Love Kim Seon-Ho In ‘Can This Love Be Translated?’ 10 Things To Know About The K-drama Heartthrob

If you couldn’t get enough of Kim Seon-ho after his special appearance in When Life Gives You Tangerines, you’ll be thrilled to know he’s back as a main lead, this time as a multilingual interpreter, Joo Ho-jin, in Can This Love Be Translated?. Not only does he showcase exceptional language skills, but he has also set countless hearts aflutter with his standout performance in the show.

Despite his initially nonchalant and detached demeanour, viewers can look forward to a gradual shift in his personality as he warms up — driven by his love for Cha Mu-hee, played by actress Go Youn-jung. The K-drama rom-com, which aired on Jan 16 on Netflix, has topped the platform’s non-English chart, casting the spotlight on both stars.

But there’s more to Seon-ho than his boyish good looks. Here are 10 things to know about him.

Kim Seon-ho debuted as a theatrical actor

Unlike many Korean actors who start out as models or K-pop idols, Seon-ho took a different path. Before making his TV debut, he honed his craft through a number of stage plays. He made his first professional stage appearance in 2009 in New Boeing Boeing, an open-run adaptation of the French play of the same name.

After graduating with a bachelor’s degree from the Seoul Institute of Arts, he leveraged the stage experience he gained to audition for new roles. In 2012, he portrayed Dr. Watson in Sherlock: The Secret of Birlstone, a Korean adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s novel The Valley of Fear, written and directed by Han Jae-hyeok.

According to Soompi, he compared his popularity in theatre to that of an “idol”, with audiences sometimes queuing on the streets just to watch his plays. Eventually, Seon-ho transitioned to television, making his debut in the 2017 drama Good Manager. Since then, he has appeared in over ten dramas, including Can This Love Be Translated? and Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha, and even made a guest appearance in the acclaimed series When Life Gives You Tangerines.

The most he has done for a role

Before filming Can This Love Be Translated?, Seon-ho went all out to prepare for his role as a multilingual translator. He spent time shadowing various interpreters, including his teacher, who works at the Embassy of Italy. He observed how they interacted with people and went about their daily routines, noting their individual habits and quirks so that he could portray the role accurately on screen.

His number of Instagram followers skyrocketed

According to Elle, during the airing of Start-Up’s 17 episodes in 2021, Seon-ho’s Instagram following grew sevenfold, from 400,000 to 3 million.

Prior to the release of Can This Love Be Translated?, he had 10.6 million followers, and as of January 26, 2026 — just 10 days after the drama began airing — his following has grown to 11.8 million.

The length of his dimples

Fans can’t get enough of his smile, and his dimples are part of the reason why. Measuring about 2.2 cm (according to this video), they’ve become one of his most recognisable features. He shared that he inherited this feature from his mother, and all the men on his mother’s side of the family have dimples.

His lookalike

Recently, fans went into a frenzy after Netflix’s Culinary Class Wars Season 1 winner, chef Kwon Seong-jun, was compared to Seon-ho, with some netizens claiming the two looked alike. The chef, also known as Napoli Matfia, took to Instagram to ask fans to stop, joking that Seon-ho’s fans might get upset. Seon-ho responded graciously, calling it an honour and praising the chef’s tiramisu from the show. The friendly exchange ended with chef Seong-jun thanking Seon-ho and inviting him to his restaurant for a meal.

A dish he recommends from abroad

One of Seon-ho’s favourite dishes from abroad is Laeng Saeb, a Thai street food speciality featuring a “mountain” of tender, slow-cooked pork spine and ribs drenched in a fiery, sour, and garlicky broth. He had been craving it for a long time, and when he finally tried it, he said it tasted even more delicious than he imagined.

His MBTI personality type

Seon-ho’s personality type is F, which stands for “Feeling”, according to the Myers-Briggs personality trait indicator. People with this trait follow their hearts and emotions, often showing warmth, compassion, and care toward those around them. According to personality test website 16Personalities, Feeling types are protective of those they care about. 

What’s in his bag?

Everyone has essentials they can’t leave home without, and Seon-ho is no exception, with three things that are always in his bag. He used to rely on printed book scripts, but he has since upgraded to an iPad to read them more conveniently. Alongside that, wired headphones are a must, since he finds it a hassle to constantly charge wireless devices. To stay fresh after workouts or a run, he also keeps a small bottle of perfume in his bag.

Kim Seon-ho has an exclusive contract with Fantagio

After leaving Salt Entertainment in December 2024, Seon-ho signed an exclusive contract with South Korean entertainment company Fantagio. It is home to top stars like Cha Eun-woo, Lee Se-young, and Lee Sung-kyung.

The move surprised fans, as he had been in talks with High High Zium Studio – an entertainment company that also manages Song Joong-ki. Sports Chosun reported that Seon-ho chose Fantagio because they offered him a lump sum signing-on fee of 2 billion KRW (about S$1.76 million).

Expect to see more of him soon

Fans have more to look forward to as Seon-ho will star alongside Bae Suzy in the upcoming period mystery drama Portraits of Delusion. Based on the popular webtoon, the story is set in 1935 Gyeongseong and follows Yun I-ho, a struggling artist commissioned to paint Song Jeong-hwa, a mysterious woman who hasn’t been seen in public for over half a century. As Yun I-ho uncovers her secrets, a suspenseful tale begins to unfold.

It is scheduled for release on Disney+ in the second half of 2026.