Lee Do-hyun, Minha Kim Team for Romance Film "Viva La Vida"

Korean actors Lee Do-hyun and Minha Kim have been cast as the leads in a new romance film "Viva La Vida" (Uri Taeyangeul Heundeulja). Production begins this month.

The film, "Viva La Vida" (Uri Taeyangeul Heundeulja), starts shooting on the 19th under director Park Dan-hee. Kim Min-ha, who recently drew attention for a dramatic weight loss, slimmed down to play a terminally ill character, according to the production.

The story follows Woori, played by Kim, a young woman who hopes for a miracle but is fading with no tomorrow in sight. Her world shifts when she meets Taeyang, played by Lee, an eccentric young man who promises to give her a tomorrow. A chance agreement pulls them together in what the production describes as a survival romance.

The main cast recently gathered for a script reading with director Park, who is both writing and directing the film. It was the first time Lee and Kim worked together.

Lee plays Taeyang, a quirky character preparing for his own final days who makes an unexpected offer to Woori. Lee is best known for Netflix's "Sweet Home" series, along with "Youth of May," "The Glory," and "The Good Bad Mother." He made his big-screen debut in the film "Exhuma," playing the shaman Bong-gil, a role that turned him into a 10-million-ticket box office star in South Korea.

Kim plays Woori, a woman waiting for a miracle while holding on through a harsh reality. Her recent credits include Apple TV+'s "Pachinko," "Light Shop" (Jomyeonggage), "Way Back Love" (Naega Jukgi Iljuil Jeon), "Typhoon Family" (Taepungsangsa), and the film "Hana Korea" (Hana Korea).

Kim recently made headlines after losing about 17 kilograms, or roughly 37 pounds. In a recent interview with TenAsia, she said the change was for work.

"If people ask why I lost so much weight, 90 percent of it is for the role," Kim said. "I was thinking about how to show a different side of myself. I lost the weight over a long period so I could also keep up my stamina. I'm still losing a little more."

Kim also addressed reactions that called her dramatic transformation a contradiction of her past comments. "I used to say, 'I love myself as I am. You don't have to be thin,' so many people said my words don't match up now," she said. "This is 100 percent for work. I'm satisfied with how I looked when I was fuller, and I'm satisfied with how I look now."

She added, "There are all kinds of people in the world, and it's my job to portray them. I have to be able to change like a chameleon."

Director Park previously directed the film "Tastefully Yours" (Dangsinui Mat) and co-directed "Weak Hero Class 1." She wrote and is directing the new film, which traces the meeting between Woori and Taeyang and the changes that follow.

"Viva La Vida," the first project pairing Lee and Kim, begins shooting on the 19th.