New stills and a video teaser have been released for upcoming SBS drama Absolute Boyfriend. The story is a sci-fi and rom-com starring Yeo Jin-gu (The Crowned Clown) as robot Young-gu, Minah (Beautiful Gong-shim) as special effects makeup artist Uhm Da-da, and Hong Jong-hyun (The King Loves) as Minah’s celebrity ex-boyfriend.
In the drama, A.I. figure Young-gu (a.k.a. Zero Nine) was created to be caring, loving, and innocent. Good-looking and well-built to boot, he’s also programmed to be completely devoted to his “girlfriend” and put her above all else. Initially, his creation was commissioned by a chaebol heiress. But, having realized her not so pure intentions, Young-gu’s creator intentionally botches the delivery, which is how Young-gu ends up on Uhm Da-da’s doorstep instead.
Minah’s character, Uhm Da-da, is a talented makeup artist who can make any special effect look realistic. However, although she is great at making art with her hands, she is clumsy with machines and tech. When her boyfriend of 7 years breaks up with her, she starts to feel that she doesn’t have luck with romance either and gives up on love. That is, until she meets Young-gu and starts to fall for him despite knowing he’s not a real person.
The newly released stills are of Hong Jong-hyun mugging for the camera in a white suit. The role he plays is top star Ma Wang-joon, a charismatic actor with a tough-guy public persona. Underneath this mask though, he has a bundle of insecurities and anxieties – including an overwhelming fear of losing everything that’s precious to him. He ends his 7 year relationship with Uhm Da-da after caving to ongoing pressure from his agency and the strain of dating in secret. But his regret grows when Young-gu suddenly enters Da-da’s life.
The teaser starts with Yeo Jin-gu and Minah’s first meeting, which is prefaced by a gray text screen: “A sudden visitor, once upon a time…” Fairytale-like music plays in the background as Minah reaches up to touch Yeo Jin-gu’s face. She says in voice-over, “What is this? How can a dummy’s face be so realistic?” Yeo Jin-gu, still asleep, falls out of his box and, in an attempt to catch him, both he and Minah fall to the floor. Minah lands on top of him in an accidental first kiss (a K-drama classic) and the scene transitions to a pink text screen: “A kiss that brought upon love’s iron chains?”
Cut to Yeo Jin-gu standing in a robe as he makes a heart shape with his hands at Minah, who looks shocked. In voice-over, we hear him address her simply as “Girlfriend.” His voice overlaps with another man’s voice who explains, “Once he acknowledges you as his girlfriend, he will never want to be apart from you.” The scene cuts to Yeo Jin-gu back-hugging Minah as we hear Yeo’s voice again, “I definitely know Girlfriend’s preferences now.” Cut to Minah and Yeo Jin-gu both reaching to turn off the alarm clock and linking fingers. Still holding hands, Minah rouses from her sleep and screams to see Yeo Jin-gu wearing just an apron.
It transitions to Yeo dressed in a vintage-style school uniform as he asks Minah, “Girlfriend, did you wash yourself properly?” Minah looks confused and Yeo continues in voice-over, “Girlfriend, let’s bathe together.” As he speaks, the scene switches to a dark kitchen where the two are sitting across from each other at the table. Yeo Jin-gu leans over to kiss Minah but she turns her face away. In the next scene Minah desperately asks Yeo Jin-gu, “Why are you doing this to me?” In response a blue text screen pops up that says: “But I was born to give love?”
The scene changes to an amusement park where Yeo Jin-gu puts on an event for a smiling Minah. In voice-over, he says: “The only thing Girlfriend needs to do is just receive the love I give.” Minah replies with a stern face, “In this world, things like love don’t exist. So, don’t do nice things for me anymore.” As she speaks, it transitions to Minah walking in the rain and she runs into Yeo who holds an umbrella over her. The teaser ends with Yeo Jin-gu standing with Minah as he asks, “Girlfriend, can’t you give me a chance now?” In the closing shots, we see that the two are standing by the ocean and holding hands.
SBS rom-com Absolute Boyfriend will be premiering mid-month on May 15, and will be taking over the Wednesday-Thursday time slot following Big Issue.
