Bae Doona on Working with Son Suk-ku Again: “It Felt Like a Full-On Love Attack”

Actress Bae Doona recently shared her thoughts on working with Son Suk-ku and Jang Kiha in the upcoming film Virus, during a press interview held at a café in Samcheong-dong, Seoul, on April 30.

Bae Doona, known worldwide for her roles in Netflix’s Kingdom, the sci-fi epic Cloud Atlas, and the dystopian thriller The Host by Bong Joon-ho, is celebrated for her versatile performances across Korean cinema and international films. Currently, she is promoting her upcoming film Virus, directed by Kang Yi-kwan (Juvenile Offender, Apple).

Virus is based on the novel Youth Survival Chronicle. The film follows Taek-seon (played by Bae Doona), a translator whose romantic instincts are nearly extinct, as she contracts a mysterious, 100% fatal “Toxo Virus” that causes people to fall uncontrollably in love. Alongside her are Soo-pil (Son Suk-ku), a lifelong single research scientist; Yeon-woo (Jang Kiha), her longtime friend; and Lee Gyun (Kim Yun-seok), the only expert capable of finding a cure. Although the film was shot in 2019, it is finally set to release six years later, on May 7.

Bae Doona plays Taek-seon, a character who once aspired to be a novelist but now spends her days translating other people’s words, emotionally shut off and jaded. Her quiet life is disrupted when she meets Soo-pil on a blind date — and unknowingly contracts the love-triggering virus.

From 'Sense8' to 'Virus': Rekindling Chemistry with Son Suk-ku

Long before Virus, Bae Doona and Son Suk-ku delivered impactful screen time together in the global Netflix hit Sense8. Bae played Sun Bak, a Seoul-based underground fighter, while Son took on the role of Detective Mun, appearing in emotionally complex and action-heavy sequences. Their prison break scenes in particular blended gripping tension with subtle chemistry — a connection that resonated with international viewers.

Now reunited in Virus, their dynamic takes a romantic turn. “It was actually our fourth time working together,” Bae said. “We had so much fun filming because we know each other well. There’s a scene where symptoms start showing during a date, and Kim Hee-won joked, ‘That’s practically a love confession attack.’ I thought that was the perfect way to describe it.”

Laughing, she added, “It had been a while since I’d done romance, so I felt a bit awkward at first. But by the end, I was fully in character — like someone who’d really caught the virus.”

Meanwhile, Son Suk-ku is also earning buzz in the K-drama world with his leading role in Heavenly Ever After with Kim Hye-ja and Han Ji-min. His steady rise across both Korean films and dramas is cementing him as one of 2025’s most in-demand stars.

Praise for Jang Kiha’s Natural Acting

Speaking about working with Jang Kiha, Bae Doona praised his uniquely rhythmic performance:

“His delivery and tone were so distinctive. He acted in a way that didn’t feel like acting, and that’s incredibly difficult to pull off. Not everyone can do that.”

She continued,

“Acting like you’re not acting — saying lines like they’re your own words — that’s not easy. But he was great, and he didn’t even seem nervous. I even said he felt like an elementary school friend because he was that comfortable to be around.”

Bae also shared a surprising past connection with Jang Kiha.

“Apparently, we were both in Yoon Jong-shin’s 2010 music video for The Temperature of Goodbye, alongside Lee Sang-soon — but I totally forgot about it,” she laughed.

“He brought it up again during promotions and teased me, saying, ‘Why are you pretending you don’t remember again?’”

Virus hits theaters nationwide on May 7, promising a genre-defying mix of romance, absurdity, and emotional depth — powered by a top-tier cast and contagious chemistry.

Get the latest on K-pop & K-drama here!