Familiar Wife
A married couple's fates change after a magical incident.
Familiar Wife (Korean: 아는 와이프; RR: Aneun waipeu) is a South Korean television series blending romance and fantasy. It stars Ji Sung, Han Ji-min, Jang Seung-jo, and Kang Han-na, and aired on tvN between August 1 and September 20, 2018.
The story centers on a married couple whose lives are upended when a strange event alters their fates, causing them to inhabit completely different realities. Cha Joo-hyuk, a bank employee, has been married to Seo Woo-jin for five years. After a mysterious incident, he makes a choice that reshapes his life and the lives of those around him. He wakes up in a new existence where his marriage to Woo-jin and his friendship with Yoon Joong-hoo have vanished. The narrative explores how his first love, Lee Hye-won, fits into this changed world, and whether he can return to his original life.
The main cast includes Ji Sung as Cha Joo-hyuk, a bank worker frustrated by financial strain and pressure from his wife and boss; Han Ji-min as Seo Woo-jin, a wife struggling to balance career and family, whose anger grows over five years of marriage; Jang Seung-jo as Yoon Joong-hoo, Joo-hyuk’s handsome best friend and fellow bank employee, whose life also shifts after the incident; and Kang Han-na as Lee Hye-won, Joo-hyuk’s first love, separated from him due to an event involving Woo-jin, who is a cello player and the daughter of a wealthy businessman.
Supporting characters include Park Hee-von as Cha Joo-eun, Joo-hyuk’s sister studying for the bar exam; Oh Eui-shik as Oh Sang-sik, a friend who runs a noodle shop alone; Lee Jung-eun as Woo-jin’s mother, who has severe Alzheimer’s and is placed in a nursing home; and several bank employees: Son Jong-hak as kind branch manager Cha Bong-hee, Park Won-sang as demanding superior Byeon Sung-woo, Cha Hak-yeon as slacking new recruit Kim Hwan, Kim Soo-jin as transfer department supervisor Jang Man-ok, Kim So-ra as teller Joo Hyang-sook, Gong Min-jeung as teller Choi Hye-jung, and Kang Hui as security guard Jung Min-soo. Special appearances include Lee You-jin as Jung Hyun-soo, Kang Ki-young as a bank customer in episode 13, and Jo Jung-suk as chef Kang Sun-woo in episode 15.
The first script reading took place on May 9, 2018, at Studio Dragon’s main office in Seoul’s Sangam-dong district.
Quick Facts
- Genre
- Romance · Fantasy · Drama · Comedy
- Creator
- Studio Dragon
- Writer
- Yang Hee-sung
- Director
- Lee Sang-yeob
- Starring
- Ji Sung · Han Ji-min · Jang Seung-jo · Kang Han-na
- Country
- South Korea
- Language
- Korean
- Num Episodes
- 16
- Executive Producer
- Cho Hyung-jin · Kim Sang-heon
- Camera
- Single-camera
- Company
- Chorokbaem Media
- Network
- tvN
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The series centers on Cha Joo-hyuk, an ordinary bank employee unhappy with his life due to family financial struggles and pressure from his wife and superior. He has been married to Seo Woo-jin for five years, a woman who developed anger issues and easily gets agitated with her husband's simple mistakes. After a strange incident, Joo-hyuk makes a decision that impacts his life and those around him in unexpected ways, leading him to a very different life where his previous marriage and best friend Yoon Joong-hoo are gone.
Reader's Guide
Familiar Wife explores themes of fate, choice, and second chances through a romantic fantasy lens. The series gained attention for its premise of a magical change in circumstances and the resulting alternate reality. Its significance lies in its examination of marital dissatisfaction and the question of whether changing one's past would lead to a better future. The show aired on tvN, a major South Korean cable network, and featured a cast including Ji Sung and Han Ji-min. The first script reading was held on May 9, 2018 at Studio Dragon's main office in Seoul. The series includes special appearances by actors such as Jo Jung-suk and Kang Ki-young.
Did You Know?
- The first script reading was held on May 9, 2018 at the conference room of Studio Dragon's main office in Seoul.
- The series features a special appearance by Jo Jung-suk as chef Kang Sun-woo in episode 15.
- Kang Han-na plays Lee Hye-won, Cha Joo-hyuk's first love and a cello player who is the daughter of an influential businessman.
More in South Korean fantasy television series 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced