Lee Jung-jae is swapping the deadly world of Squid Game for something a little lighter.
The star, who led Netflix’s Squid Game over three seasons, has been cast opposite The Glory actress Lim Ji-yeon to lead Nice to Not Meet You, a rom-com series set in the entertainment world for Prime Video.
Lee will play a typecast actor yearning for a fresh start in melodramas, who meets Lim’s decorated political journalist suddenly reassigned to the entertainment desk. Per the synopsis: “What begins as a clash of personalities unfolds into a story full of charm, laughter, and unexpected chemistry.”
Lee’s character, Lim Hyeon-jun, is the beloved protagonist of a hit detective series headed for its fifth season. Despite the show’s success, he wants to prove himself in more emotionally rich roles. Lim’s character finds herself suddenly sidelined on the political desk and then drawn into the orbit of the very actor she does not want to cover.
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Kim Ga-ram (Good Partner, Nevertheless) is the director and Jung Yeo-rang (Doctor Cha) the writer. Studio Dragon and Studio&NEW are co-producing. Prime Video has international rights bar South Korea, where it will play on local network TVN.
The show will join Korean series such as Head Over Heels, GOOD BOY and Divorce Insurance on Prime Video.
Lee’s run on Squid Game ended this year with the third and final season of the survival drama landing on June 27.