‘Yumi’s Cells Season 3’ Tops TVING Paid Subscriber Growth in First Week Following Male Lead Change

After a change in the male lead, the drama has finally exploded in popularity—‘Yumi’s Cells Season 3’ has ranked No. 1 in paid subscriber contribution on TVING during its first week of release.

The TVING original series ‘Yumi’s Cells Season 3’ is showing strong signs of a breakout hit. The cheerful yet combative romance has captured viewers’ attention, topping the platform’s weekly paid subscriber contribution rankings during its first week (April 13–19), continuing its upward momentum.

Ahead of episodes 3 and 4 dropping today (April 20), new stills have been released featuring Yumi (Kim Go Eun), Soon Rok (Kim Jae Won), and Joo Ho (Choi Daniel) on a bookstore street outing. As the newly introduced character Joo Ho is finally unveiled, curiosity is growing over how he will impact the relationship between Yumi and Soon Rok.

Joo Ho is a star author at Julie Publishing and a writer managed by Soon Rok. A bold, sociable character with a meddlesome streak, he develops an interest in Yumi and approaches her actively. In the released images, the trio visits a bookstore street in Busan. Yumi appears surprised, while Soon Rok holds a book but wears an indifferent expression, drawing attention. Meanwhile, Joo Ho smiles brightly, hinting at their contrasting perspectives. A scene showing Yumi and Joo Ho facing each other alone further raises questions about what unfolds between them.

In episodes 1 and 2, Yumi—now a successful writer living a dull routine—changes Soon Rok becomes her producer. His presence repeatedly frustrates her, shaking up her “cell village.” The ending, where Yumi explodes in anger after discovering Soon Rok requested a change of assigned writer from editor Da Yong (Jeon Seok Ho), delivered both humor and tension. Episodes 3 and 4 are expected to heighten excitement with Yumi’s growing feelings for Soon Rok, his gradual transformation because of her, and the ripple effects caused by Joo Ho’s arrival.

The production team shared, “With Soon Rok’s arrival, Yumi’s monotonous life comes to an end. While love is still difficult, please look forward to Yumi, who gives her all sincerely, Soon Rok, who changes because of her, and the evolving dynamic among the three characters.”

Kim Go Eun has received praise since Season 1 for her stable and nuanced performance, skillfully portraying realistic romance and emotional complexities between characters. The series has drawn particular attention for changing its male lead each season.

Season 1 featured Ahn Bo Hyun as Goo Woong, while Season 2 starred Park Jin Young as Yoo Bobby. In Season 3, Kim Jae Won takes on the role of Shin Soon Rok, perfectly embodying the cold, rational, homebody younger man exactly as depicted in the original webtoon.

The “love-hate” relationship between Yumi and Soon Rok is also a key highlight. Initially, Yumi feels antagonistic toward Soon Rok, sensing they are incompatible, but gradually becomes aware of her changing emotions. The early episodes depicted her inner thoughts and the lively workings of her “cell village” as her stagnant life begins to shift after meeting him.

With Soon Rok’s inner thoughts and cell village yet to be revealed, viewers are increasingly curious about his true feelings for Yumi.

Chemistry Between Kim Go Eun and Kim Jae Won Draws Attention

Based on the webtoon of the same name, ‘Yumi’s Cells Season 3’ follows Yumi, who has achieved her dream of becoming a romance novelist but lives a dull life, until she meets her producer Shin Soon Rok, awakening her dormant cells.

This season, the chemistry between Kim Go Eun and Kim Jae Won has become a hot topic. While Kim Go Eun is already widely recognized, Kim Jae Won may feel newer to some viewers. However, he has steadily built his career through supporting roles in projects such as Netflix’s ‘The Art of Sarah’.

Having mostly taken on supporting roles, Kim Jae Won expressed overwhelming emotions about being cast. In an interview released by Harper’s Bazaar on April 20, he described the opportunity as a “pleasant pressure.”

Reflecting on playing Yumi’s final love interest, Shin Soon Rok, he said, “At first, it felt like being a boyfriend brought home by a beloved daughter from a big, close-knit family—having to greet everyone. It felt like all eyes were on me. It was an honor to join the final chapter of a series that has received so much love. Soon Rok is remembered as a ‘unicorn-like younger man,’ so there was pressure, but it was definitely a good kind of pressure.”

He also spoke warmly about working with Kim Go Eun, saying, “When we first met, she told me I could speak comfortably, which helped us get close quickly. On set, it felt like everything I suggested was accepted. I’m grateful for her consideration. She never made quick judgments and always asked for my opinion. I learned a lot from her attitude toward acting.”

Kim Go Eun shared similar sentiments, noting, “It was my first time working as a partner with someone much younger. I wondered if my jokes would come across seriously or not. With senior actors, I’m usually more playful, like the youngest sibling, so I thought about whether I should approach him more like a friend. Since I’ve worked with the director for a long time, we both wanted Jae Won to feel comfortable on set.”

She added that continuing the series through Season 3 felt like “opening a second chapter,” expressing deep affection for the project.

“Yumi marked the beginning of my 30s. It felt like entering a second chapter. I loved being part of a charming drama where I could communicate with the cells, and it made me reflect on life’s subtle emotions. It’s a show where you can say, ‘That’s so relatable—yeah, that would be annoying,’ about everyday relationship feelings,” she said.

She continued, “Season 3 reflects the thoughts and daily life of a woman in her mid-to-late 30s, with a different kind of nuance compared to earlier stages of life. As I age alongside Yumi, portraying her has become even more enjoyable. It’s rare in Korea to carry a drama through multiple seasons, so it’s been a special experience. I think we’re now ready to bring this journey to a grand conclusion.”

Although the series is still in its early stages, some viewers have expressed disappointment over the shorter eight-episode format compared to previous seasons, which had over ten episodes. Given the original webtoon storyline, some feel eight episodes may not be enough to fully explore Yumi and Soon Rok’s narrative.

However, with its fast-paced progression, their story is set to unfold in earnest starting from episode 3. As Yumi begins to recognize her true feelings for Soon Rok, and with Joo Ho entering the picture while Soon Rok’s emotions remain a mystery, anticipation is building over how their relationships will evolve.

Meanwhile, episodes 3 and 4 of ‘Yumi’s Cells Season 3’ will be released exclusively on TVING at 6 PM on April 20. Episode 3 will also air on tvN at 8:50 PM, with new episodes airing every Monday and Tuesday at the same time.