Coupang Play’s upcoming series “Absolute Value of Romance” is generating interest for its bold departure from the familiar formula of Korean high school dramas. Instead of a typical teenage romance, the series blends BL-inspired dynamics, meta storytelling, and a dual-world narrative that shifts between reality and imagination.
At the center of the story is a high school girl who leads a double life as a web writer of online romance novels. What begins as fictional writing soon begins to intersect with reality as the characters she creates begin to reflect the real people around her, particularly her male teachers. This configuration creates a multi-layered narrative in which fantasy and real life continually overlap.
Actress Kim Hyang-gi plays the main character Yeoi-joo, a seemingly normal student who secretly writes under the pseudonym “Lee Mook”. His character becomes the emotional engine of the series, balancing the innocence of school life with the creative intensity of an online writer building a fictional universe.
What sets the drama apart is its unusual structure: the male teachers at her school become inspiration for the characters in her BL-style fiction, and the series then alternates between the real-world school setting and the fictional world within her novels. This creates a “story within a story” format that goes beyond the traditional confines of romantic comedy.
Actors including Kim Jae-hyun, Son Jeong-hyuk, and Kim Dong-gyu take on challenging dual roles, playing both real-life teachers and exaggerated fictional versions of themselves in the protagonist’s imagination. For example, a character exists in reality as a strict English teacher but transforms into a powerful chaebol-style figure in the world of the novel.
Cha Hak-yeon’s role as math teacher Ga Woo-soo adds an extra layer of tension. His character, described as a high-IQ genius with MENSA-level intellect, becomes trapped in unexpected emotional and narrative conflicts as the lines between fiction and reality blur.
Director Lee Tae-gon emphasized that the BL elements in the series are treated not just as fan service or trending content, but as a narrative language in its own right. He noted that the drama explores emotional sincerity within exaggerated, comical and fantastical situations rather than focusing solely on romance.
Lead actress Kim Hyang-gi also highlighted the script’s appeal, describing the characters as “visually and emotionally multidimensional”, marking a notable shift in her career as she takes on a more complex romantic lead role after nearly two decades in the industry.
Ultimately, “Romance’s Absolute Value” positions itself as something more than a typical teenage romance. Combining BL influences, dual identities and meta-fictional storytelling, the series aims to reshape expectations for school-set dramas in Korean entertainment and attract domestic and international viewers looking for something unconventional.
Sources: MHN Sports, Daum
