New series parodying K-dramas tackles ageism and insecurities of single women

A career woman whose favorite Korean drama character comes to life in Oppa, Saranghae!, the actress discusses the fears and insecurities women have about growing older.

Since I don’t watch Korean dramas at all, it’s pretty ironic that Rui En stars in one that mocks the genre.

Oppa, Saranghae! also stars Tasha Low, Meixin, and Korean actor Kim Jae-hoon, also known as KimKim, who has worked in Taiwan for the last decade in dramas like My Hero, My Daddy, and My Tooth Your Love.

Rui En plays a highly accomplished career woman who, stressed from having to contend with someone younger threatening to outshine her at work (played by Low), has a bit too much to drink. She somehow pulls the main character of her favorite K-dramas (played by Kim) out of the TV set; a Hallyu-like romance begins between the two. It gets complicated, though, since the actor playing him is from Singapore as well. Hey, this is fantasy, so go for it.

A lot of the comedy is about surviving within the boundaries of a K-drama character,” she told CNA Lifestyle.

However, beneath the requisite hijinks is a story that explores the psyche of a woman who feels insecure because of young competitors. As an artist but also as a woman, I thought, “Dude, it’s so relatable. There’s so much fear about growing old. There’s so much insecurity about, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m getting fat, I’m getting old.’ It just really spoke to me.”

Molby Low, executive director of Wawa Pictures, called her before there was even a script, inviting her to take on the role.

At this point in my career, I’m not so much interested in ‘popular’ or ‘likeable’ (characters). For me, it’s important to do ‘complex’ and ‘real’.” she said.