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Actor Kim Hye-soo starring in "The Affair was Just the Beginning" / Yonhap News

Kim Hye-soo returns with a black comedy. Having recently showcased bold and heavy characters across genre pieces and period dramas, she now transforms into a glamorous influencer, exposing the raw desires and hidden faces behind her success.

A press conference for the Coupang Play series "The Affair was Just the Beginning" was held on the morning of July 28 at the Ambassador Seoul Pullman Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul. Director Lee Chang-hee and actors Kim Hye-soo, Cho Yeo-jeong, Kim Ji-hoon, and Kim Jae-chul attended the event.

Set to be released on July 31, "The Affair was Just the Beginning" is a black comedy about a popular influencer couple who sells the image of a happy family and a neighboring doctor couple undergoing divorce proceedings, as they become entangled in unbearable secrets. Starting from infidelity, the conflict spirals in unexpected directions as the four individuals' secrets and desires are laid bare.

Kim Hye-soo plays Gyeong-hui, a self-made CEO and popular influencer. On the surface, she portrays a successful entrepreneur and a happy family life, but she is a character who simultaneously harbors a desire for even greater success and a sense of responsibility to protect her family.

Kim Hye-soo explained, "She is a diligent head of the household, a self-made CEO, and someone who craves even greater success," adding, "While wearing the glamorous outer shell of an influencer, underneath lies a fierce commitment and responsibility to protect her family." She continued, "She is a character whose real face—including the selfishness and vulnerability hidden behind her success—is fun to uncover piece by piece."

To craft Gyeong-hui's glamorous appearance, real influencers and celebrities were referenced as well. Wardrobe was also viewed as a crucial element to define the character and was custom-made. Kim Hye-soo said, "I actively sought out and studied characteristics that align with Gyeong-hui," adding with a laugh, "Thanks to the staff working with so much excitement, Gyeong-hui's external look came together nicely." However, when asked if she had any intention of trying real-life influencer activities, she drew laughter by immediately answering, "I'm not confident in that."

Previously, Kim Hye-soo took on a string of characters with strong screen presence, such as Judge Sim Eun-seok in "Juvenile Justice," Queen Im Hwa-ryeong in "Under the Queen's Umbrella," Jo Chun-ja in "Smugglers," and investigative journalism team leader Oh So-ryong in "Unmasked." This time, she plans to deliver a performance of a different texture, traversing various genres centered on black comedy.

Kim Hye-soo stated, "It is a black comedy, yet complexly interwoven with multiple genres, making it hard to define as a single genre," adding, "Viewers will be able to see a more colorful side of me that is different from what I have shown before." She noted, "I think I will be able to show sides that viewers expect, as well as sides they never anticipated."

The series is directed by Lee Chang-hee, who helmed "A Killer Paradox" and "Hell Is Other People." Although starting from the familiar setup of infidelity, as events unfold, the four characters' desires and secrets intertwine, extending beyond black comedy into various genres. Firstman Studio, led by producer Kim Ji-yeon and director Hwang Dong-hyuk who produced the "Squid Game" series, handled the production.

                                                                                                             Lee Da-hye