Controversial Idol-Actress Shocks With Acting Comeback After 4 Year Hiatus
Red Velvet’s Joy is officially returning to the small screen after spending a whopping four years away from acting. Known for her idol success but often criticized for her acting, Joy’s comeback has sparked excitement among K-Drama fans.
On September 30, SM Entertainment confirmed that Joy has been cast as the lead in the upcoming K-Drama One of a Kind Romance. The project is based on a popular webtoon that ran between 2018 and 2021 and follows the story of an ordinary job seeker whose life changes after crossing paths with a top star and a popular idol.
Joy will take on the role of Gong Yu Il, a young woman working part-time at a convenience store while preparing for employment. Her character is also written as a devoted fan of fictional boy group X-ONE member, Ryu Min.
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The K-Drama will mark Joy’s first acting role since 2022’s Once Upon a Small Town. Before that, she appeared in The One and Only (2021), Tempted (2018), and The Liar and His Lover (2017). While her debut role gained attention, it was her performance in Tempted that sparked heavy criticism.
At the time, the show received record-breaking low ratings, and viewers felt her skills did not match co-stars like Moon Ga Young and Im Si Wan. Unfortunately, that reputation still follows her today, years later.
Red Velvet Joy Criticized For Poor Acting Skills On First Episode of “Great Seducer”
Her new co-star will be actor Kim Hyun Jin, who has been cast as male lead Tak Moo Yi. With both born in 1996, anticipation is building over how the two will portray their onscreen chemistry.
Outside of acting, Joy has kept busy. She released her first mini album, From JOY, with Love in August, featuring six tracks, including the title song “Love Splash!” She is also scheduled to meet fans at her first solo fan meeting, Unmelting Our Green, in Seoul on October 3.
Whether Joy’s acting comeback will silence long-time criticism or reignite debate remains to be seen.
