Familiar Wife
Familiar Wife (Korean: 아는 와이프; RR: Aneun Waipeu) is a South Korean television series that aired on the cable network tvN from August 1 to September 20, 2018. The series, which blends elements of fantasy, romance, and drama, was directed by Lee Sang-Yeob and written by Yang Hee-Seung.
Plot
The story follows Cha Joo-Hyuk (played by Ji Sung), a bank employee who has been married to Seo Woo-Jin (Han Ji-Min) for five years. The couple faces significant financial pressure and the challenges of raising two young children. Joo-Hyuk feels overwhelmed by his domestic life and harbors resentment toward his wife, while Woo-Jin struggles with the exhaustion of balancing work and motherhood. The narrative takes a supernatural turn when Joo-Hyuk encounters a mysterious man on the subway who provides him with two coins, enabling him to travel back in time. Upon returning to the present, Joo-Hyuk discovers his life has been fundamentally altered, resulting in a reality where he is married to his college crush, Lee Hye-Won (Kang Han-Na), rather than Woo-Jin.
Production
The first script reading for the series was held on May 9, 2018, at Studio Dragon in Sangam-dong, Seoul. Familiar Wife marked the first time actors Ji Sung and Han Ji-Min starred together as a lead couple, though they had previously appeared in the 2003 SBS drama All In.
Cast
- Ji Sung as Cha Joo-Hyuk
- Han Ji-Min as Seo Woo-Jin
- Kang Han-Na as Lee Hye-Won
- Jang Seung-Jo as Yoon Jong-Hoo
- Lee Jung-Eun as Woo-Jin's mother
Cameo Appearances
Actor Cho Jung-Seok made a notable cameo appearance in the 15th episode, reprising his role as Chef Kang from the 2015 tvN drama Oh My Ghost.
