A Comprehensive Look at Can This Love be Translated 2026
Dive Into the Linguistic World of 'Can This Love be Translated'
Explore every aspect of ‘Can This Love be Translated’ in this comprehensive review. Dive into character insights, strengths, and weaknesses. If you haven’t seen the drama yet and are looking for a spoiler-free review, check out the link below.
Spoiler Alert
Please be advised that this review contains significant spoilers about the plot and characters of ‘Can This Love be Translated’. If you have not yet watched the drama, we recommend viewing it first to avoid any spoilers.
Series Details
General Information
Air Dates: January 16, 2026
Episodes: 12
Where to Watch: Netflix
Genre: Romantic Drama
Starring: Kim Seon Ho and Go Youn Jung
The Story
An interpreter has a chance encounter with a struggling actress while traveling in Japan. Later, the actress suddenly rises to stardom after a breakout role as a zombie in a low-budget horror movie. When she agrees to do a reality dating show with a Japanese actor, she is reunited with the interpreter, who has been hired to translate between the couple for the show. And as they spend time working together, the translator will fill find himself stepping in to protect the actress and the dark secret she hides from the world.
Meeting the stars: Kim Seon Ho and Go Youn Jung
Kim Seon Ho as Ju Ho Jin
Ju Ho Jin is an interpretor who speaks eight languages. He meets a struggling actress named Cha Mu Hui, by chance in Japan, and the pair spend a day together before parting ways suddenly. Later he learns that the actress suffered a serious accident while filming a movie and is in a coma. He goes to see her in the hospital a few times, but stops visiting when he hears she has woken up.
So, when Ho Jin agrees to work as a translator for an upcoming reality dating show, he is shocked to find out Cha Mu Hui is the star. Working closely with her, he begins to develop a deep affection for the actress. He becomes torn between professionalism and his desire to protect Mu Hui. And when he discovers that she is suffering from a serious mental health issue following her last role and the accident, he becomes even more determined to help her keep her secret and shield her from any pain or embarrassment.
Ju Ho Jin is cynical and distant. His distrust of love stems from a difficult relationship with his own parents and the fact that the one woman he loved, Sin Ji Seon, ended up engaged to his own brother. But despite his own misgivings, he can’t help falling for Mu Hui. Kim Seon Ho has a bright, kind smile that lends itself to these more sensitive, sincere roles. I would have liked to see a bit more character growth from Ho Jin, but Kim Seon Ho played the part well and I think he fit the role.
Go Youn Jung as Cha Mu Hui
Cha Mu Hui was an aspiring actress when she traveled to Japan to meet her cheating ex-boyfriend. By chance, she meets Ho Jin, and asks him to help translate a conversation between her and her ex’s new wife. When they finish, Ho Jin sticks around to make sure she is okay. But just before dinner, he suddenly runs off, leaving her alone. Once she returns home, she lands a role as a zombie in a horror movie. But on the last day of filming, she is seriously hurt doing a stunt and falls into a coma. And when she wakes up, she suddenly finds she has become famous.
Although physically, she makes a full recovery, Mu Hui suffers from hallucinations about her character, Do Ra Mi. But she ignores her mental health and hides it from everyone. When she agrees to appear on a reality dating show, she is surprised to see Ho Jin there as the series translator.
As she begins filming, her mental health worsens, and Ho Jin learns about what is happening. And while Mu Hui is uncomfortable with Ho Jin knowing her secret, he promises not to tell anyone. As he supports her , she begins to rely more and more on his kindness. And eventually she finds herself in love with him. But Ra Mi will start taking control of Mu Hui’s life, and Ra Mi hopes to keep her and Ho Jin apart.
Cha Mu Hui’s problems don’t actually start with her accident. We soon learn that she has carried a dark secret about the death of her father at the hands of her mother since childhood. And the pain of that secret has left her fractured and unstable. Go Youn Jung is really growing as an actress and this role allowed her to stretch her skills. I thought she did a fantastic job with this role.
Supporting characters
Fukushi Sota as Kurosawa Hiro
Kurosawa Hiro is a Japanese actor. He is originally cast on the reality series and Mu Hui is chosen as his co-star because they seem like an unlikely pair. At first Hiro doesn’t like Mu Hui and he does things to make it difficult for her. But he soon finds himself falling for her charms, although Mu Hui doesn’t return his feelings.
Lee Yi Dam as Sin Ji Seon
Sin Ji Seon is a tv producer who was Ho Jin’s first love. She was engaged to Ho Jin’s brother. But when they have a falling out, Ji Seon breaks up with him and shows up on location for the show Ho Jin is working on. At first, she is determined to win Ho Jin back, but when she realizes Ho Jin has moved on, she falls for Mu Hui’s manager, Yong U.
Choi Woo Sung as Kim Yong U
Kim Yong U is Mu Hui’s manager. He is good at his job, and does his best to keep Mu Hui going. When Ji Seon shows up on set, Yong U is immediately attracting her. And even though he can tell she is interested in Ho Jin, Yong U sets out to win her heart.
3 Things I Loved About ‘Can This Love be Translated’
1.
Do Ra Mi:
I really enjoyed Go Youn Jung in this dual role. And I loved the chaotic energy of her “alter-ego” Ra Mi. While the issue of Mu Hui’s mental health is obviously no laughing matter, it was fun that Ra Mi’s character gave us a bit of silly levity. And it was interesting the way that Ho Jin ended up establishing a very different relationship with both parts of Mu Hui’s personality.
2.
Scenery:
The on-site locations for this drama were just breathtaking. It was nice that we got to do a bit of globe-hopping along with the characters, and I enjoyed taking it all in. It gave a unique dimension to the series. And there was something about the laid back feel of the Canadian half of the series contrasted with the drama of Italy that seemed to fit the scenery around them.
3.
Kim Jeong Hwan:
Kim Won Hae is one of those actors it’s always fun to see. And I loved his role as the supportive but absent-minded “uncle”. His scenes with Mu Hui were sweet and funny. And the banter between him and Ho Jin took some of the distant coolness from Ho Jin’s character.
3 Things I Didn’t Love About ‘Can This Love be Translated’
1.
Kurosawa Hiro:
I’m not super familiar with Fukushi Sota, but I thought his character in this drama was so cute. I really wish we had seen more of him in his own capacity, instead of just a third wheel for the lead couple. In the beginning it seemed like we might get to know him better, but he factored in less and less as the series progressed.
2.
Mu Hui’s Family:
I understand that we need a villain, but wow, Mu Hui’s family are really something. The fact that they blamed Mu Hui for something that was in no way her fault was cruel. And instead of sitting down and talking it out with Mu Hui, they go to Ho Jin to expose Mu Hui’s past, with no consideration of her feelings.
3.
Ji Seon:
I’m always irritated by ex-girlfriends that just show up expecting their ex to take them back. After years of parading her relationship with Ho Jin’s brother in front of him, did she really think he would just start dating her again? Honestly I thought Yong U deserved better than her!
The Conclusion of 'Can This Love be Translated'
The Ending
‘Can This Love be Translated’ gets to a happy ending eventually. But first, Ho Jin gets some closure to his feelings for Ji Seon by confessing that he had liked her back when they first met. They leave their talk happy and comfortable with each other. Yong U proposes to Ji Seon and they decide to move to the UK together.
Hiro and Mu Hui finish filming, and although he confesses to liking her at the end of the show, they are both content to stay as friend. Hiro goes home to Japan where he breaks free of his rom-com mold to take on some other kinds of roles he has always wanted to try.
Mu Hui finally remembers everything that happened while she was Ra Mi and that Ho Jin stayed with her through it all. At first she is embarassed, but Ho Jin confesses his love for her and she understands that it is okay. Ra Mi seems to disappear for good, and Mu Hui realizes that she was actually a representation of her mother.
And things could have ended there. But instead, Ho Jin finds out from Mu Hui’s family that her mother is still alive and living abroad. When Mu Hui finds out, she decides to go meet her. And she wants to break up with Ho Jin until she has dealt with her past. But they both understand this break up is just temporary. And sure enough, in the final scene, Mu Hui returns to Korea, after having talked to her mom, and meets Ho Jin at an observatory. Mu Hui uses her phone translator to tell Ho Jin how much she missed him in other language and they kiss as the roof above opens to the starry sky.
My Personal Thoughts and Ratings
‘Can This Love be Translated’ is a romantic drama with suprisingly dark themes of trauma and mental health. The filming of this drama is beautiful and the characters are interesting. The leads have a cute chemistry and the Hong sisters deliver their usual complex dialogue. Go Youn Jung does a nice job of portraying this dual role and Sota Fukushi is adorable.
Although this drama starts as a sweet rom-com, it takes a much darker, unexpected turn. The story can be confusing at times and the plot does get repetitive. Unfortunately, both actors become almost inconseqential in the second half as Go Youn Jung’s journey takes over the plotline. And some fans felt that the actress’ mental health struggles were not realistically conveyed. But I liked the interesting story and the complex characters. I give ‘Can This Love be Translated’ an 8 out of 10 ramen.
🍜🍜🍜🍜🍜🍜🍜🍜
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