Ji Yeon pointed to the web novel’s greatest strength: its delicate yet unrestrained portrayal of emotion between Kwon Do Hyuk and Lee Eun Chae. Translating that to screen, she said, meant inventing new situations and carefully staged scenes that could carry the same feelings visually.
She also revealed what drew her to the three leads the moment she met them. In her words, seeing Sung Hoon, Oh Se Young, and Lee Jung Shin, she immediately thought: “That’s Do Hyuk,” “That’s Eun Chae,” and “That’s Tae Kyung.”
Praise for the Cast and the Theme
The writer singled out Sung Hoon’s “naturally decadent gaze”, which she said made him feel like the real-life embodiment of Kwon Do Hyuk. Oh Se Young, she added, was born for romantic comedies, able to swing between serious and comedic scenes with ease. And Lee Jung Shin, she said, matched the image of Moon Tae Kyung she had carried in her head from the very first meeting.
Describing the trio, Nam Ji Yeon noted that all three characters carry a quiet loneliness. They want to love and be loved, but each loves differently. The drama asks playful questions — “Is love a matter of taste?” and “Does feeling butterflies mean you’re in love?” — to deliver a simple message: people can love one another even when their tastes are completely different.
She closed with a wish for viewers: that the drama sparks butterflies and reminds them to choose love, even through hardship — and that it celebrates not just romance, but the love we share with the people around us.
Also Read: “What a Boss Wants” Stills Expose Sung Hoon’s Chaebol Heir at War With His Own Family and Jung Yong Hwa And Hong Seung Hee Spark Romance In “Oh! My Guard,” Premiering October 24
Source: Soompi — read the full story there.
