It’s time to reminisce upon first loves with the latest teaser for tvN’s rom-com Serendipity’s Embrace, whisking us back to our leads’ rose-tinted high school days. Love is in the air, bringing a shy smile to our heroine’s face as our smitten hero follows behind like a loyal puppy.
“A first love is special because it’s once in a lifetime,” sighs Kim So-hyun (My Lovely Liar) dreamily. Yet it turns out that sentiment is a thing of the past. All grown up now, our jaded heroine Lee Hong-joo warns that you shouldn’t ever meet your first love again. Cue a shocked Hong-joo spitting out her drink onto the sleeve of none other than her first love Kang Hoo-young, played by Chae Jong-hyeop (Castaway Diva). Hong-joo’s wide-eyed, gaping-mouthed expression says it all.
Reunited by sheer coincidence, the pair keep bumping into each other around every corner, much to Hong-joo’s annoyance. “Stay away!” Hong-joo instructs, the moment Hoo-young comes even a little too close. On Hoo-young’s part, he’s much less averse to their reunion — in fact, he may even be glad for it. “Was that day a bad memory for you?” Hoo-young asks, though we aren’t privy to said events, nor do we hear Hong-joo’s reply. Still, his steadfast devotion to her hasn’t changed one bit, despite her constant rebuffing. “I’m telling you, Hoo-young brazenly crossed the line first!” Hong-joo insists, but it almost sounds like a justification for her wavering feelings.
As per the rom-com rules, they wind up in close proximity several times. In one instance, Hong-joo falls on top of Hoo-young; in another, they’re caught in the rain together. Gradually, Hoo-young seems to be inching his way into Hong-joo’s good books, if the scribble on the parking sign is any indication — “Don’t park in my heart without permission!” Hong-joo may be keeping her distance to avoid repeating past mistakes, but Hoo-young responds with sincerity, time and time again. “It’s never been a joke,” Hoo-young confesses. “Not now, and not ten years ago.”
We don’t see the rest of the cast in the teaser, but we have Yoon Ji-on (My Lovely Liar) as the author Bang Joon-ho, who boasts the honor of having Hong-joo as his first — and biggest — fan. Joining him is Dasom (Kokdu: Season of Deity) as the English teacher Kim Hye-ji, whose first love was Hoo-young. Rounding out the supporting cast, we also have Lee Won-jung (Hierarchy), Hwang Sung-bin (Frankly Speaking), Choi Dae-chul (A Walk), Kim Won-hae (Player 2 – Master of Swindlers), Yoon Jung-hee (Now, We Are Breaking Up), and Kim Jung-nan (Queen of Tears).
Directed by PD Song Hyun-wook (The Midnight Studio) with scripts penned by Park Geu-ro, 8-episode drama Serendipity’s Embrace is slated to premiere soon on July 22.