Kim Seon-ho (left) and Bae Suzy (right). Photo: courtesy of TVN and Netflix.
We saw them share screen time in the global hit slice-of-life romantic comedy Start-Up (2020), and honestly, I was emotionally a bit weighed down thanks to the unrequited love between Kim Seon-ho and Bae Suzy’s characters. Their complicated relationship influenced the story arc, making it relatively poignant. Nearly half a decade after Start-Up’s release, Delusion reunites Kim Seon-ho and Bae Suzy in starring roles—an upcoming period fantasy drama rich in horror, mystery, and, of course, the long-awaited romance between them that we missed in Start-Up.
Delusion is helmed by director Han Jae-rim, known for his genre-blending techniques and novel twists. As seen in his acclaimed works—Rules of Dating (2005), The Show Must Go On (2007), The Face Reader (2013), The King (2017), Emergency Declaration (2021), and the critically acclaimed The 8 Show (2024)—they often go over social criticism, relationship and power dynamics involving nuanced characters within their narratives.
Han’s new directorial project, Delusion, if anything, builds on his solid body of work. It presents a narrative scope passing over two distinct timelines—Gyeongseong in 1935 and Shanghai in the 1800s—the backdrop for the drama’s twisted plot, which combines artistic creation, luring enigma with the supernatural through an encounter between a painter and an enigmatic woman with an uncanny secret.
Kim Seon-ho will star as Yun Il-ho, a famous painter assigned to paint the portrait of Song Jeong-hwa, played by Bae Suzy. As stunningly beautiful as she is, Jeong-hwa is also exceptionally mysterious. Unbeknownst to others, she’s a vampire whose beauty and hypnotic personality are too strong for Il-ho to ignore. In their ensuing interactions, he can’t help but become enamored with her, triggering a potentially fatal romance.
Alongside Kim Seon-ho and Bae Suzy, Delusion features Huh Joon-ho and Choi Hyun-wook in key roles and is reportedly planned for release next year. It’s one of Kim’s most anticipated works besides his upcoming drama in late 2025, Can This Love Be Translated?, co-starring Go Youn-jung. Similarly, Delusion joins the list of Bae Suzy’s next, Genie, Make a Wish, with Kim Woo-bin, and is slated for release this year.
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