It’s another year of exciting Korean dramas with dream pairs, casting, and comebacks. From romance to thriller and more, here are the highly-awaited television and web series in 2024:
QUEEN OF TEARS
The drama pairing of A-list actors Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Ji-won with award-winning creators is much anticipated this year.
Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Ji-won will play a married couple who overcomes trials and stays together against all odds in tvN’s Queen Of Tears (2024), a drama that depicts a miraculous and humorous love story set in the village of Yongduri. Actors Park Sung-hoon, Kwak Dong-yeon, Kim Joo-young, Na Young-hee, and more were also announced to be part of the supporting cast.
Screenwriter Park Ji-eun penned the popular dramas, My Love from the Star (2013–2014), The Producers (2015), The Legend of the Blue Sea (2016), and Crash Landing On You (2019–2020). Jang Young-woo co-directed Mr. Sunshine (2018) and Sweet Home (2020-24) while Kim Hee-won co-directed Crash Landing On You (2019–2020), Vincenzo (2021), and helmed The Crowned Clown (2019) and Little Women (2022).
It was revealed that the budget per episode costed ₩2.5 billion with a total production cost of ₩40 billion. The drama is scheduled for broadcast in South Korea’s tvN cable channel in March 2024 while the streaming platform is yet to be announced.
YOU HAVE DONE WELL
The drama comeback of IU since Hotel Del Luna (2019) and Park Bogum since Record of Youth (2020) is highly-anticipated this year as the two top stars worked with renowned creators for a new web series.
Singer-actress IU plays Ae-soon, an ambitious lady who is rebellious but full of positivity while Park Bo-gum portrays Gwan-sik, an extremely diligent guy who is quiet but a silent warrior in Netflix’s You Have Done Well (2024), a slice of life-romance drama that tells the adventure-filled life journey of two people born on Jeju Island in the 1950s. Veteran actors Moon So-ri and Park Hae-joon will be playing the older versions of Ae-soon and Gwan-sik.
More actors were announced to participate in the drama including Kim Yong-rim, Lee Jun-young, Baek Ji-won, Oh Jung-se, Yeom Hye-ran, Choi Dae-hoon, and Lee Soo-kyung with the special appearance of Kim Seonho. It was revealed that the total production cost of the series is around ₩60 billion.
The drama’s screenwriter Lim Sang Choon penned the multi-awarded and Baeksang Grand Prize (Daesang) winner, When The Camellia Blooms (2019) while director Kim Won Seok is known for the award-winning shows, Misaeng (2014), Signal (2016), and My Mister (2018). Netflix hasn’t announced the official release date but it is expected to arrive in 2024.
ASK THE STARS
A-list actors Lee Minho and Gong Hyo-jin worked together for the first Korean rom-com set on a space station, raising high anticipation among fans.
Lee Minho takes on the role of a gynecologist who spends a huge amount of money to experience the space station as a tourist while Gong Hyo-jin plays a highly-skilled Korean-American astronaut in tvN’s Ask The Stars (2024), also known as “When The Stars Gossip”. Actors Han Ji-eun, Oh Jung-se, and Kim Joo-hun are part of the supporting cast.
It was revealed that the drama took five years to prepare and that the total production cost is ₩50 billion. tvN network hasn’t announced the official broadcast date but it is expected to be released in 2024.
Screenwriter Seo Sook-hyang penned the rom-com dramas, Pasta (2010), Miss Korea (2013), and Wok of Love (2018) while Director Park Shin-woo helmed Encounter (2018), It’s Okay To Not Be Okay (2020) and Lovestruck In The City (2020).
DOCTOR SLUMP
After three years, A-list star Park Shin-hye returns to the small screen and re-unites with The Heirs (2013) co-actor, Park Hyung-sik to portray doctors in a medical-romance drama, drawing excitement among viewers.
Park Shin-hye plays an anesthesiologist who quits her job after being burned by a medical professor while Park Hyung-sik plays a famous plastic surgeon who faces downfall after a medical accident in JTBC’s Doctor Slump (2024), a medical-rom-com drama that tells the story of two doctors who used to hate each other during college days and unexpectedly reunite during the darkest moment of their career, trying to resuscitate their lives from a slump. Actors Yoon Park and Kong Seong-ha are part of the main cast as fellow doctors.
Screenwriter Baek Sun-woo penned the dramas, What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim (2018) and My Roommate Is A Gumiho (2021) while Director Oh Hyeon-jong helmed Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo (2016), Two Cops (2017), and The One And Only (2021).
The drama is set for broadcast on JTBC on January 27 and will be available for streaming simultaneously on Netflix.
MANGNAEIN
Fans have been highly awaiting the drama comeback of Hallyu star Kim Seonho who was last seen in Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha (2021), further raising excitement as he portrays a mysterious character alongside Park Gyu-young with renowned directors.
Based on the Hongkong novel “Second Sister” by Chan Ho Kei, Mangnaein (2024) is a cyber-thriller series that depicts the dark side of social media when Park Gyu-young’s character embarks on a desperate search for the truth about her younger sibling’s demise and Kim Seonho as N who is a mysterious hacker, digs deep into the case using technology. Actors Lee Hong-nae, Jin Ho-eun, Lee So-i, Lee Ryu-min, and Kim Ga-young are also part of the cast.
Director Kim Ji-woon is known for his notable works, A Tale of Two Sisters (2003), I Saw The Devil (2010), Dr. Brain (2021), and Cobweb (2023) while Director Park Boram helmed Through The Darkness (2022). Scriptwriter Joo Won-goo penned the drama, Argon (2017) and action-crime movie, ASURA (2022).
None has been officially announced regarding network and broadcast date yet but filming is finished and the series is expected to arrive this year.
CHIEF INSPECTOR: THE BEGINNING
After showcasing a stellar performance in Taxi Driver 2 (2023), fans are elated to know that Lee Je-hoon will be portraying the younger version of an iconic drama character in the 1970s.
Set in the 1960s, Lee Je-hoon takes on the role of the young and naive Park Young Han who struggles with fury against a cruel world and forms a squad of detectives in MBC’s Chief Inspector: The Beginning (2024), a prequel to the legendary series Chief Inspector (1971-1989). Seo Eun-soo, Lee Dong-hwi, Choi Woo-sung, and Yoon Hyun-soo are also part of the cast.
Kim Young Shin will write the drama script while Director Kim Sung Hoon is known for his movie works, such as Confidential Assignment (2016) and Rampant (2018). MBC network hasn’t announced the official broadcast date yet but it is confirmed to be released in 2024.
A RESIDENT’S PLAYLIST
Rising stars Go Youn-jung, Shin Si-a, Kang You-seok, and more thrilled fans as they will play young doctors for the spin-off of Hospital Playlist (2020-21).
tvN’s A Resident’s Playlist (2024) also known as “Wise Resident Life” depicts the hospital life and turbulent friendships of young doctors at Jongro branch of Yulje Medical Center during the period of low birth rates, starring promising actors Go Youn-jung, Shin Si-a, Kang You-seok, Han Ye-ji, and Jung Joon-won.
Scriptwriter Kim Song-hee penned Reply 1988 (2015) and Hospital Playlist (2020-21) while Director Lee Min-soo helmed Heartbeat (2023). tvN network hasn’t announced the broadcast date yet but the production aims to release it in March 2024.
THE TRUNK
Fans anticipate the pairing of A-listers Gong Yoo and Seo Hyun-jin as they will portray a married couple in a new mystery-romance series.
Based on the novel “Trunk” by Kim Ryeo-ryeong, actress Seo Hyun-jin plays Noh In Ji, a single woman who works at NM, which is a matchmaking organization that sets up a contract-based marriage life with the spouse one desires in Netflix’s The Trunk (2024). After a marriage failure, Gong Yoo as the music producer Han Jeong Won who believes that marriage is a deceit, is unexpectedly set-up in a marriage contract with Noh In Ji, which is arranged by his ex-wife. However, a twist of events unfold after a mysterious trunk appears from the depths of a lake, unveiling secrets behind an intriguing matchmaking agency.
Screenwriter Park Eun Young penned Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth (2016) while Director Kim Gyu Tae helmed That Winter, The Wind Blows (2013), It’s Okay, That’s Love (2014), Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo (2016), The Crowned Clown (2019), and co-directed Our Blues (2022). Netflix hasn’t announced the official release date but it is expected to arrive in 2024.
UNCLE SAM SIK
Multi-awarded movie actor Song Kang-ho attracts attention among viewers as he is set to play his first drama role ever in his acting career.
A-lister Song Kang-ho portrays Park Doo-chil, a man who has his own rule of not starving three meals a day during the turbulent times in Korea in the Disney+ original series, Uncle Sam-sik (2024), a drama that is set in the chaotic era in the early 1960s and depicts the friendship of two men who have the same dream of transforming Korea to an industrial economy. Co-actor Byun Yohan will portray Kim San, an elite student from the Korea Military Academy who is passionate about his pursuit on national transformation, meeting and forming friendship with Uncle Samsik. Jin Ki-joo, Lee Kyu-hyung, and Seo Hyun-woo are also part of the cast.
This is also the first drama project of film scriptwriter–director Shin Yeon-shick who penned the movie Cobweb (2023) and directed The Fair Love (2010), The Russian Novel (2013), and Rough Play (2013). As recently announced, the series is scheduled to be released worldwide on Disney+ in the first half of 2024.
POLARIS
In talks for a spy-romance drama, fans are excited for the small screen comeback of A-list star Jun Ji Hyun who was last seen in Jirisan (2021) and lead alongside movie actor Gang Dong Won.
Polaris (2024), also known as “The North Star” tells the story of spies who try to recover their true selves after losing their identity. Movie actor Gang Dong Won known for his works in Peninsula (2020), Broker (2022), Dr. Cheon And The Lost Talisman (2023) also received an offer to join Jun Ji-hyun as main leads of the said drama.
Scriptwriter Jung Seo Kyung penned the hits The Handmaiden (2015), Mother (2018), Believer (2018), Decision To Leave (2021), and Little Women (2022) while Director Kim Hee Won co-directed Crash Landing On You (2019–2020), Vincenzo (2021), and helmed The Crowned Clown (2019), Little Women (2022), and Queen Of Tears (2024).
None has been officially announced regarding network and broadcast date but the series is expected to arrive this year.
NINE PUZZLE
Stellar actors Son Sukku and Kim Dami ignite excitement among fans as the two stars received an offer to lead a new crime-mystery drama together.
Nine Puzzle (2024) follows the story of Kim Dami as Yi Na, the only witness and suspect in a murder case in the past who becomes a criminal profiler after 10 years. She digs deep into the case with Son Sukku as Detective Han Saem who suspects her as the killer.
Scriptwriter Lee Eun Mi penned Tunnel (2017) and Navillera (2021) while Director Yoon Jong Bin helmed The Spy Gone North (2018) and Narco-Saints (2022). None has been officially announced regarding network and broadcast date but the series is expected to arrive this year.
JEONG NYEON
After showcasing solid acting skills in Twenty-Five Twenty-One (2022) and Revenant (2023), Kim Tae-ri generates interest anew as she is set to portray another iconic character with star-studded cast in a new drama.
Kim Tae-ri plays Yoon Jeong Nyeon, a young lady from a poor family in Mokpo who is gifted with a singing voice and leaves her town to join the Korean Traditional Woman’s Opera in Seoul to achieve her dreams of becoming wealthy. Shin Ye-eun as Heo Young Seo will act as her rivalry who has solid skills in singing, dancing, and acting. Veteran actress Ra Miran will portray the leader of Mae Ran Korean Traditional Theater Company while Moon Sori will make a special appearance as Jeong Nyeon’s mother.
tvN’s Jeong Nyeon (2024) is set in the 1950s that is based on the webtoon by Seo Yi-re. Scriptwriter Choi Hyo Bi penned A Time Called You (2023) while Director Jeong Jiin helmed The Red Sleeve (2021). tvN network hasn’t announced the broadcast date yet but the production aims to release it in 2024.
QUEEN WOO
Another drama pairing to look forward to this year is exceptionally talented actors Jeon Jong Seo as a queen and Ji Chang Wook as a king in a new historical-action series.
TVING’s Queen Woo (2024) tells the story of the queen of Goguryeo who struggles to find a new King within 24 hours after the sudden passing of her husband while she fights against tribes and princes who seek to gain authority and vie for the throne. Jeon Jong Seo will portray Queen Woo Hee while Ji Chang Wook plays King Go Nam Moo. Star-studded actors include Kim Moo-yeol, Jung Yoo-mi, Lee Soo-hyuk, Park Ji-hwan, Jo Han-chul, Kang You-seok, and more.
Scriptwriter Lee Byung Hak penned the historical movie, The Royal Tailor (2014) while Director Jung Se Gyo helmed the historical film, Arrow, The Ultimate Weapon (2011) and documentary, The Admiral’s Path (2015). According to TVING network, the drama is set to premiere in 2024.
MOM’S FRIEND’S SON
Hallyu stars Jung Hae In and Jung So Min will team up for a warm love story, generating high interest among viewers as they will also work together with Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha (2021) creators.
Jung So-min portrays Bae Seok Ryu, a successful project manager at a major global firm who breaks down one day and tries to restart life after experiencing a dilemma. Jung Hae-in plays Choi Seung Hyo, the mom’s friend’s son of Bae Seok Ryu, who is handsome and known to be one of the most notable young architects in the Korean architecture industry, working as head of the architecture atelier In.
tvN’s Mom’s Friend’s Son (2024) is a warm love story that depicts what unfolds when two childhood friends who consider each other as a dark chapter in the past life, meet again as adults. It will be penned by Shin Ha Eun and directed by Yoo Je Won, the creators of Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha (2021). Director Yoo Je Won also helmed Hi Bye, Mama! (2020) and Crash Course in Romance (2023).
According to tvN network, the drama will premiere in the second half of 2024.
CASHERO
Fans eagerly await for idol-actor Lee Junho as he in talks to play a superhero in a webtoon-based superhero series for the streaming giant.
Lee Junho received the offer to portray Kang Sang Woong, also known as “Cashero”, a new superhero whose superhuman strength depends on the amount of cash he carries in his pocket in Netflix’s Cashero (2024), a series based on a webtoon by Lee Hoon and No Hye Ok about ordinary superheroes who protect ordinary people in their daily lives. Kim Hyang-gi of Poong, the Joseon Psychiatrist (2022-23) and Kim Hye-Joon who played Queen Consort Cho in Kingdom (2019-20) also received the casting offer.
Director Lee Chang Min directed Welcome To Waikiki (2018-19) and Agency (2023). Meanwhile, Netflix hasn’t disclosed further details about the series including final casting, filming schedules, and premiere date but it is expected to arrive late in 2024 or sometime in 2025.
HONG RANG
After captivating hearts as Jang Uk in Alchemy of Souls (2022), Lee Jae Wook returns to the small screen in a titular role, drawing high anticipation among fans.
Based on the novel, “Tangeum: Swallowing Gold” by Jang Da-hye, Netflix’s Hong Rang (2024) is a historical series with a touch of mystery and romance about Lee Jae Wook as Hong Rang, the son of Joseon’s elite who goes missing for 12 years and unexpectedly returns with hidden secrets. He becomes inextricably linked with Jo Boah as Jae-i, his half-sister who is on a desperate search for him for years and gradually falls in love with him. Actors joining the cast include Jung Ga-ram, Uhm Ji-won, Park Byung-eun, and Kim Jae-wook.
Scriptwriter Kim Jin-a penned Dr. Brain (2021) while Director Kim Hong-sun helmed Money Heist: Korea – Joint Economic Area (2022) and Decoy (2023). It is set for release on the streaming giant in the first half of 2024.
WONDERFUL WORLD
Idol-actor Cha Eun-woo ignites excitement among fans as he is set to portray a mysterious character in a new thriller drama alongside veteran actress Kim Nam-joo.
Cha Eun-woo takes on the role of Kwon Sun Yool, a mysterious medical student dropout from a wealthy family who carries a secret while Kim Nam-joo plays Eun Soo Hyun, a famous psychology writer-professor who faces despair after losing her son in MBC’s mystery-revenge drama, Wonderful World (2024). Unexpectedly, the two cross paths as they go through the process of solving mysteries, learning each other’s pain and healing together. Joining them is Kim Kang-woo as Kang Soo Ho and Im Semi as Han Yoo Ri.
Scriptwriter Kim Ji Eun penned Cheongdam-dong Scandal (2015) and Why Her? (2022) while Director Lee Seung Young helmed Voice 2 (2018) and Tracer (2022). The drama is scheduled for release on MBC and Disney+ in March 2024.
CAPTIVATING THE KING
It brings much delight among fans as top actor Jo Jung-suk returns to the small screen since Hospital Playlist (2020-21) and is paired with Shin Se-kyun in a historical-romance drama.
tvN’s Captivating The King (2024) depicts the cruel love story between Jo Jung-suk as King Yiin, a king who is faced with kingdom-political power struggles and lives a miserable and empty life while Shin Se-kyung portrays Kang Hee Soo, a woman who seeks revenge against the king by disguising herself as a man but soon falls in an unexpected attraction.
Scriptwriter Kim Sun Deok penned The Crowned Clown (2019) while Director Jo Nam Gook helmed Doctor Stranger (2014) and The Good Detective (2020-22). The drama is scheduled for release on tvN and Netflix on January 21, 2024.
A SHOP FOR KILLERS
Heartthrob actor Lee Dong-wook is set for another iconic character in a new mystery-action drama with Kingdom (2019-20) star Kim Hye-joon, drawing attention among viewers.
Based on the novel, “The Killer’s Shopping Mall” by Kang Ji Young, actor Lee Dong-wook plays Jung Jin, an uncle who runs a suspicious shopping mall in the Disney+ original series, A Shop For Killers (2024). Kim Hye-joon as Jung Ji-an lives with uncle Jung Jin after losing her parents. One day, she arrives home with the sudden passing of her uncle and receives a dangerous inheritance from him. She soon discovers the real identity of the culprit as she becomes the target of suspicious killers.
Scriptwriter Ji Ho-jin penned When Time Stopped (2018) while writer-director Lee Kwon wrote and directed Door Lock (2018) and helmed Save Me 2 (2019). Co-director No Kyu-yeob directed The Show Must Go On (2006), Unfinished (2018), and Steel Rain 2: Summit (2019).
The drama is scheduled for release on Disney+ on January 17, 2024.
ALL YOUR WISHES WILL COME TRUE
After working together in Uncontrollably Fond (2016), A-listers Kim Woo-bin and Bae Suzy are set to reunite for a new rom-com drama, which is highly anticipated among viewers.
All Your Wishes Will Come True (2024) depicts the romance between Kim Woo-bin as an overemotional genie who is trapped inside a lamp and Bae Suzy as Ga Young, an emotionless woman who helps him escape from the lamp imprisonment, facing luck or punishment over three wishes. Actress Ahn Eun-jin who impressed the viewers with her stellar performances in The Good Bad Mother (2023) and My Dearest (2023) also received an offer to join the cast and play a mysterious character.
Screenwriter Kim Eun Sook penned the drama hits Lovers in Paris (2004), Secret Garden (2010), The Heirs (2013), Descendants of the Sun (2016), Guardian: The Lonely And Great God (2016), Mr. Sunshine (2018), and The Glory (2022-23). Director Lee Byung Hun helmed Dream (2023) and co-directed Be Melodramatic (2019).
While the original network is yet to be announced, it is reported that the series is set for release in 2024.
A KILLER PARADOX
After captivating people’s hearts with his warm-hearted role in Our Beloved Summer (2021), Choi Woo-shik returns to the small screen as a dark hero alongside Son Sukku and Lee Hee-joon, becoming one of the anticipated shows of the year.
Based on the webtoon, “The Murderer’s Toy” by Ggomabi, which won a special Korea Content Award from the Korean Creative Content Agency in 2011, Choi Woo-shik plays Lee Tang, an ordinary college student who accidentally kills a criminal and becomes a dark hero murdering people with a record of criminal deeds in Netflix’s A Killer Paradox (2024), also known as “Murder DIEary”.
Son Sukku takes on the role of Jang Nan-gam, a cold-blooded but charismatic police detective who investigates the killings and chases after Lee Tang while Lee Hee-joon as Song Chon is a former detective who goes on a solo mission to trace the whereabouts of Lee Tang.
While this serves as Kim Da-min’s first drama script, Director Lee Chang-hee is known for his movie and TV works including The Vanished (2017) and Strangers From Hell (2019). The series is expected to arrive on Netflix in 2024.
CAN THIS LOVE BE TRANSLATED?
Asia’s charmer Kim Seonho and rising star Go Youn-jung garner attention as they received an offer to lead a new rom-com drama with well-known creators.
Can This Love Be Translated? (2024) tells the romantic story between Go Youn-jung as Cha Shin Hye, a top celebrity and Kim Seonho as Joo Ho Jin, a genius language interpreter who work together during overseas trips. Totally opposite when it comes to love language, they often misinterpret and misunderstand one another to the point of getting lost in translation, falling repeatedly into frustration.
The script will be penned by star sisters Hong Jung Eun and Hong Mi Ran who wrote the drama hits My Girl (2005), My Girlfriend Is a Gumiho (2010), Hotel Del Luna (2019), and Alchemy of Souls (2022). Meanwhile, Director Yoo Yeong Eun helmed Bloody Heart (2022) and worked as an assistant director of Descendants Of The Sun (2016) and Queen Of Mystery (2017-18).
While the confirmation of casting, original network, and schedule are yet to be announced, the drama is expected for release in the second half of 2024.
THE CROWN PRINCE MISSING
After delivering an impressive performance in Behind Your Touch (2023), idol-actor Suho brings another excitement as he is set to portray a kidnapped crown prince in his first ever historical drama.
EXO’s Suho plays Lee Geon, a crown prince in the Joseon era who is kidnapped by a woman set to become the crown princess in MBN’s The Crown Prince Missing (2024), also known as “The Crown Prince Has Disappeared”. Hong Yeji portrays Choi Myung Yoon, a woman skilled at horseback riding and medicine. An unexpected attraction begins as they spend time running for their lives.
Screenwriters Kim Ji Soo and Park Chul worked together for the script of Bossam: Steal The Fate (2021) while Director Kim Jin-man co-directed Kill Me, Heal Me (2015) and Rebel: Thief Who Stole The People (2017). The drama is set for broadcast on MBN in the first half of 2024.
SQUID GAME 2
The global hit, Squid Game, garners attention and high anticipation as it is set for a second season with a whole new round of returning cast and exciting new faces.
Netflix’s Squid Game Season 2 (2024) follows Lee Jung-jae as Seong Gihun also known as Player 456 in Season 1 who is determined to go against people responsible for using desperate contestants go through a lineup of deadly competition games. Lee Byung-hun as the Front Man, Wi Ha-jun as Detective Hwang Jun-Ho, and Gong Yoo as the Recruiter will also reprise their roles.
Meanwhile, the announcement of new cast members include Yim Si-wan, Kang Ha-neul, Park Gyu-young, Park Sung-hoon, Jo Yu-ri, Yang Dong-geun, Kang Ae-sim, Lee David, Lee Jin-uk, Choi Seung-hyun, Roh Jae-won, and Won Ji-an.
According to screenwriter-director Hwang Dong-hyuk, we will also be introduced to Cheol-su, the boyfriend of Young-hee who is the giant robot doll. The second season is expected to arrive late in 2024 or sometime in 2025.
What upcoming Korean drama are you most excited for?
Check out the full list of Korean dramas in 2024 here.
By KORB Blog Team.
KORB 
I can’t wait for wonderful world and mysterious Cha Eunwoo ♥️♥️
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