The leads of the drama that set online communities and social media ablaze the moment its live-action adaptation was confirmed have finally been revealed.
According to an exclusive report by SPOTV News on the 7th, the drama Painter of the Night, based on a boundary-pushing BL webtoon, recently finished all filming and has now moved into editing.
Painter of the Night is set in the Joseon era and follows the secret, dangerously intense romance between Baek Nagyeom, a lowborn painter famed for his erotic works, and Yoon Seungho, an aristocrat captivated by Baek’s spring paintings. Rising actor Kim Kang-jae plays Yoon Seungho, while Ji Min-seo takes on Baek Nagyeom.
Born in 1997, Kim Kang-jae has appeared in web dramas and music videos, drawing attention for his standout visuals during his 2024 appearance on Hong Seok-cheon's Jewel Box. His counterpart, Ji Min-seo (born in 1996), debuted last year in the BL web drama Mueonga Jalmot Doeeotda and is returning to the genre with a bold transformation in this project.
As news of the casting broke, netizens reacted with a split verdict—praising the "surprisingly solid visual chemistry" and saying they were "excited to see two handsome actors together," while others argued "the roles feel swapped" and "the resemblance to the original is a bit lacking." The debate is already getting divisive.
Meanwhile, the much-buzzed-about Painter of the Night is slated to reach global audiences via the short-form drama platform Lezhin Snack.