Prime Video is diving into uncharted waters with its new Korean rom-com series “The Divorce Insurance,” which introduces the provocative concept of insuring against marital dissolution. The series poses the question: “Is there an insurance policy to keep you happy for the rest of your life?”
The series follows an insurance company’s product development team as they create a divorce insurance product designed to address one of modern society’s most pressing concerns. Set in an office environment, the show centers on the passionate actuary Ki-jun and his team’s journey to develop this innovative product.
Boasting an all-star Korean cast, the series features Lee Dong-wook (“Harbin”) as No Ki-jun, an insurance actuary who has experienced three marriages and divorces. His personal experience serves as inspiration for creating the divorce insurance product to help others like himself.
Lee Joo-been (“Money Heist: Korea – Joint Economic Area”) portrays Kang Han-deul, an insurance underwriter whose quirky personality shines through as she undergoes her own transformation following divorce. She joins Ki-jun’s team and gradually develops courage while navigating a new relationship with him.
The ensemble also includes Lee Kwang-soo (“Karma”) as risk surveyor An Jeon-man, whose outwardly cool demeanor masks his timid nature, and Lee Da-hee (“Island”) as Jeon Na-rae, a financial mathematician who initially views life purely through an investment lens before her perspective begins to shift.
In an interview with Variety, Lee Dong-wook addresses the potentially controversial premise. “I do understand that this concept of divorce insurance could spark conversation or maybe controversies,” he acknowledges. “But the message that we want to deliver through our show is not just about divorce being a good thing or a bad thing. We just want to tell the story that divorce is just a part of your life.”
He underscores the show’s core message: “Life goes on even after you’re divorced. It’s not the end of your life. It’s not the end of the world. Your life is not a failure just because you’ve been divorced.”
The show’s premise has received largely positive reactions, according to Lee Joo-been. “Most of the people showed positive reactions when I told them about the premise. They would go like ‘Oh, is there a product like that? If there is one, I’d like to get one,’” she reveals. “I was even surprised to see that most people reacted positively.”
Lee Da-hee, whose character helps quantify the financial aspects of divorce, hopes the show will challenge negative perceptions. “When I think about divorce, there’s a lot of uncertainty and fear associated with it. But I think if there was a product like this in the market it might help people muster up the courage to get married and think about marriage and divorce more positively,” she explains.
She continues, “In our society, there is a negative perception about divorce. I just want to tell people that divorce doesn’t have to be bad. Just like Dong-wook said, it can be the beginning of your new life.”
Known for his comedic skills, Lee Kwang-soo brings his signature humor to the series through improvisation. “I don’t know which of my many improvised scenes have made it into the show, but the director just loved me improvising and ad-libbing overall,” he says.
He highlights one recurring improvised moment: “There’s this one ad-lib that appears in almost every episode. It’s a banter between myself and Lee Dong-wook and it’s like a series, because it keeps appearing over and over again.”
Despite the potentially heavy subject matter, Kwang-soo appreciates the show’s approach. “I really loved how our show doesn’t deal with divorce in a serious and dark way, but in a light-hearted and positive way,” he says, highlighting a line from the series that encapsulates its essence: “Both marriage and divorce are choices that we make to become happier.”
“The Divorce Insurance” is streaming now on Prime Video.