When Netflix revealed its slate of 2025 Korean originals earlier this year, one title leapt straight onto viewers’ watch-lists: Boyfriend on Demand (working title, 월간남친 / Wolgannamchin). Billed as a breezy romantic comedy with a dash of speculative tech, the ten-episode series pairs BLACKPINK’s Jisoo with veteran heart-throb Seo In-guk, and has just added rising star Lee Jae-wook in a buzzy cameo.
A Modern Fairy-Tale Premise
At the center of the story is Seo Mi-rae (Jisoo), a burned-out webtoon producer who hasn’t had the emotional bandwidth for real-world dating in years. Everything changes when she beta-tests Monthly Boyfriend—a VR subscription service promising fully customizable partners, minus the risk of heartbreak. Inside the program, she meets her algorithmic dream guy… only to find sparks flying in the real office with her prickly professional rival, Park Kyeong-nam (Seo In-guk). The tension between pixel-perfect romance and messy human connection fuels what Netflix calls “a laugh-out-loud yet deeply relatable exploration of modern love.”
Cast & Creative Team
| Role | Talent | Notable Work |
|---|---|---|
| Director | Kim Jung-sik | Work Later, Drink Now; Strong Girl Nam-soon |
| Seo Mi-rae | Kim Jisoo (BLACKPINK) | Snowdrop |
| Park Kyeong-nam | Seo In-guk | Café Minamdang, Doom at Your Service |
| Special Appearance | Lee Jae-wook | Alchemy of Souls, Death’s Game |
Kim Jung-sik’s knack for mixing slapstick with sincerity makes him a natural fit for sci-fi-flavoured rom-com, while Jisoo and Seo In-guk bring global fanbases and proven screen charisma.
Production Status
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Principal Photography: Mid-October 2024–Mid-April 2025, split between Seoul and Cebu, Philippines
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Post-Production: Now underway (editing & VFX for the VR sequences)
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Episode Count: 10 × 60 minutes (Netflix weekly release model anticipated)
Location shoots in Cebu promise sun-drenched set pieces that contrast with the neon-lit VR world imagined by the show’s art team.
Why the Hype Is Real
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Idol-to-Actress Momentum – After the period melodrama Snowdrop (2021), Jisoo’s first contemporary lead has K-pop and K-drama fandoms equally invested.
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Tech-Forward Hook – VR dating apps are fertile ground for rom-com hijinks, but Boyfriend on Demand is the first high-budget K-drama built entirely around a subscription-based “perfect partner” algorithm.
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Nostalgic Yet Fresh – The show courts ‘00s drama nostalgia (fake dating, office rivals) while poking fun at swipe culture and parasocial relationships.
Early social-media chatter has been electric: Reddit threads on r/kpop and r/KDRAMA rack up thousands of up-votes every time new casting news drops, while fancam edits of Jisoo and Seo In-guk already circulate on TikTok weeks before any official teaser.
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Marketing Playbook
Netflix’s Korean arm soft-launched the title with a motion logo and monochrome stills in February 2025, then went quiet—standard practice to stretch the promo runway. Expect a full trailer once post-production locks in Q4 2025, followed by staggered character posters and behind-the-scenes featurettes. Given the global success of Business Proposal and A Time Called You, industry insiders foresee a late-2025 or early-2026 drop aimed at filling the year-end rom-com slot.
Where It Fits in the K-Drama Landscape
Romances about A.I. or augmented reality aren’t new—My Holo Love and the Chinese hit Love O2O paved the way—but Boyfriend on Demand raises the stakes by satirizing our real-world obsession with subscription services and algorithmic compatibility. If done right, it could join Crash Landing on You and Extraordinary Attorney Woo in Netflix’s pantheon of export-ready Korean hits, appealing equally to tech-savvy Gen Z viewers and thirty-somethings nostalgic for classic workplace chemistry.
What’s Next?
With filming wrapped and VFX underway, all eyes are on Netflix for a locked premiere date. Meanwhile, the cast is expected to hit the variety-show circuit this autumn, so look out for chaotic VR-dating demos on Knowing Bros and heart-to-heart interviews on You Quiz on the Block.
Bottom line: If you’ve ever fantasized about tailoring the ideal partner—and then wondered whether “perfect” might be overrated—Boyfriend on Demand is shaping up to be a must-watch. Keep your headset (and your heart) ready.
