‘Yumi’s Cells’ season 2: Kim Go-eun and Jinyoung on ‘the drama of ordinary life’

Actors Kim Go-eun and Jinyoung on season 2 of Yumi’s Cells, the possibilities of another instalment, and why they are rooting for more ‘cells’ to be activated

Kim Yumi is back, her broken heart on the mend and her ‘mind cells’ recharged as they once again tread the familiar yet unpredictable path of love, after the painful break up in season 1.

Chronicling the life of a regular office worker, Yumi, from the point of view of her brain cells — represented by several blue unitard-clad smurf-like creatures who control her many thoughts, actions and behaviour — the drama won rave reviews as it skillfully blended live action and 3D animation.

An adaptation of the popular webtoon, Yumi’s Cells, which spanned 512 episodes over five-and-a-half years collecting 3.2 billion views, the series is directed by Lee Sang-Yeob ( Shopholic King Louis) and stars Kim Go-eun ( Goblin, The King: Eternal Monarch), Ahn Bo-hyun ( Military Prosecutor Doberman), and GOT7’s Jinyoung.

“I felt comfortable returning as Yumi in season 2,” says Kim Go-eun, 31, in an exclusive interview to the Weekend. “The fact that we were at a similar stage in life, in terms of age, was relatable, regardless of the differences between our personalities and situations.” She adds that the ordinariness of the character drew her. “She is a regular girl looking for her significant other, who breaks up and tries to move on. When dealing with her heartbreak, she meets someone new. It’s the ‘living the ordinary, mundane life’ aspect of this drama that resonates with the audience as well”.

Singer and actor Jinyoung is perfectly cast as Yoo Ba-bi, Yumi’s charming and perceptive co-worker and love interest, in the second instalment. Last seen in thrillers such as The Devil Judge and Yaksha: Ruthless Operations, he admits that he was drawn to the character arc of Ba-bi and the inevitable shift in opinion as the series progresses.

“The fact that Ba-bi is just another person who is part of Yumi’s constantly developing life appealed to me. He goes through several changes and that excited me,” says Jinyoung. Their on-screen chemistry is palpable as Ba-bi’s straightforward nature breaks through Yumi’s emotional barriers. The actor confesses to observing and emulating the mannerisms of people in marketing. “I picked up habits and drew on them.”

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