Cover Kim Jae-won plays Shin Soon-rok, Kim Go-eun’s latest love interest in season three of the K-drama ’Yumi’s Cells’ (Photo: tvN)
Kim Jae-won plays Shin Soon-rok, Kim Go-eun’s latest love interest in season three of the K-drama ’Yumi’s Cells’ (Photo: tvN)
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Here’s every K-drama actor who stole Kim Go-eun’s heart in ‘Yumi’s Cells’
Yumi’s Cells, the fan-favourite rom-com K-drama adapted from the webtoon by Lee Dong-Gun, is back for its third and final season. Kim Go-eun returns as Yumi, along with her adorable and hilarious animated brain cells. Each season of the series marks a different era in Yumi’s life and a different chapter of her romantic life—a new man, a new relationship and a whole new set of lessons for her cells to process.
Season one introduced audiences to Ahn Bo-hyun’s Goo Woong, the guy who reawakens Yumi’s “Love Cell” after a devastating break-up left her closed off to romance. In season two, she meets and falls in love with Yoo Babi, portrayed by Got7’s Park Jin-young. He’s the perfect boyfriend; he’s just not perfect for Yumi. For the third season, audiences meet Shin Soon-rok, who is brought to life by rising star Kim Jae-won. The two don’t exactly hit it off at the start, but if all things align, he could end up being Yumi’s endgame.
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Season 1: Ahn Bo-hyun as Goo Woong
Above Ahn Bo-hyun does a face turn from the treacherous Jang Geun-won in ‘Itaewon Class’ to the sweet Goo Woong in ‘Yumi’s Cells’
In the first season of the rom-com K-drama, Yumi’s “Love Cell” is awakened from a long coma by the arrival of Goo Woong, played by Ahn Bo-hyun. A game developer by trade, Woong is straightforward—maybe even a bit blunt—and socially awkward. Unlike Yumi, he uses an internal algorithm system, relying strongly on logic, to process the world.
Nevertheless, he and Yumi enter a relationship that feels refreshingly grounded—sweet, tentative and deeply relatable. Yet beneath the surface, cracks begin to form. Woong’s inability to set clear boundaries with a female friend, coupled with his instinct to keep his emotions guarded and a deep-seated pride, gradually pull them apart, culminating in a painful break-up.
Audiences probably recognise Ahn Bo-hyun from his breakout role in the global K-drama hit Itaewon Class, where he played Jang Geun-won, the ruthless nemesis of Park Seo-joon's Park Sae-ro-yi. He embodied the role so convincingly that many were surprised when he played the heroic Jeon Pil-do opposite Han So-hee in the Netflix original K-drama My Name.
He continued to establish himself as a credible romantic lead, further distancing himself from his Itaewon Class role, with memorable turns in Yumi’s Cells and See You in My 19th Life. He recently starred in tvN’s Spring Fever, and could be seen next in the JTBC sageuk K-drama God’s Beads, where he takes on the role of a brave and passionate royal guard.
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Season 2: Park Jin-young as Yoo Babi
Above Yoo Babi, played by Park Jin-young, is Yumi’s green flag boyfriend in season two of the beloved rom-com K-drama
Yumi’s next love interest, Yoo Babi, is played by Park Jin-young. A co-worker who quickly becomes a steady presence in her life, Babi has been described by fans of the K-drama as a “walking green flag”—emotionally available, secure and consistently supportive. It comes as little surprise that, despite being bruised and hesitant to open her heart again, he wins over Yumi’s “Love Cell”.
Their relationship feels notably more mature and stable, grounded in open communication and mutual understanding. He encourages her to reach for her dreams to become a writer. However, when tested by distance, the relationship falters. In the end, the break-up leaves both Yumi and her “Love Cell” more confident and resilient—no longer willing to settle for a love that feels uncertain. Though the old Yumi would probably have stayed, this time she chooses herself.
Beyond Yumi’s Cells, Park Jin-young—who brings warmth and nuance to the role—has steadily built a reputation as a compelling screen presence. He has steadily expanded his acting résumé since his early days as a K-pop idol with Got7, starring in memorable K-dramas like He Is Psychometric, The Devil Judge, Our Unwritten Seoul (for which he has just earned a Baeksang Best Actor nomination) and most recently, Still Shining. Fans can catch him next in 100 Days of Lies, a Japanese-period K-drama also starring Kim You-jung
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Season 3: Kim Jae-won as Shin Soon-rok
Above It’s reportedly the final season of the K-drama. Is Shin Soon-rok Yumi’s endgame?
The rom-com K-drama, back for its third—and last—season, sees Yumi’s “Writer Cell” taking over her brain as the prime cell. On the upside, the power shift has paid off. Yumi is now a successful writer who has released four hit webtoons. The downside is, all her emotion cells have gone into hibernation. For the drama’s beloved heroine, it’s now all work and no play.
Something—or someone—needs to shake things up before her last two brain cells sign off, too. Enter Shin Soon-rok, the new PD assigned to Yumi. He’s tall, dark, handsome. He’s also unbelievably calm and curt. He looks the part of someone that you could fall in love with, but he certainly doesn’t act the part. Surprisingly, he manages to pique Yumi’s curiosity and awaken the rest of her cells.
Actor Kim Jae-won takes on the role of Soon-rok. A rising leading man, fans may recognise the young actor from K-dramas like Our Blues, King the Land, Hierarchy, The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call and The Art of Sarah. He turned heads in his supporting role in King the Land, but it’s the part of the rich and troubled Kim Ri-an in Hierarchy that thrust him into the spotlight.
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From Goo Woong to Yoo Babi and now Shin Soon-rok, Yumi’s Cells has given us a love story for every stage of Yumi’s life. As the K-drama draws to a close, the real question remains: will Soon-rok be her endgame—or simply the final lesson her cells need to learn?
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Maggie Adan is a content writer, editor, and strategist with extensive experience across print, digital, and social media publishing. Formerly editor-in-chief at K-Zone Philippines, Summit Books and Content Lab, she has written lifestyle stories covering everything from entertainment and travel to beauty and wellness. A storyteller at heart with a keen editorial eye and a passion for narrative, she contributes to various publications and helps brands create and curate content for their social media platforms.
