Kokomedia Unveils First Korean Short Drama 'Her Shining Secret' at Press Conference

Kokomedia successfully hosted a press conference for their first Korean short drama, 'Her Shining Secret,' at their headquarters in Gangnam, Seoul, on the 28th.

The event was attended by lead actors Ahn Yoo-jung (playing 'Jang Yuna'), Cha Yoo-hyun (playing 'Lee Seojin'), and Kokomedia CEO Noh Kyung-ho, who discussed the project. It was previously reported that Ahn Yoo-jung has been dating Yoo Byung-jae since November 2024.

'Her Shining Secret' is a 78-episode emotional romance short drama that explores the evolution of a contractual relationship from a sham marriage into true love. The entire series was simultaneously released at 5 PM on the global short-form drama platforms NetShot, ReelShot, and DramaBox.

Ahn Yoo-jung, known for her appearance on 'Love Catcher in Bali,' takes on her first major acting role in this project. She stated, "I believe acting allows you to live as someone else. Rather than giving up being an influencer, I hope to showcase a variety of charms by balancing multiple roles."

Ahn Yoo-jung's character, Jang Yuna, reunites with Lee Seojin after 15 years and is proposed a sham marriage, which gradually turns into a genuine relationship. She described Jang Yuna as "a woman who lives by her own beliefs without relying on others. Her ability to move forward on her own was appealing."

Ahn Yoo-jung added, "As the lead, I focused on maintaining the flow. I engaged in many conversations on set and followed the director's guidance to fulfill my role."

Cha Yoo-hyun commented on his chemistry with Ahn Yoo-jung, saying, "I thought the chemistry with Yoo-jung was crucial. We tried to get close quickly, and I think it worked well." His character, Lee Seojin, is a successful CEO who proposes a sham marriage to Jang Yuna due to family pressure.

Regarding a fun episode, Cha Yoo-hyun shared, "Except for bathroom breaks, we were always together on set. Although she seemed cold and strong, I found her personality to be very good and similar to mine, which made it easy to become friends. We both enjoy humor and playing around."

Cha Yoo-hyun also expressed, "The romance theme was fresh to me, and I thought it would intrigue viewers as the story progressed."

Noh Kyung-ho, CEO of Kokomedia, explained their strategy for producing Korean-style short dramas based on global market experience. He stated, "Overseas, short drama content is designed as a 'product' rather than a 'work.' We meticulously consider 'who, in what situation, and why they would watch it to the end.' In Korea, we adopted the production structure without emotional strain, focusing on efficient design rather than excessive stimulation."

Regarding the outlook for the Korean short drama market, Noh Kyung-ho noted, "Viewing environments in Korea have completely changed. More consumers want strong immersion in a short time, and for producers, short dramas offer a format for experimentation with lower risk." He concluded, "I hope short dramas will be seen as a gateway to meet new fans."

'Her Shining Secret' was led by Kokomedia in production, planning, and investment, with casting collaboration from K-Plus. The full series is currently available on global short-form drama platforms NetShot, ReelShot, and DramaBox.

Lee So-jung, TenAsia Reporter forusojung@tenasia.co.kr