MarketCan This Love Be Translated?
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Can This Love Be Translated?

Can This Love Be Translated? is a 2026 South Korean romantic comedy television series written by the Hong sisters, directed by Yoo Young-eun, and starring Kim Seon-ho, Go Youn-jung, Sota Fukushi, Choi Woo-sung, and Lee Yi-dam. The series depicts the relationship of a multilingual interpreter and a top actress. It was released on Netflix on January 16, 2026, and received generally positive reviews.

Premise
Joo Ho-jin is a genius who speaks eight languages but doesn't understand people. He lives by logic, staying far away from anything as messy as romance. Ho-jin first encounters Cha Mu-hee in Japan when she is still an unknown actress. Mu-hee rises to global stardom after her breakout role as Do Ra-mi in a hit zombie film. The two are reunited during an international interview where Ho-jin serves as her interpreter. His predictable life changes when he takes a job as an interpreter on a global dating show, Romantic Trip, featuring Mu-hee and a Japanese actor named Hiro Kurosawa. As they travel the world, Ho-jin realizes his biggest challenge isn't the foreign languages. Instead, he has to make sense of Mu-hee's complicated feelings and the painful secrets she is hiding. ==Cast and characters==
Cast and characters
MainKim Seon-ho as Joo Ho-jin : He is a polyglot interpreter fluent in Korean, Chinese, English, Japanese, German, French, Spanish and Italian. Known as a "linguistic genius," he values precision in both his professional and personal life. • Go Youn-jung as Cha Mu-hee / Do Ra-mi : An actress who became a world-famous celebrity through her role Do Ra-mi in a zombie film Quiet Woman. :* Ahn Tae-rin as child Cha Mu-hee • Fukushi Sota as Hiro Kurosawa : A Japanese actor who joins Mu-hee on a dating show Romantic Trip. • Choi Woo-sung as Kim Yong-u : A reality television director recognized for her outstanding abilities, director of Romantic Trip. Supporting Special appearances ==Episodes==
Production
Development As early as December 5, 2019, the Hong sisters were preparing a drama with the working title . This iteration was a collaboration with director and planned for broadcast on tvN. The title was later revised to , with overseas filming scheduled in China. Production faced significant delays due to the COVID-19. During this period, the Hong sisters and Park instead collaborated on the 2021–2022 series Alchemy of Souls. The project resumed in 2023 under director Yoo Young-eun with the working title , abbreviated as . Trii Studio, a label under Imaginus, produced the series. Imaginus, led by Choi Jin-hee, is also the parent company of the Hong sisters' Studio Sot. Keeha Choi served as Director of photography, while Studio Hi, a subsidiary of Hive Media Corporation, handled visual effects. By April 2024, reports indicated that the series would be released on Netflix. Netflix officially confirmed production on June 27, 2024, as a project planned for a 2025 release and revealed the official English title as Can This Love Be Translated? but ultimately declined in favor of Nine Puzzles. In July 2023, discussions took place with Kim Seon-ho and Han So-hee for the lead roles. By September 2023, Go Youn-jung was in talk as the female lead. Ultimately, Kim and Go were chosen to portray interpreter Ju Ho-jin and top actress Cha Mu-hee, respectively. On June 27, 2024, Netflix confirmed the casting of Kim, Go, Sota Fukushi, Lee E-dam, and Choi, along with script reading pictures. In fall 2024, Keep Alberta Rolling announced auditions for extras to appear in the series. Filming Principal photography started in June 2024 with a target completion of early 2025. and Kim Seon-ho filming in Japan from June 24 through July 10. They filmed at several locations, including Gokurakuji Station, Goryo Shrine, and Kamakura Seaside Park in Kamakura; and Grand Torii of Enoshima Shrine, Tenzan Lab, Enoshima Benzaiten Nakamise Street, Katase Fishing Port, and Enoshima Sea Candle on Enoshima. The series began pre-production in Alberta, Canada, from August 12 to September 22, 2024, followed by filming from September 23 to October 11. Operating under the name Sailor Films Inc. with a crew of 150, the production filmed across multiple distinct regions of the province. In the Calgary area, locations included Stephen Avenue, Lougheed House, Galaxie Diner, The Next Page Book and Coffee, Crossroads Market, Mount Pleasant Viewpoint, and Calgary Heritage Park. Production then moved to the Canadian Rockies, where scenes were shot in Canmore and at nearby Quarry Lake on October 7. Filming continued in Banff National Park on October 8 and 9, covering the town Banff, Cascade of Time Garden, Banff pedestrian bridge, and Lake Louise. Additional filming occurred in Horseshoe Canyon, located in the Alberta Badlands. A pivotal aurora borealis scene between the leads in the drama was filmed in Upper Kananaskis Lake. In late November 2024, production moved to Italy, with Kim Seon-ho departing for Rome on November 23. Filming took place at the Baths of Caracalla in Rome, followed by the hilltop village of Civita di Bagnoregio in the Lazio region. Carried out in collaboration with the Tuscany Film Commission, production then moved to Tuscany between November and December 2024. The crew spent one week filming across the region until December 4, including locations in Montalcino such as its stone streets and viewpoints overlooking the Val d'Orcia. The production then moved to the Umbria region, with shooting taking place in Perugia on December 5, 6 and 9. Filming focused primarily on the historic center, including Piazza IV Novembre (Palazzo dei Priori and Fontana Maggiore), as well as Via Fani, Via della Gabbia, Via Maestà delle Volte, Piazza Danti, Via delle Cantine, Piazza Matteotti, Via Alessi, Via Cesare Battisti, and Loggiato della Prefettura in Piazza Italia. The Italian leg concluded on December 10, 2024, at the Giunti Odeon book-cinema back in Florence, Tuscany. Filming also spanned multiple regions across South Korea, including various Seoul landmarks such as Gamgodang-gil, the Peninsula Lounge at the Lotte Hotel, Raum Art Center, Movieland in Seongsu-dong, and Sinheung Market in Haebangchon. Filming also took place at Sanmeoru Farm in Paju and Hwiwoo Cafe in Goyang within Gyeonggi Province. Additional sites featured the Pinodia Expo Tower in Sokcho, the Buyeo National Museum, the Woraksan Youth Hostel in Jecheon, and the Gyeongnam National University campus. Filming in officially concluded on February 5, 2025. ==Marketing and release==
Marketing and release
(left) and Kim Seon-ho (right) attended the series press conference on January 13, 2026 The series was officially announced by Netflix as part of its 2025 lineup on February 4, 2025, during the "Next on Netflix 2025 Korea" event, with Director Yoo Young-eun participating as a panelist. While initially part of the 2025 lineup, the premiere was later scheduled for January 16, 2026. Before the premiere, Netflix Korea held a press conference for the series at the Josun Palace in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. The press conference was hosted by Park Kyung-lim. Director Yoo and lead actors Kim Seon-ho and Go Yoon-jung were present. Netflix Korea also organized an "experience zone" at Times Square, featuring themed decorations representing the primary filming locations: Korea, Japan, Canada, and Italy. Kim and Go subsequently participated in a fan event titled "Romantic Trip" at the same venue. The event was broadcast live through Netflix Korea YouTube Channel. On the day of the premiere, Netflix Korea and Netflix Indonesia co-hosted a fan event and an experience zone at the Kota Kasablanka Atrium in Jakarta. The promotion saw significant public interest, drawing approximately 30,000 applicants for only 2,000 available seats. Yoo, Kim, and Go traveled to Jakarta for the event, which included an afternoon meet and greet at the experience zone and an evening fan meeting. The event was broadcast live via the Netflix Indonesia YouTube channel. ==Original soundtrack==
Original soundtrack
The soundtrack was released on January 16, 2026, by Studio MaumC and Netflix Music, LLC. Studio MaumC's CEO Ma Joo-hee acted as producer and Choi In-hee served as music director. As of February 2, three songs from the soundtrack appeared on the Melon OST chart: "Language of Love" by Kim Min-seok, "Daydream" by Wendy, and "Promise" by Wonstein. "Language of Love" reached number one on the Instagram Reels Trending Music chart on January 23 and the Korean YouTube Trending Music chart on January 26. OST ==Reception and impact==
Reception and impact
Critical reception Pierce Conran gave the series 3 out of 5 stars, while Melissa Camacho gave the series 4 out of 5 stars. Lee Eun-ju of the Seoul Shinmun praised director Yoo Young-eun for delicately using urban landscapes to highlight the characters' emotional development. Cultural columnist Yang Seong-hee highlighted the fairytale-like atmosphere, captivating visuals, and emotional pacing, stating that the "judicious placement of heart-fluttering moments" showcases the strengths of Korean romance dramas. Kang So-jeong, an editor at Art Insight, attributed the series' success to its relatable themes, noting its resonance with viewers who identified with the protagonists. Viewership According to FlixPatrol, the series debuted at number five globally in the Netflix series category on January 17, 2026. By the following day, the drama rose to third place globally and topped the viewership charts in several countries, including South Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. Impact Following its release on January 16, 2026, big data analytics firm Good Data Corporation reported that Can This Love Be Translated? and its leads simultaneously dominated the TV-OTT buzz rankings. For three consecutive weeks (the third, fourth, and fifth weeks of January), the series ranked first in the integrated TV-OTT drama category. During this same period, leads Go Youn-jung and Kim Seon-ho held the first and second positions, respectively, in the cast buzzworthiness category. Can This Love Be Translated? sparked widespread parody in social media. On January 29, President Lee Jae-myung's YouTube channel adopted the show's aesthetic for a video regarding the 21st Senior Secretary to the President meeting. The thumbnail mirrored the Netflix series, replacing its logo with "Jamflix" and adapting the title into the pun, "Can you feel this policy?" This highlighted the Blue House's shift toward a meme-friendly style to engage netizens. On April 14, 2026, the Istituto Culturale Coreano announced that director Yoo Young-eun and producer Lee Hyun-young would conduct a series of drama workshops and lectures in Rome. On April 16, they led a professional workshop at the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia, where they examined the creative process and the specific challenges of filming in Italy. Later that afternoon, they delivered a lecture to approximately 200 students at Sapienza University of Rome on the sociological and artistic factors behind the international success of Korean dramas. They also explored what sets these productions apart from other global works, highlighting how South Korea has transformed its dramas into soft power. The program concluded on April 17 with a public talk show titled The Charm of Korean Dramas held at the Istituto Culturale Coreano, with opening remarks by Kim Choon-goo, the Korean Ambassador to Italy. In April 2026, it was reported that by the end of December 2025, Can This Love Be Translated? contributed to the profitability of its production house, Imaginus. Tourism impact On September 1, 2025, ahead of the premiere of the Netflix original Can This Love Be Translated?, Alberta Tourism Minister Andrew Boitchenko and Travel Alberta representatives met with WestJet and Netflix Korea in Seoul. One of their goal was to promote long-term tourism by leveraging the series' filming locations. At a press conference, Lee Young-sook of Destination Canada's Korea office noted that the drama showcases Alberta's diverse landscapes, including Calgary, Canadian Rocky Mountain, and the Badlands. She suggested that the potential tourism impact could mirror the visitation surge Quebec experienced following the 2016 drama Guardian: The Lonely and Great God. Post-premiere promotions accelerated in January 2026. On January 26, Destination Canada partnered with the travel platform Tripbtoz to launch an Alberta-focused marketing campaign. This was followed on January 29 by the "2026 Alberta Product Development Seminar" co-hosted by the Alberta Tourism Board, Destination Canada, and WestJet. Alberta Tourism Director Cho Min-seon presented filming locations and behind-the-scenes content to approximately 50 travel industry professionals. WestJet executives projected that sustained demand driven by the series would lead to an extension of the IncheonCalgary seasonal route. The updated schedule will run from March 30 to November 9, 2026, with service frequency increasing to six weekly flights. On February 4, Destination Canada partnered with Netflix to leverage the global reach of Can This Love Be Translated? After its January release, the series topped charts in 15 countries and reached the Top 10 in 60, including key markets like France, Japan, and Mexico. The series became a catalyst for the "High-value Experiences Group" (HEG), a demographic of 1.6 million travelers seeking Canada's autumn scenery. Alberta Tourism Minister Andrew Boitchenko credited the show with boosting the province's global profile. and Korean, respectively. The surge in interest prompted South Korean travel agencies to introduce specialized "set-jetting" tour packages to Japan, Italy, and Canada. Hana Tour reported heightened interest in the Canadian Rockies, specifically identifying Quarry Lake in Canmore as the most-requested site following a romantic scene between leads Kim Seon-ho and Go Yoon-jung. By February 15, Tripbtoz reported that provincial accommodation reservations had doubled. Demand centered on Banff and Canmore, while bookings near Calgary International Airport also rose as travelers sought a balance between logistical convenience and proximity to filming sites. In March 2026, a Trip.com "2026 Cherry Blossom Season Travel Trends" report found that 70% of surveyed Hong Kong travelers identified korean drama filming locations as a primary factor in their itinerary planning. Can This Love Be Translated? notably boosted interest in Kamakura and Enoshima, Japan, where overall interest grew by over 60% month-over-month. Specifically, train bookings to Kamakura increased by 66%, while related hotel searches and bookings rose by 55%. Reservations for local tours, including sea-view tram rides, shrine pilgrimages, and sunset viewing, saw a 64% increase during the same period. However, Kamakura faces overcrowding at a residential railway crossing. An influx of tourists from South Korea and Southeast Asia led to resident complaints regarding crowds and unauthorized photography. In late March, the city installed multilingual signs in English, Korean, and Japanese requesting that visitors respect private property. Local authorities also notified the production company to request greater consideration for future filming. ==Accolades==
Accolades
Awards and nominations Listicles ==References==
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