'Yumi's Cells 3' Director: "Season 3 Wasn't Planned... Even Kim Go-eun Asked, 'Why Is the Reaction So Hot?' [Interview ①]"

*This content was translated by AI.

Director Lee Sang-yeop shared his reflections on concluding all three seasons of 'Yumi's Cells' amid widespread acclaim.

On the afternoon of the 7th, Director Lee Sang-yeop held an interview with StarNews at a café in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul. This followed the successful completion of the OTT TVING original 'Yumi's Cells 3' on the 5th, during which he discussed related matters.

'Yumi's Cells 3' is based on the popular webtoon of the same name. Director Lee Sang-yeop directed all three seasons: Season 1 in 2021, Season 2 in 2022, and this Season 3. With his well-crafted direction, he gave Kim Go-eun the significant life character of Yumi and launched next-generation male leads: Ahn Bo-hyun (as Gu Woong) in Season 1, Park Jin-young (as Bobby) in Season 2, and Kim Jae-won (as Soon-rok) in Season 3.

When asked about his feelings on receiving praise for all three seasons, Director Lee Sang-yeop said, "Seasons 1 and 2 were planned from the start, but Season 3 was not. As you know, a series format can only continue if the previous works are successful. Since our goal was to create even the original story's narrative, we never expected a massive hit. Season 2 received so much love that we made Season 3 as a service for fans, but we truly didn't expect it to be received this well. Even (Kim) Go-eun texted, 'Why is the reaction so hot?' and was surprised," expressing his overwhelming emotion.

He continued, "It feels like we've completed our homework well. Season 3 has a strong romantic comedy tone, so we aimed to maximize the excitement and humor. Fortunately, it received good reviews, and we think the carefully detailed setup resonated well," he added with a smile.

Given how much love it received, the only point of regret among viewers was that 'Yumi's Cells 3' consisted of just eight episodes. In response, Director Lee Sang-yeop explained, "We sought a size that wouldn't drag on while preserving the original's virtues, which led to the current eight-episode format. Since Yumi grew through Seasons 1 and 2, there was less conflict in Season 3, so the story volume naturally had to decrease."

The director further expressed, "In 'Yumi's Cells 3', I also felt that Yumi had become a good adult, and I wanted to show that to the fans. Yumi always feels like my younger sister, junior, or cousin," conveying his deep affection.

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*This content was translated by AI.