A new global romance drama is set to open 2026 with warmth, humor, and stunning scenery. Can This Love Be Translated? is an upcoming Netflix original K-drama that combines romantic comedy with international travel. Starring Kim Seon Ho and Go Youn Jung, the series explores how two people who understand many languages still struggle to understand each other’s hearts.
Kim Seon Ho returns with another Netflix drama after his memorable guest role in IU and Park Bo Gum’s When Life Gives You Tangerines. On the other hand, Go Youn Jung returns after the overwhelming success of medical drama Resident Playbook, a spin-off of Hospital Playlist.
Can This Love Be Translated? Release Date
Go Youn Jung and Kim Seon Ho’s “Can This Love Be Translated?” will premiere on global streaming platform Netflix on Friday, January 16, 2026. It is expected to be one of the platform’s first major Korean drama releases of the year, with global availability from day one.
Plot Overview
The story follows Joo Ho Jin (Kim Seon Ho), a calm and highly skilled multilingual interpreter who speaks several languages, including English, Japanese, and Italian. His job is to make sure nothing is misunderstood. Cha Mu Hee (Go Youn Jung) is a global top actress who rose to worldwide fame overnight through a hit zombie film. She lives under constant attention, where every word she says is closely analyzed.
Their lives cross when Ho Jin is hired as Mu Hee’s personal interpreter while she travels abroad to film a television program. While Ho Jin has no trouble translating words, he struggles with something much harder. He and Mu Hee have very different views on love, emotions, and relationships.
As they spend more time together in unfamiliar places, their professional relationship slowly changes. Conversations become more personal, misunderstandings turn into moments of honesty, and feelings begin to surface. The drama asks whether love can truly be explained through words, or if it is something that must simply be felt.
Cast and Characters
- Kim Seon Ho plays Joo Ho Jin, the multilingual interpreter who appears calm on the outside but slowly reveals emotional depth. He is known for his warm and relatable performances in romantic roles. His past roles include The Tyrant, Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha, and Start-Up. Kim will reunite with Suzy for his next big project with Disney+ titled Portraits of Delusion.
- Go Youn Jung stars as Cha Mu Hee, a confident yet unpredictable global star. Go became a popular Kdrama actress thanks to her roles in Moving, Resident Playbook, Alchemy of Souls 2, and Sweet Home.
The supporting cast includes
- Japanese actor Sota Fukushi appears as Hiro, a fellow actor filming alongside Mu Hee.
- Choi Woo Sung plays Kim Yong Woo, Mu Hee’s reliable and hardworking manager.
- Lee Yi Dam appears as Shin Ji Seon, a talented producer known for her sharp instincts and professionalism.
Can This Love Be Translated? Trailer
Netflix has released a teaser poster and trailer that highlight the quiet but intense chemistry between the leads. The poster shows Ho Jin carefully interpreting while Mu Hee is being interviewed. The tagline, “The most difficult language, Yours” hints at their emotional disconnect.
In the trailer, Mu Hee calls Ho Jin his “messenger of love.” Ho Jin says, “You once told me that every person speaks their own language, I don’t understand her language very well.”
Production
The series is written by the Hong Sisters, known for creating emotionally rich and visually striking dramas. Direction is handled by Yoo Young Eun, who previously earned praise for her work on “Bloody Heart.” Filming began in June 2024 and wrapped in early 2025, with production taking place in multiple countries.
Scenes were filmed in Japan, Canada, and Italy, including locations such as Banff, Lake Louise, Florence, Siena, and Perugia. These real-world settings give the drama a cinematic feel and reinforce its theme of connection across borders. The series will consist of 12 episodes, with original music composed by Ma Ju Hee of Studio Maum °C.
When it arrives in January 2026, it will invite viewers into a romance that travels the world. Plus, it asks one simple question: can hearts truly understand each other without translation?
