Rom-Com Comeback after 7 years? Lee Dong-wook Says Yes!

As tvN’s popular Monday-Tuesday drama ‘My Dearest Nemesis’ comes to an end on March 24, buzz is building around its successor. The new drama, ‘The Divorce Insurance’, is set to premiere on March 31, already drawing excitement as actor Lee Dong-wook returns to the romantic comedy genre for the first time in seven years.

Written by Lee Tae-yoon and directed by Lee Won-seok, ‘The Divorce Insurance’ is a unique office romantic comedy that follows a team at a top insurance company tasked with developing an unprecedented product: divorce insurance. Framed as a lighthearted but relatable story, the series explores the journey of adults learning to live true to themselves, while tackling the modern-day “disaster” of divorce with humor and heart.

Lee Dong-wook stars as Noh Ki-joon, a brilliant insurance actuary who has endured three divorces and is now emotionally and financially drained. Despite his elite credentials, Ki-joon has a track record of failed product launches—until he takes a gamble on developing a divorce insurance plan. Speaking at an online press conference, Lee shared, “My recent roles have leaned heavily into fantasy and genre dramas like ‘Tale of the Nine Tailed’ and ‘A Shop for Killers’, so I wanted to take on something more relaxed and relatable. I really wanted to bring out Ki-joon’s lovable side.”

He added, “It’s been about seven or eight years since I last did a romantic comedy. It felt great to return to it. There were lots of fun back-and-forth moments, and I truly enjoyed the chemistry with the cast. It was nice to act without flying or fighting for once!”

Director Lee Won-seok revealed his personal motivation behind casting Lee Dong-wook, saying, “I’ve always wanted to work with him, no matter the project. When I read the script and saw that the main character had three divorces under his belt, I wondered who could possibly pull that off. Then I saw a candid photo of Dong-wook wearing a cap with a blank, slightly dazed expression—and I thought, this is Ki-joon. That’s the face of someone who’s been through it all.”

The drama also features Lee Da-hee as Jeon Na-rae, a finance mathematician who sees everything through the lens of investment; Lee Kwang-soo as Ahn Cheon-man, a safety-obsessed perfectionist; and Jo Bo-bin as Kang Han-deul, an underwriter reborn after her own divorce. A newly released highlight reel gave viewers a glimpse of the lively chemistry between the cast and their quirky, well-developed characters.

‘The Divorce Insurance’ brings together a strong creative team: Director Lee Won-seok, known for his stylish and witty work on ‘Killing Romance’, and writer Lee Tae-yoon, whose previous works like ‘Royal Secret Agent’ and ‘Handsome Guys’ earned praise for their fresh concepts and clever writing.

Anticipation is already high among fans, with comments flooding in after the teaser dropped:

“Lee Dong-wook and Lee Da-hee’s chemistry is unreal,” “Rom-com legends all in one drama? I'm in,” “The teaser alone gave me goosebumps and giggles,” “Lee Kwang-soo and Lee Dong-wook’s real-life friendship is going to shine,” “This is the drama I’ve been waiting for!”

The show will premiere on tvN at 8:50 p.m. KST on March 31, and will also be available globally via Amazon Prime Video.

Meanwhile, ‘My Dearest Nemesis’, which ends today, launched with a modest 3.5% domestic rating but achieved massive popularity overseas. According to Rakuten Viki, the series ranked No.1 in weekly charts across North America, Europe, Oceania, the Middle East, and India during its first week—and held the top spot for three consecutive weeks in 118 countries including the U.S., Brazil, Mexico, France, and India.

Lee Dong-wook: “While the story involves divorce, it’s really about choosing happiness—whether through marriage or separation. I hope viewers will laugh and also reflect on how well they’re living for themselves.”

Lee Joo-bin: “Even though it’s an office rom-com, there’s plenty of excitement outside the office setting, too. We’ve got an amazing cast you don’t often see all in one place.”

Lee Kwang-soo: “The show features a wide variety of unique characters. It’s like going into an ice cream shop—you’re bound to find at least one flavor you absolutely love.”

Lee Da-hee: “Each character’s backstory is incredibly rich and entertaining. And the director’s visual style will give viewers so much to enjoy.”