In a new drama, Lee Se Young plays a mixed-race interior designer who reunites with her first love

KOREA: According to Soompi, MBC’s upcoming drama Motel California (literal title) has unveiled the first stills of Lee Se Young, showcasing her captivating transformation.

Based on Shim Yoon Seo’s 2019 novel Home, Bitter Home (literal title), Motel California is a romance drama penned by Lee Seo Yoon and directed by Jang Joon Ho and Kim Hyung Min. The protagonist of the tale is Ji Kang Hee (Lee Se Young), a woman who was raised in Motel California, a remote hotel. After leaving her hometown at 20, she returns 12 years later as a successful interior designer to confront her past and reconnect with her childhood friend and first love, Cheon Yeon Soo (Na In Woo).

Mesmerizing transformation

The newly released stills highlight Lee Se Young’s mesmerizing transformation as Ji Kang Hee. Her striking hazel eyes and light brown hair radiate the mysterious charm of her character. Raised in a motel run by her father, Ji Kang Hee endured a challenging upbringing due to her mixed heritage, leaving her with emotional scars. She left her past and her love behind when she moved to Seoul on her 20th birthday. Now at the height of her career, she is drawn back to her hometown, where she faces new challenges and rekindles old connections.

Bold visual transformation

Lee Se Young’s bohemian-inspired outfits perfectly embody Ji Kang Hee’s free-spirited nature, adding depth to her portrayal. The production team praised Lee Se Young for her seamless performance, noting her ability to convey the complex emotions and bittersweet charm of Ji Kang Hee with remarkable precision. They emphasized her bold visual transformation and trusted reputation as a romance genre expert, building anticipation for the drama.

Motel California is slated to premiere in January 2025, marking MBC’s first romance drama of the year. Stay tuned for more updates!