Kim Hyang-gi Leads a Double Life as a High School Student and BL Writer in 'The Absolute Value of Romance'

Kim Hyang-gi stars in 'The Absolute Value of Romance' as Yeojoo, a high school student by day and a BL (Boys' Love) writer by night.

The first four episodes of the Coupang Play series, released on the 17th, depict Yeojoo starting to write BL novels based on people she meets in real life. The blend of imagination and reality keeps viewers intrigued about the upcoming storyline.

Episode 1 opens with a story from Yeojoo's novel about a BL couple, Ho and Jin, who discover they are actually brothers. This twist leads to a dream where Yeojoo is arrested for being a boring writer. Upon waking, she declares, "I am a writer. My genre is BL, and my pen name is Imook. My novels are for my eyes only."

On her way back from buying ice cream, Yeojoo observes four men on a rooftop and, true to her BL writer instincts, imagines stories about them. However, a misunderstanding about taking photos leads to a confrontation with one of the men, resulting in her phone screen breaking and marking the start of their rocky relationship.

At school, Yeojoo learns about the arrival of handsome new teachers: PE teacher Jung Ki-jeon (Son Jeong-hyeok), English teacher No Da-joo (Kim Jae-hyun), Korean teacher Yoon Dong-joo (Kim Dong-kyu), and Math teacher Ga Woo-soo (Cha Hak-yeon). She is shocked to discover that Ga Woo-soo is the man she argued with and her homeroom teacher.

During a chaotic day, Yeojoo witnesses Jung Ki-jeon helping Yoon Dong-joo stretch, sparking a new BL novel idea. She begins writing 'We Were Friends,' featuring the four teachers, and finds herself writing effortlessly.

Meanwhile, Ga Woo-soo collapses on the way to school, but it turns out a bird droppings incident was the cause. Yeojoo, attempting to help, accidentally breaks his glasses while trying to hide the damage.

The tension between Yeojoo and Ga Woo-soo continues, with Yeojoo channeling her frustration into her writing. She declares, "I'm the writer, and you're the character," as she imagines controlling him in her stories. Eventually, she discards the broken glasses in a trash can.

However, the glasses are crucial for Ga Woo-soo, who suffers from dizziness and headaches without them. As he takes a leave of absence, a notice about his missing glasses is posted at school. Feeling guilty, Yeojoo retrieves the glasses from the trash after a frantic chase.

Yeojoo attempts to return the glasses through her brother, but the truth comes out. In front of an angry Ga Woo-soo, she tearfully explains the situation. Ga Woo-soo, valuing the glasses at a million won, assigns her the task of finding the joy in math as compensation.

Back home, Yeojoo discovers her novel 'We Were Friends' has reached number one, catapulting her from a third-rate writer to a popular author. Motivated, she eagerly begins writing the second episode. As Yeojoo continues her double life as a BL writer, viewers are left wondering if she can keep her secret and continue her writing journey.

Reporter: Se-yoon Jung, TenAsia yoon@tenasia.co.kr