Director Lee Eung-bok opened up about his latest work, the TVING original Dear X, revealing the creative process and praising his lead cast.
Dear X (written by Choi Ja-won and Ban Ji-woon, directed by Lee Eung-bok and Park So-hyun) is a dark melodramatic suspense series that follows Baek Ah-jin (played by Kim Yoo-jung), a woman who hides behind a mask to escape hell and climb to the top. The show is adapted from a globally popular webtoon of the same name and marks Lee's first collaboration with TVING following his hits Sweet Home, Mr. Sunshine, Guardian: The Lonely and Great God, and Descendants of the Sun.
Lee explained, "I was intrigued by the dynamics among Ah-jin, who conceals her true self behind beauty; Yoon Jun-seo (Kim Young-dae), a naive heir; and Kim Jae-oh (Kim Do-hoon), who calls himself trash." He added, "I was drawn to Jun-seo's pure heart that keeps asking, 'Why do I love someone so cruel?' and to Jae-oh's unconditional devotion to Ah-jin."
Describing Ah-jin as an anti-heroine, Lee said, "She's unpredictable — you can't read her through her smile, her tone, or her gestures. My priority was to make viewers emotionally invested in her, rather than pitying her." He continued, "I focused on keeping her actions thrilling and unpredictable, without falling into melodramatic clichés. Compared to the original, Ah-jin's pain — both physical and emotional — is much deeper."
Lee also praised his cast, especially Kim Yoo-jung: "She was an actress I've always wanted to work with. Every moment with her was perfect. Even in tough circumstances, she never hesitated to dive into her role — it was truly moving." He added, "Kim Young-dae's purity inspired the creation of Yoon Jun-seo, and Kim Do-hoon brought great energy from our very first meeting."
He concluded, "Every actor — from the youngest to the villains — delivered a phenomenal ensemble. Kim Yoo-jung's performance is almost supernatural. Her serpent-like words and merciless actions will make viewers alternate between condemnation and sympathy."
Dear X premieres on TVING on November 6 at 6 p.m. KST with the release of its first four episodes.
