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It's now official: Lim Yoona will star in the Korean remake of « Unnatural ». After several reports about the cast, tvN On September 18, it was confirmed that the Girls’ Generation member would star in this new adaptation of the award-winning Japanese series. The actress will take on a completely different role, playing a medical examiner who seeks to make the dead speak in order to uncover the truth behind their deaths.
Scheduled to air in 2027 on tvN, «Unnatural» is currently being promoted under a working title. The drama will be directed by Park Yoo-young, while the screenplay will be written by Min Ji.
The story will take place, in part, within the’U.D.I., a fictional autopsy and forensic institute affiliated with the National Institute of Forensic Medicine. Its medical examiners will be responsible for investigating deaths deemed «unnatural» and uncovering the truths behind these cases. At the center of these investigations is Song Do-eun, played by Lim Yoona.
Lim Yoona will seek to hear «the final voices» of the dead
Song Do-eun may come across as particularly calm and cold. When a body arrives on her autopsy table, she doesn’t let its condition unsettle her. Her gaze remains focused, and she methodically examines every detail with a determination that prevents her from giving up until she understands exactly what happened to the victim.
But this apparent coldness hides a profoundly different personality. Do-eun feels deep compassion for the deceased people she works on. While she searches so doggedly for even the slightest clue, it’s not just to solve a case—she wants to hear what the production describes as «the last voice» of the dead.
Every mark left on a body can become a final message that she refuses to ignore. Her work is thus rooted in a sense of respect for the life of every person who passes through her hands. This duality between scientific rigor and empathy should be one of the character’s defining traits.
«Unnatural» aims to showcase a new side of Lim Yoona
The production team believes that Lim Yoona’s personality can bring something special to this new portrayal of Song Do-eun. «Lim Yoona’s warm and radiant energy will create a wonderful synergy with Song Do-eun, a character endowed with great inner strength and a deeply human charm.»
The team also promises to draw on the actress’s ability to navigate between the medical examiner’s determination and the much more subtle emotions she harbors. «Yoona will convey the integrity of Song Do-eun, who sincerely seeks to listen to the stories of the dead, as well as the emotions that quietly simmer within her, in order to offer viewers a profound emotional experience and a lasting impression.»
Above all, the project marks a significant shift in the actress’s career. After several roles more closely associated with romance, comedy, or drama, she will this time find herself at the center of forensic investigations, where each autopsy will be key to piecing together a victim’s story.
The Korean version will also have to find its own identity while adapting a particularly well-known Japanese work. The production team has already stated that Lim Yoona’s performance will help breathe new life into «Unnatural» «with a fresh and different charm.».
At this time, tvN has not announced a specific air date. «Unnatural» is expected to air on tvN sometime in 2027.
