Forget the capes and spandex because the best K-drama “superheroes” are often everyday people wrestling with extraordinary gifts. Unlike their Western counterparts, who usually punch their way through problems, these characters personify the messy, compelling interplay between power and the very human struggle to control it. The real struggle, though, is watching them deal with the fear of hurting someone, the heavy emotional burden of their powers, and just being plain exhausted from trying to live a normal life while totally bending the rules of science. They feel real and exposed, like a reminder that being a true hero isn’t about being invincible. It’s about surviving the personal battle with the amazing (and crazy) power you have inside. 

The Burden of the Gift

In K-dramas, some heroes don’t have super-strength; they have super-sensitivity, which is often more of a burden than a blessing. In I Hear Your Voice (2013), Park Soo-ha’s (Lee Jong-suk) ability to read minds makes him a “superhero” in the courtroom, but a victim in the real world. His ability isn’t a strategic advantage; it’s a mix of human malice and hidden insecurities that made him grow up too quickly. The constant noise of human dishonesty is a sensory overload that makes him profoundly lonely, while his power makes him a target for a vengeful killer, proving that knowing the truth doesn’t always make you safe.

It’s a similar story in He Is Psychometric (2019). Just like Soo-ha, Lee Ahn (GOT7’s Jinyoung) can see the past just by touching someone or something. The problem is he can’t really control his power, which turns him into a total loner. He can’t even hold hands without being hit by a wave of someone else’s memories. His vulnerability is his inability to connect with people without the “filter” of his power, and his touch-based visions are a curse of unwanted intimacy, revealing the darkest secrets of those he loves.

These characters are essentially vulnerable because they cannot “turn off” the world. Their abilities are a breach of their own boundaries, proving that knowing everything or being extraordinary is often the quickest way to lose your peace of mind.

The Physicality of Vulnerability

Strong Girl Do Bong-soon (2017) went against the grain by linking morality to power. Bong-soon (Park Bo-young) is very strong, but she is afraid of losing that strength if she uses it for selfish reasons or hurts someone innocent. This makes her feel tense all the time because she has to check her morals and ego before every punch she throws. Her “weakness” is her conscience, and her “vulnerability” is her strong desire to be “delicate” for the man she loves. This shows the classic K-drama struggle between who she really is and what society expects of her.

Likewise, the “Counters” in The Uncanny Counter (2020–2025) are literally dead-adjacent; they only have power because they are in a coma or on the brink of death, literally given a second lease on life in exchange for hunting demons. Their vulnerability is their mortality: if they break the rules of their “Yung” (the line between this world and the next) partners, they lose their second chance at life. This team-up is driven by shared grief and the collective trauma of being outcasts, with their vulnerability acting as a ticking clock that makes every attack a gamble with their existence.

On the other hand, the 2023 megahit Moving took a visceral approach. Healing factors and flights aren’t used for flashy battles in this drama adaptation of Kang Full’s super-successful webtoon of the same name; they are used to endure torture and protect one’s family. Here, the weakness lies in the role of parents. The “super” parents are terrified, not for their own lives, but that their “super” children will inherit their “curse” of being hunted by the state. So, the vulnerability, again, isn’t just physical; it’s the desperate need of parents to hide their children’s gifts so they can lead a “normal” life. Their greatest strength, their love for their family, is also used as a leverage chip by those in power.

The Next Chapter: Economic Heroism

As we look at the latest sensation in K-drama superheroes, Cashero (2025), we see a hero whose strength is proportional to how much cash he has. The show makes the fight between “power and vulnerability” real. Kang Sang-woong’s (Lee Jun-ho of 2PM) strength depends entirely on the amount of cash he carries. To be a hero, he must literally bankrupt himself. It’s a brilliant but cynical metaphor for modern life. His power is based on actual capital, but his weakness comes from financial vulnerability and his bank account, a deeply relatable modern anxiety. The K-drama brilliantly transforms the superhero genre into a critique of late-stage capitalism — you can save the world, but only if you can afford the bill.

Simply put, K-drama superheroes aren’t interesting because they can fly or catch bullets; they are interesting because they still have to face the NIS, the local bully, or an empty bank account. They bleed, they go into debt, and they cry over cold noodles. And by 2026, the genre has mastered this “interplay”—reminding us that true heroism isn’t the absence of vulnerability, but the choice to act even when your power makes you more exposed than ever.

The post Heroes with a Hitch: How K-Drama Superheroes Rewrite the Western Trope appeared first on Rolling Stone India.

With an acting legacy spanning hits like Empress Ki (2013–2014), Healer (2014–2015), The K2 (2016), Suspicious Partner (2017), and The Worst of Evil (2023), or his most recent, The Manipulated (2025), one of our top picks in K-dramas of 2025, Ji Chang-wook is a Hallyu mainstay whose career has been consistently shaped by nuanced performances. While playing a romantic hero may be his strongest suit, he’s as good a swashbuckling action hero as he is in a variety of other roles. And Ji shows no signs of slowing down, with a slate of upcoming projects already generating interest. Here’s the lowdown.

One of the most hyped titles on the list has to be Scandals. It’s an epic saga of obsession and messy consequences, reimagining the 2003 hit Untold Scandal, which was a massive box-office hit in South Korea at the time. Set against the backdrop of the Joseon era, the film is a thrilling romantic drama centred around the elite. Directed by E J-yong and starring heavyweights like Bae Yong-joon and Jeon Do-yeon, it’s reminiscent of the classic 1782 French novel Dangerous Liaisons (Dangerous Liaisons in English).

The upcoming K-drama takes place in the structured and unforgiving world of Confucian high society, starring Son Ye-jin as the poised Lady Cho and Ji Chang-wook as Cho Won, a wealthy playboy who thrives on breaking the rules. They hatch a plan to play emotional chess, using others as pawns for their own gain and flouting societal expectations. However, their little game blows up when they meet Hui-yeon (Nana), a young widow, and what starts as a calculated bet quickly spirals into a messy web of real feelings and complicated drama. The series will be available for streaming on Netflix, with the release date yet to be announced.

The next title has Ji Chang-wook teaming up with legendary actress Jun Ji-hyun for the 2026 apocalyptic thriller Gunche (tentatively titled Colony). With visionary director Yeon Sang-ho at the helm, this project is already shaping up to be a major hit, a “culmination” of Yeon’s cinematic universe that potentially draws on threads from hits like Train to Busan (2016) and Peninsula (2020). The plot feels like a high-stakes mix of Happiness (2021) and Sweet Home (2020 – 2024), centering on a group of people trapped in a building while a mysterious virus transforms their neighbors into terrifying creatures.

What makes this a must-watch, though, is the powerhouse cast. It marks the long-awaited big-screen return of Hallyu queen Jun Ji-hyun — her first film since 2015’s Assassination — alongside Ji Chang-wook and a stacked ensemble including Koo Kyo-hwan and Shin Hyun-been. With filming already underway, fans are eager to see if this “diamond in the rough” will become the next big thing in the K-horror universe.

The excitement continues with Ji Chang-wook and Japanese star Mio Imada teaming up for this new cross-cultural romance, Merry Berry Love. A collaboration between CJ ENM, Nippon TV, and Disney+, the story follows Lee Yoo-bin (Ji), a Korean man who moves to a quiet Japanese island for a fresh start after a career slump. There, he hits it off with Karin (Mio), even though he doesn’t speak Japanese. Expect laughs and awkward “lost in translation” moments as these two navigate a major culture shock while falling for each other.

Both leads are excited about the project, with Ji Chang-wook admitting that filming in Japan has been a long-time dream. And although he’s a bit nervous about the new territory, he’s fully prepped and ready to dive into the character. Mio Imada, a self-proclaimed K-rom-com fan, is equally stoked to live out her K-drama dreams and believes the heart of the show is that love is a universal language, which makes it so relatable. Merry Berry Love will stream on Disney+, with the release date expected to be announced soon.

The post Ji Chang-wook: What’s Next for the Hallyu Star appeared first on Rolling Stone India.

2026 is here, and so are the K-dramas. January’s lineup is packed with variety: we have time travel, soul swaps, gumiho transformations, and undercover missions all happening this month. Oh, and there’s a lot of heartwarming romance in the mix as well. Here’s a closer look at the stories set to define January 2026’s K-Drama slate.

The Judge Returns

A legal drama that’s as much fantasy as it is action, revenge is simply one of the key characters in this intriguing drama. Anchored by a stellar cast featuring Ji Sung, Park Hee-soon, and Won Jin-ah, the series bring to life the complex journey of Judge Lee Han-young (Ji Sung), a man mired in corruption until a simple incident flips the script completely. Sent back a decade in time and given a chance to make amends and rewrite his mistakes, he wakes up determined to serve justice — this time, on fair terms.

Release Date – Jan. 2, 2026

To My Beloved Thief

Set in Joseon, Hong Eun-jo (Nam Ji-hyun) is a caring, compassionate noblewoman skilled in the art of medicine. But secretly, she’s the enigmatic Hong Gil-dong, a thief with a heart of gold who steals from the rich to help the needy. On the other side, Prince Yi Yeol (Moon Sang-min) is hot on her trail to catch the thief. But just when he thinks he’s on the verge of doing so, the two characters mysteriously switch souls, forcing them to live each other’s lives, confront their own identities, desires, and the one thing they just can’t control — their growing feelings for each other.

Release Date – Jan. 3, 2026

Can This Love Be Translated?

When a famous and free-spirited actress, Cha Mu-hee (Go Youn-jung), clashes with her new and highly skilled interpreter, Ju Ho-jin (Kim Seon-ho), the sparks definitely fly. Their differing opinions create initial tension, but as they gradually grow closer, they discover a path to understanding, happiness, and most importantly, love. Can This Love Be Translated? is an intrigue-filled rom-com where love finds its own vocabulary and where two hearts learn to speak the same language.

Release Date – Jan. 16, 2026

No Tail to Tell

As a gumiho, Eun-ho (Kim Hye-yoon) has revelled in the pleasures of the human world while cleverly sidestepping good deeds without getting tangled in moral obligations so she could continue staying immortal. But things suddenly go south when, in a twist of fate, an accident involving the charismatic soccer star Kang Si-yeol (Lomon) turns her into a human, stripping her of her powers and forcing her into experiences she wasn’t prepared for — of self-discovery, emotional awakening, and perhaps even love.

Release Date – Jan. 16, 2026

Undercover Miss Hong

A by-the-book inspector, Hong Geum-bo (Park Shin-hye), goes undercover, trading her sharp suit for a disguise as a 20-year-old at a shady securities company. As Geum-bo juggles her secret mission with being a clumsy newbie at work, she digs into financial scams amid surprises, office politics, unexpected friendships, and CEO Shin Jeong-woo (Go Kyung-pyo), whose presence complicates her mission in unexpected ways.

Release Date – Jan. 17, 2026

The post The Must-Watch K-Dramas of January 2026 appeared first on Rolling Stone India.

2025 just handed us a mixtape of Korean drama and cinema, hitting all the right notes. From the tense, fast‑paced ER chaos of The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call to the bruised‑but‑unbroken halls of Weak Hero Class 2, this year served up a cocktail of gritty thrillers, hilarious road trips, and culinary time‑travel. We also got a taste of the supernatural, with the likes of The Witch and KPop Demon Hunters giving us curses and demon-slaying choreography in equal measure. And just when we were craving something deeper and more intriguing, Nine Puzzles and Revelations gave us plenty to think about. Finally, for a good‑old‑fashioned emotional hit, stories like When Life Gives You Tangerines and Our Unwritten Seoul proved to be the perfect comfort‑viewing experience. Here are our recommendations of the 25 best K‑dramas and Korean movies released this year.

The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call

In just eight episodes, the series crams a full‑blown medical thriller into a tight run, dropping you straight into a tense emergency ward where every second counts. But instead of just shouting over monitors, it layers in the personal baggage of the staff, turning each surgery into a mini‑character study. The main lead, played by Ju Ji‑hoon, balances cocky confidence with a surprisingly tender vulnerability that makes his “hero” feel human and relatable. What really sets the series apart are the narrative quirks — quick flashbacks that explain why a nurse is terrified of blood, a darkly comic sidekick who cracks jokes in the middle of a code, and subtle digs at hospital bureaucracy that are timely and universal. Visually, it’s crisp, the soundtrack pulses with urgency, and the whole package feels like a love letter to real‑life trauma teams while still delivering the binge‑worthy drama K‑fans crave. All of that adds up to a story that’s not just entertaining, but oddly resonant, making it one of the year’s best K-dramas.

Weak Hero Class 2

Weak Hero Class 2 is a sequel as excellent as its predecessor, taking an already heated premise and dialling it up with even higher stakes, sharper humor, and a raw intensity. The story intensifies the pressure by thrusting Park Ji-hoon’s Yeon Si-eun back into a new school that’s a hotspot for bullying, hallway brawls, and juvenile delinquency while still letting his haunted past bleed into every showdown. Park is still a magnetic lead — his understated stare now carries the weight of a teen who’s learned that fighting the system sometimes means fighting yourself. The supporting cast adds fresh layers, and the villains embody the casual cruelty that fuels school campus terror. Visually, it’s a muted color palette, a grungy mess that reflects the inner scars of the characters. And beneath all the fights and bruises, it asks: What does it mean to be strong when everyone around you is already hurting? It’s a difficult question, but Weak Hero Class 2 answers it with nuance.

Trigger

Trigger hits a nerve and questions, “What would cause an ordinary person to pick up a gun?” Kim Nam-gil’s haunted ex-soldier Lee Do wrestles with his sniper past while trying to stay unarmed, and Kim Young-kwang’s vengeful arms dealer Moon Baek turns broken souls — an exam-stressed candidate, a bullied teen, an overworked nurse, and a grieving mother — into walking “triggers,” proving anyone can snap when society’s safety net collapses. Director Kwon Oh‑seung’s insistence on relatable, everyday victims (“It was important that the characters who eventually pick up a gun were not special”) gives the show a raw, unsettling realism, while his comment that we’ve become “desensitized to many issues… because we are too often exposed to them through the news” fuels the series’ critique of a numb, unequal world. The ending pulls an unexpected turn: Lee Do drops his gun and hugs a terrified child. That simple act says “empathy beats violence,” and it makes Trigger feel less like a thriller and more like a gripping exploration of pain, morality, and the fine line between justice and revenge.

Buried Hearts

Buried Hearts nods to the secrets everyone’s trying to keep under the surface, the emotional baggage that stays hidden behind polished corporate smiles. Park Hyung‑sik turns the quiet, meticulous secretary Seo Dong‑ju into a magnetic antihero, slipping from charming efficiency to cold-blooded vengeance with a subtle intensity that makes every glance feel loaded. Opposite him, Huh Joon‑ho plays the charismatic tycoon Yeom Jang‑seon with a calm menace that keeps you guessing whether his smiles are genuine or just another move on the board. The plot twists around a hidden two‑trillion‑won slush fund, but what really hooks you is the way the series layers personal betrayal with bigger questions about power, class, and how easily ordinary people can become pawns or puppeteers in a corrupt system. That, combined with the chemistry between Dong‑ju and Eun‑nam (Hong Hwa‑yeon), adds a whole lot of heat.

When Life Gives You Tangerines

This story is like a warm breeze from Jeju that sneaks into your soul and stays there. It follows Ae‑sun, a scarf-clipping poet born in the 1950s, and her steadfast love, Gwan‑sik, tracking their lives through war, economic downturn, and heartbreaks. IU and Park Bo‑gum are just perfect playing the roles, letting you feel every cracked smile and silent tear without any over-the-top melodrama. The series plays with time, slipping back and forth so smoothly you never lose the thread. And beneath their romance lies a low-key commentary on the pressure to conform, the invisible struggles of women, and how love can be both a refuge and a rebellion against a rapidly modernizing society. Wrapped in gorgeous island scenery and a soundtrack that hums in the background, this K-drama is a 2025 gem.

Typhoon Family

Set against the backdrop of the 1997 IMF storm, Lee Jun‑ho (of 2PM) pulls off the shift from a carefree playboy to a reluctant heir with his signature charm. His character, Kang Tae‑poong, is a guy who suddenly has to run his dad’s failing company, becoming a mirror for a whole generation that had to trade fun for responsibility overnight in Korea. Opposite him, Kim Min‑ha’s Oh Mi‑seon brings an understated resolve to the office bookkeeper, juggling family duties and her personal ambitions. As their connection deepens softly, an undercurrent that builds with slow intensity. The series has a slice‑of‑life rhythm, letting small moments like late‑night coffee runs, awkward board meetings, whispered arguments, and a chain of hurdles breathe, which makes the larger economic backdrop feel personal. Visually, it’s a warm, slightly grainy snapshot, beneath whose laughs and inevitable squabbles lies a take on resilience: when the nation’s values get shaken, it’s the messy, imperfect bonds that keep you afloat. All of that adds up to a heartfelt ride, cementing Typhoon Family as one of our favorites this year.

The Manipulated

Ji Chang‑wook drags you straight into the nightmare of Park Tae‑joong, a delivery guy whose ordinary life is ripped apart by a flawless crime set‑up, turning the series into a pressure‑cooker of pure suspense and bruised humanity. Ji treads the thin line between broken victim and simmering avenger, delivering a performance that’s as hard‑hitting as it is oddly tender. Meanwhile D.O (of EXO) radiates a cold, calculating menace — his stare alone could freeze a courtroom. The storytelling is crisp, slipping in flashbacks and tight close‑ups that let you feel every heartbeat of the cat‑and‑mouse chase, and the narrative never allows you to forget that the real villain might be the system that manufactures scapegoats. Visually, the show is a gritty noir, turning prison corridors into a maze of moral ambiguity, and an occasional, almost lyrical silence amplifies its observation on power, truth, and how easily innocence can be erased.

Nine Puzzles

True to its title, Nine Puzzles is a mind‑bending jigsaw starring Kim Da‑mi’s Yoon E‑na — a high‑school trauma survivor turned keen profiler who can read a crime scene like an open book. The series opens with the chilling image of her uncle’s murder, the lone puzzle piece that haunts her memory, and then jumps a decade to watch her dissect fresh killings that mirror that old nightmare. Son Suk‑ku’s Detective Kim Han‑saem walks beside her, a weary cop whose lingering doubt about E‑na’s involvement adds a constant sense of tension to their uneasy partnership. The storytelling is deliberately fractured — flashbacks bleed into present-day interrogations, suspects shift allegiances, and the camera dwells on the silent moments where you can sense the weight of every clue. Below the clever whodunit lies an exploration of how trauma can rewrite identity and how truth can be a moving target, all shrouded in a moody visual style. The series ends on a cliffhanger that leaves the final piece hovering, forcing you to wonder whether the answer will ever truly fit.

Mercy for None

So Ji‑sub dives right back into a “no‑forgiveness” mess as Nam Gi‑jun, an ex‑gangster who’s now slaving away at the drink‑stand until his brother gets killed and his inner beast shows up — again. The drama delivers pure emotional punch and cinematic thrills that made his 2022 comeback in Doctor Lawyer a hit, while blending the dark noir of Alienoid and Confession into a relentless vendetta. Directed by Choi Sung‑eun and adapted from O Se‑hyung’s webtoon Plaza Wars: Mercy for None, the series boasts a stacked cast — Heo Jun‑ho, Ahn Kil‑kang, Cha Seung‑won, and others — that deepens Gi‑jun’s clash between brotherly loyalty and underworld brutality. In short, it’s a compact, nonstop action fest that feels fresh and unmistakably tied to the world of So Ji‑sub.

Bon Appétit, Your Majesty

Bon Appétit, Your Majesty is a culinary-themed roller coaster that quickly became one of 2025’s beloved K‑dramas. The premise of modern French chef Yeon Ji‑yeong abruptly time-slipping into Joseon after a big win gives the series a “fish‑out‑of‑water” punch, and the way each episode spins around a new dish turns food into a plot engine. The chemistry between Yoona’s (of Girls’ Generation) determined chef and Lee Chae-min’s brooding king really sells the romance; their banter is as natural as a perfectly seasoned broth. The palace aesthetics are lavish, and the meticulous plating of fusion cuisine is practically a character in itself, turning every shot into a curated Instagram post. Beneath the glittering plates, the drama nudges at bigger ideas — how genuine care can bridge centuries, heal old wounds, and challenge rigid traditions. In short, it blends fantasy, politics, comedy, and food into a single, addictive bite that’s an ode to Korean cuisine and a reminder that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.

Karma

A freak accident connects six strangers — a jittery witness who trades his soul for a secret, a haunted doctor confronting the man who scarred her childhood, a crypto‑broke dad chased by loan sharks, a fired office worker recruited for a shady job, a charming clinic owner whose girlfriend is a manipulative schemer, and a desperate man teetering on the edge of ruin — into a knotted mess. Each episode comes with a new character’s backstory, a fresh crime, and a cliffhanger that makes you hit “next” eagerly, while the whole thing snaps together in a relentless, omnibus style. The visuals of dull alleyways, stark interiors, and a set of colors between gray and occasional, almost surreal pops of red amplify the noir piece further. The cast, especially Park Hae-soo’s deadpan intensity and Shin Min-a’s trauma-struck performance, turns each protagonist into a mirror for our own hidden sins, highlighting that Karma hits back, that selfish, desperate acts echo back like a boomerang, and that no one walks away unscathed.

The Witch

Roh Jeong‑eui plays Mi‑jeong, the “witch” who’s been shunned since every guy who falls for her ends up dead, and she carries that weight with a silence that makes you feel her loneliness in every frame. When Jinyoung (of Got7) swoops back in as the data‑whiz Dong‑Jin, his unwavering love for her (since high school) and stubborn optimism turn the whole mystery into a slow-burning puzzle, with flashbacks that pull the curtain on the rumor that turned a kid’s gossip into a life sentence. There aren’t any frantic chase scenes, just lingering shots capturing Dong-jin’s feelings, his secret love for Mi-jeong, and how hard he’s trying to free her from the curse and loneliness she has been living with. The performances are top-notch, bringing the supernatural vibe to life, and the subtle satire on witch hunts and the conflict between science and superstition resonate more profoundly than any Kang Full universe stories that fans have been engrossed in since Moving.

Study Group

At Yusung Technical High School, the only thing sharper than the protagonist’s glasses is his fighting skill, and the series blends that contrast into something very entertaining. Hwang Min-hyun portrays Yoon Ga‑min, a bespectacled underachiever at this notorious school who dreams of college but keeps hitting the bottom of the class — and who discovers his secret weapon: he can fight like no other. When he ropes a few fellow strivers and a teacher (who’s against the mess on campus) into a makeshift study group, the gang has to fight the school bullies and a crime ring that treats the campus like its own playground. The fast‑paced action‑comedy featuring over‑the‑top fist fights and walls getting punched through delivers cathartic conflict resolution, while the visual contrast between Ga‑min’s meek student side and his fierce fighter alter ego gives the narrative an anime‑like kick, calling out Korea’s cut‑throat education system and celebrating perseverance, friendship, and the belief that if you want to be a hero, your special skills will matter more than a perfect GPA.

Undercover High School

Undercover High School works because it turns a classic spy premise into a high‑school comedy‑thriller that actually makes sense. Seo Kang‑joon plays NIS ace Jeong Hae‑seong, who gets demoted after a botched operation and is sent undercover at an elite high school to hunt for missing gold bars linked to Emperor Gojong. The school becomes both his new field of operation and his chance to learn the truth about his missing father, an NIS agent who disappeared years ago while working on the same mission. There, he teams up with history teacher Oh Su‑a (Jin Ki‑joo), a childhood crush who slowly realizes the “new student” is the boy she once loved, and together they navigate bullying, school politics, and corruption. The drama’s mix of genres — action, comedy, teen drama, and a slow‑burn romance — keeps the first half lighthearted and the second half surprisingly deep, letting the mystery unfold at a satisfying pace. There are fun and heartfelt school scenes juxtaposed against slick fight sequences, and Seo Kang‑joon’s post-military comeback reintroduces his arresting presence and firmly anchors the series.

Our Unwritten Seoul

Park Bo‑young pulls off a flawless twin role as the free‑spirited ex‑athlete Mi‑ji and the buttoned‑up corporate warrior Mi‑rae, two identical sisters swapping places for a few months, which turns into a clever mirror therapy, forcing each woman to confront her own cracks, from Mi‑rae’s workplace issues to Mi‑ji’s grief over their mother’s death. Along the way, a laid-back farmer and a caring lawyer turn into unexpected allies they can confide in. Slice-of-life moments in the drama, such as ramen by the Hangang, the hum of a rural field, and the contrast between Seoul’s neon grid and the sleepy countryside, captured with a painter’s eye, intensify the emotional undercurrent. We come across depression, anxiety, and generational trauma explored with honesty, and the line, “Everything you do to survive is an act of courage,” settles in like a calm, reassuring whisper you didn’t even know you needed.

No Other Choice

In true Park Chan-wook style, the film takes on a dehumanizing economy, exposing the toxic competition that the system breeds. Lee Byung-hun turns a middle-aged paper company expert into a desperate anti-hero whose change from polite resignation to murderous job-hunting gets scarier over time. Son Ye-jin‘s quiet presence injects a subtle but powerful sense of family pressure that grounds his downfall in reality. The film’s satire bites hard, alongside a tense pacing that never lets you settle. And through swift whip pans and abrupt zooms, the camera work mirrors the protagonist’s growing panic and anxiety. It’s a singular black‑comedy thriller critiquing a structure that treats workers as disposable, turning a simple layoff into a brutal survival game that resonates way beyond 2025.

The Ugly

Director Yeon Sang-ho frames his mystery story in a way that makes you piece together a mother’s tragic past alongside her son, Lim Dong-hwan. The plot follows Dong‑hwan, the son of a blind seal‑engraving master, who discovers his mother’s skeletal remains after forty years and, with a journalist, digs into the family’s dark secrets. Park Jeong‑min, as usual, aces his characters, this time in a double act as the present-day son and flashback father. The film’s “ugly” look is an intentional statement on how society brands people as monsters, probing beauty, prejudice, and the cost of Korea’s rapid growth. Its modest $143k budget turned into a $7.7 million box‑office win, proving that gritty storytelling and performances can shine brighter than any expensive production.

My Daughter Is a Zombie

Lee Jeong-hwan (Jo Jung-suk) is a single father whose teenage daughter, Soo-a (Choi Yu-ri), contracts a virus during a zombie outbreak. He brings her to his mom’s seaside village, steering clear of neighbors ready to shoot, and attempts to “train” his zombie daughter with his tiger trainer expertise, as she oddly continues to dance and sing along to her favorite songs. The film balances playful silliness and heartfelt sweetness, tossing snappy humor into scenes that hit you right in the heart. The film’s biggest win? It makes you root for a zombie teen. No wonder it’s one of the most commercially successful South Korean movies of 2025.

KPop Demon Hunters

The film follows the K-pop sensation group Huntrix — Rumi, Mira, and Zoey — who double as demon hunters protecting Seoul’s magical Honmoon from the soul‑sucking Saja Boys and their overlord Gwi‑Ma. The songs, which blend K-pop with an urban fantasy replete with mythology, drive the plot. With their fusion of 3D CGI and K-pop video style, directors Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans create the illusion that every battle is a ballet. The dynamic Seoul backdrop, which fuses together reality and folklore, elevates the experience. Rumi’s half-demon skin becomes a metaphor for shame, and the friendship among the girls turns the climax into an anthem of self-acceptance. The film comes alive as a cultural celebration and a universal coming-of-age tale, steeped in Korean mythology, language, and K-pop culture, making it feel unmistakably Korean despite being a Sony Pictures Animation (U.S.) production.

Revelations

Revelations is a tight maze of faith, paranoia, and broken memories, and with Alfonso Cuarón’s steady hand on the production side, the whole thing has an almost documentary feel. Ryu Jun-yeol plays Pastor Sung Min-chan with a subtle intensity that makes his strict sermons crack under pressure. Shin Hyun-been’s Detective Lee Yeon-hee is a haunted, bruised heroine whose visions of her dead sister bleed into every interrogation. The story starts with a girl who has gone missing, but then quickly becomes a clash of faith, ideas, and opinion. It doesn’t use jump scares very often; instead, it uses psychological fear to show how belief can creepily change reality.

Dark Nuns

Dark Nuns is an intriguing follow-up to The Priests (2015), which sends two nuns on a dangerous exorcism that could cost them. Song Hye‑kyo’s Nun Yunia tackles a tabooed practice with an undying conviction; her staunch determination to save a demon-possessed Hee‑joon (Moon Woo‑jin) drives every intense expression and gesture. Director Kwon Hyeok‑jae frames the nuns’ forbidden exorcism as a crossfire between faith and medicine — Priest Paul trusts medical care while Priest Andrew employs exorcism, and the clash feels like a fray of horror and challenges. Jeon Yeo-been’s Nun Mikaela balances stoic resolve with the subtle doubt that makes the demon’s grip palpable. In the end, Dark Nuns becomes a contemplation on self-sacrifice, unwavering belief, and the bravery to defy authority when the fate of mankind is at stake by fusing Korean religious symbolism with an eternal struggle between good and evil.

The Match

If you’re looking for a sports flick with a twist, The Match delivers. It’s based on the true story of Go legend Cho Hun‑hyun and his protégé Lee Chang-ho, showing how the mentor-student vibe turns sour as Lee’s skills start to outshine Cho’s. The movie does a great job of capturing how tense and heavy the rivalry between the student and the master is on their minds and hearts. Lee Byung-hun and Yoo Ah-in deliver powerful performances, bringing depth and nuance to their characters and their inner struggles. Their work pushes an already sublime story beyond the Go arena, reframing the game through a unique lens that captures ambition, pride, and redemption.

Noise

Director Kim Soo‑jin taps into Korea’s obsession with noisy apartments and turns it into a spine‑chilling mind game. The movie follows Ju‑young (Lee Sun‑bin), a young woman on a relentless hunt for answers after her sister vanishes from their cramped high‑rise. Ju‑young’s own hearing glitch makes every creak feel like a scream, and suddenly the walls are alive with weird noises and an unsettling presence that won’t let her rest. It’s the kind of film that scares you while also making you question every floorboard you ever stepped on.

Yadang: The Snitch

Yadang: The Snitch is the year’s top-growing R-rated hit. Kang Ha‑neul plays Lee Kang‑soo, a street-smart broker who’s slammed into prison on a bogus drug charge, only to be offered a deal by the ruthless prosecutor Koo Gwan‑hee (Yoo Hae‑jin) to snitch for his freedom. As Kang‑soo supplies key information that advances Gwan‑hee’s political career, Detective Oh Sang‑jae (Park Hae‑joon) uncovers the suspicious alliance. When a VIP party bust reveals a web of high-profile corruption, Kang-soo is betrayed, framed, and left for dead, leading to a harsh, “Sting”-style revenge pact with the disillusioned cop. Director Hwang Byeong-guk’s neo‑noir aesthetic, sharp editing, and dark humor blend with authentic food‑scene details, while the film’s insight into systemic rot and moral compromise gives it a lasting kick.

First Ride

First Ride is like crashing a friend’s party — messy, hilarious, and utterly charming. Four lifelong friends, all approaching 30, finally take the overseas trip of a lifetime to Thailand, only to get royally lost in the chaos. Kang Ha‑neul, Kim Young‑kwang, Cha Eun‑woo, and Kang Young‑seok throw down the usual banter and friendship, while Han Sun‑hwa totally steals the show as the fearless Ok Sim. Director Nam Dae‑joong mixes up the laughs with some genuinely heartwarming moments, catching that bittersweet feeling of getting older and still chasing crazy dreams. The gorgeous scenic locations and bright, sun-kissed shots crank up the wanderlust, making the whole thing feel like a feel-good road trip that’ll have you smiling — and maybe sighing a little over your own wild rides.

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Acclaimed Korean actor Yoo Yeon-seok will headline the upcoming legal drama Shin Yi Rang’s Law Firm, as confirmed by his agency, King Kong by Starship Entertainment, earlier today.

The show pairs Yoo Yeon-seok as a supernaturally gifted lawyer with renowned Korean actress Esom, who plays a distinguished attorney.

The series is a courtroom drama with a spooky twist, co-written by Kim Ga‑young and Kang Cheol‑gyu, and directed by Shin Jung‑hoon. The narrative plays out like a courtroom drama mixed with paranormal elements — where the witnesses are literally dead.

Yoo Yeon-seok stars as Shin Yi-rang, a lawyer who expects a clean slate when he opens his own practice— until he learns the office once belonged to a shaman. That tiny detail turns his life inside out. Overnight, he develops an unexpected “skill”: the ability to see ghosts. But these aren’t just any ghosts; they’re heartbroken spirits with unfinished business and a fierce need for justice. Soon, they’re lining up as clients, each carrying grudges, regrets, and stories only Yi-rang can hear.

On the other side of the bench is Esom, portraying the ice‑cold ace Han Na‑hyeon. She’s the top gun at a prestigious law firm, famous for never losing a case and being as ruthless as they come. Yi‑rang’s awkward charm is the exact opposite of Na‑hyeon’s steely precision, and when she finally loses a case to him, the two are forced into an unlikely partnership. Yi‑rang opens up about his ghostly visitors, and Na‑hyeon — initially skeptical — starts seeing the strange things herself. As the weird incidents pile up, she learns to trust him, and together they begin to fight for their most unusual clients.

Soompi reports that the production team shared that Shin Yi‑rang’s abilities, Han Na‑hyeon’s insight and judgment skills, and the ghost clients with their heartfelt stories will create an entertaining mix of laughter, suspense, and emotional moments. They added that while Yoo Yeon-seok and Esom are perfectly suited to bring things to life, Shin Yi Rang’s Law Firm will be much more than just another drama in the list of SBS TV’s upcoming courtroom dramas.

The series is expected to be released in 2026.

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KPop Demon Hunters is on the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ list of 35 animated films eligible for the 98th Oscars.

The Korean-American urban-fantasy musical, released on Netflix on June 20, 2025, didn’t just ride the wave of its huge viewership. It also passed the Academy’s exhibition hurdle with a limited run in New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco that June, meeting the qualifying theatrical exhibition rule that lets a streaming-first picture onto the ballot.

Directed by Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans and produced by Sony Pictures Animation for Netflix, the film follows the K-pop girl group Huntr/x as they moonlight as demon hunters, battling the demonic boy‑band Saja Boys. The cast includes Korean‑American talent Arden Cho, Ahn Hyo‑seop, May Hong, Ji‑young Yoo, Yunjin Kim, Daniel Dae Kim, Ken Jeong, and veteran Korean actor Lee Byung‑hun, who lend their voices, while the score by Marcelo Zarvos backs a soundtrack that’s become a cultural juggernaut. “Golden,” one of the film’s original songs, is not only a chart‑topper but also a contender in the Best Original Song race, and the album broke the record for the most simultaneous top‑ten entries on the Billboard Hot 100 for any film soundtrack.

The buzz isn’t just musical. Critics have called the movie “a cultural phenomenon,” praising its stunning animation—a blend of concert‑lighting flair, editorial‑photography aesthetics, anime vibes, and Korean‑drama storytelling—all rendered by Sony Pictures Animation. With 325 million global views, it became Netflix’s most-watched original animated title, and its sing-along theatrical version even topped the U.S. box office.

Now that the Academy has selected KPop Demon Hunters among the 35 eligible titles—alongside the likes of Arco, The Bad Guys 2, Elio, Zootopia 2, and Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle—the competition is heating up. The Animation Branch will vote from this pool to pick the final five nominees, with other Academy members able to vote if they meet the viewing requirement. Shortlists for other categories drop on Dec. 16, 2025, but the animated feature shortlist is this very list. Nominees will be announced on Jan. 22, 2026, and the 98th Academy Awards ceremony is scheduled for Mar. 15, 2026. If the film’s global frenzy, Grammy-nominated soundtrack, and gorgeous visuals are any indication, the Huntr/x might just be the next animated heroes to take home the Oscar.

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With just a week left until December, and the air is already thick with winter chill. A faint hum of yuletide whispers promises Christmas—and the excitement of a brand‑new year. The festive mood is in full swing, and if you want to soak it up from home, why not binge a mix of K‑dramas that cover every mood you could imagine?

From mystery and crime to romance, melodrama, suspense, and even superhero flair, there’s something to keep every night of December packed with intrigue. Grab a blanket, queue them up, and let the December countdown feel like a binge‑fest of everything you love about K‑dramas.

The Price of Confession

You can only expect consummate portrayals from the likes of Jeon Do-yeon and Kim Go-eun, and December erupts with excitement as titles such as The Price of Confession spotlight these iconic Korean actors in an intensely plotted mystery. The drama adds to the illustrious canon of Korean thrillers, where Ahn Yoon-soo (Jeon) and Mo-eun (Kim) are forced down a twisted path when Mo-eun, an inmate, presents Yoon-soo, a teacher accused of her husband’s murder, with an offer to confess to the crime at the risk of a deadly bargain.

Release Date: Dec. 5, 2025

Surely Tomorrow

Surely Tomorrow captures the endearing messiness of love’s ups and downs—two people tangled in emotions and circumstances, constantly finding their way back in a whirlwind push‑and‑pull. Park Seo-joon plays Lee Gyeong-do, an entertainment journalist just trying to get by, whose on-again, off-again romance with Seo Ji-woo (Won Ji-an) has already crashed twice. At present, when Gyeong-do investigates a celebrity scandal, he runs into Ji‑woo, now married to a suspect in the same case, forcing the old flames back together.

Release Date: Dec. 6, 2025

Love Me

If intense family drama and passionate romance appeal to you, Love Me is a strong contender on this list. The story centers on Doctor Seo Joon-kyeong (Seo Hyun-jin), who appears strong and confident but is actually lonely and broken—her pain rooted in a family tragedy. But then she’s a pro at hiding it beneath a façade, albeit one that begins to crumble when a stranger appears and starts breaking through her defenses. A Korean remake of the Swedish hit Älska mig (2019 – 2020), Love Me promises you the intrigue and emotional fireworks you might expect in a satisfying melodrama.

Release Date: Dec. 19, 2025

Made in Korea

After Crash Landing on You emerged as a breakout success in 2020, Hallyu star Hyun Bin returns to television with Made in Korea, a political drama co‑starring Jung Woo‑sung. Set amid the chaotic 1970s, a period of severe political upheaval in Korea, the series shows how the era’s unrest rippled into the nation’s future. Baek Ki‑tae (Hyun Bin) is a ruthless, over‑ambitious man willing to do anything for power and money, while Jang Gun‑young (Jung Woo‑sung) is a morally upright prosecutor determined to stop him. The rivalry between them lays bare the corruption, ambition, and the search for what’s really true.

Release Date: Dec. 24, 2025

Cashero

Lee Jun-ho (of 2PM) stars in this live-action adaptation of the popular webtoon of the same name, where he plays Kang Sang-woo, a seemingly ordinary public servant but gifted with supernatural strength that rises with the amount of cash in his pocket. Sang‑woo’s girlfriend, Kim Min‑sook (Kim Hye‑jun), is a numbers whiz, while lawyer Byeon Ho-in (Kim Byung‑chul) draws power from alcohol, and Bang Eun‑mi (Kim Hyang‑gi) gains telekinetic ability from bread. United, they fight evil forces for the greater good. The series blends the ordinary with the extraordinary, using its superhero premise to comment on corruption, social justice, and the limits of individual agency.

Release Date: Dec. 26, 2025

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The curtain is closing on 2025, but the drama is just beginning! While the year is preparing for a wrap with its last leg of K-drama releases in December, the upcoming year is glowing with promise with an eclectic lineup of new titles in 2026, featuring the who’s who of Korean entertainment – Hyun Bin, Ju Ji-hoon, Shin Min-a, Lee Jong-suk, Lee Dong-wook, Song Hye-kyo, Gong Yoo, Ji Chang-wook, Son Ye-jin, and more! Here are 10 unmissable K-dramas of 2026.

Made In Korea

Made in Korea takes place during the political upheaval of the 1970s as power, justice, and morality are put to the test in the lives of Baek Ki-tae and Jang Gun-young. Ki-tae (Hyun Bin), ruthless and power-hungry, goes head-to-head with an honest prosecutor, Gun-young (Jung Woo-sung). It’s a battle that will leave no stone unturned. With a stellar supporting cast, including Won Ji-an and Woo Do-hwan, the series is packed with corruption, action, suspense, and plenty of drama.  

Release date: Dec. 24, 2025 (season 1), June 2026 (season 2).

Perfect Crown

A dashing prince, a charming heiress, and a royal marriage of convenience—that’s Perfect Crown starring Byeon Woo-seok and IU. Byeon’s Grand Prince Yi Wan is struggling to find his place and power, and IU’s Sung Hee-joo, a chaebol heiress, is feeling suffocated by her life. After a chance encounter, the two decide to enter into a contract marriage only to materialize their personal goals, but much to their surprise, the arrangement leads to real feelings. A slow-burning romance developing amid heated power struggles, this drama is surely one for the books.

Release date: First half of 2026 (tentative).

Delusion

Delusion is a dark, twisted tale set in 1935 Gyeongseong and 1800s Shanghai. Kim Seon-ho stars as Yun Il-ho, a talented painter who gets entangled with Bae Suzy’s character, Song Jeong-hwa, a mysterious vampire. As Il-ho paints Jeong-hwa’s portrait, he’s drawn to her and increasingly into a dangerous romance. Based on the webtoon of the same name, this live-action adaptation combines art, mystery, and the supernatural in a gripping narrative.

Release date: From July to December 2026.

Gold Land

Park Bo-young’s next, Gold Land, is a crime thriller in which her character, Hee-joo (Park), an airport security officer, succumbs to greed when she unexpectedly finds a stash of gold bars. The actor said in a statement that Hee-joo’s journey will be fascinating, as she evolves from being initially uninterested in the gold to being consumed by its power and the desires it awakens.

Release date: TBA, 2026.

A Shop for Killers 2

A Shop for Killers (2024) is back with a second season, with Kim Hye-jun reprising her role as Jeong Ji-an, the tough-as-nails girl who’s taken over her uncle Jeong Jin-man’s (Lee Dong-wook) shady online shop. The original series was a thrill ride, and the sequel promises more of the same—intense action, complex characters, and one that’s full of twists. Ji-an’s got her work cut out for her, but with her uncle by her side (or maybe not?), she’s ready to take on whatever comes next.

Release date: TBA, 2026.

The Remarried Empress

This romance fantasy K-drama is based on the popular webtoon called The Remarried Empress and follows Empress Navier, a strong and sharp leader, whose life takes a dramatic turn when her husband falls for another woman. Navier’s undeterred response to divorce and remarriage triggers a complex game of political maneuvering and personal growth, challenging cultural norms around women in power. The star-studded cast includes Shin Min-a as Empress Navier, Ju Ji-hoon as Emperor Sovieshu, Lee Jong-suk as Prince Heinrey, and Lee Se-young as Rashta.

Release date: TBA, 2026.

The Wonder Fools

This period drama takes you back to Haeseong in 1999, where Eun Chae-ni (Park Eun-bin), a quirky woman, suddenly gains superpowers alongside neighbors Son Kyeong-hoon (Choi Dae-hoon) and Kang Ro-bin (Im Seong-jae). Their new abilities attract danger, and it escalates when they team up with Lee Woon-jeong (Cha Eun-woo of Astro), a rigid civil servant, to unravel a disturbing pattern of missing people.

Release date: TBA, 2026.

Notes from the Last Row

Choi Min-sik and Choi Hyun-wook star in Notes from the Last Row, adapted from Juan Mayorga’s acclaimed Spanish play El Chico de la última fila (The Boy in the Last Row). Choi Min-sik plays a disillusioned, jaded Professor Heo Mun-ho, who starts mentoring a brilliant engineering student, Lee Kang (Choi Hyun-wook), when he finds that the latter has a flair for writing and is immensely good at it. As Mun-ho reads Kang’s stories more and more, he finds himself getting immersed in them even more, to the point that their relationship becomes very complex—perhaps more of control than guidance, exposing vulnerabilities and intense emotional turmoil in this psychological thriller.

Release date: TBA, 2026.

Show Business

Korean superstars Song Hye-Kyo and Gong Yoo will share screen time in this highly anticipated show. It delves deep into the vibrant yet nuanced world of Korea’s entertainment industry from the 1960s to the 1980s. They portray Min-Ja, a passionate singer who is chasing her dreams of fame, and Dong-Gu, her childhood friend who has been there for her no matter what. Think Drama, music, and relationships taking center stage in a rapidly evolving industry.

Release date: TBA, 2026.

Scandal

This series with Ji Chang-wook, Son Ye-jin, and Nana is inspired by the classic French novel Les Liaisons dangereuses (Dangerous Liaisons) and the 2003 superhit Korean film Untold Scandal. It follows Lady Cho, a smart and sassy noblewoman (Son Ye-jin) who is tired of playing by the rules, and she makes a bet with Cho Won (Ji Chang-wook), a Casanova determined to win both the wager and her affection. There’s also Nana’s Hui-yeon, a widow with a heart full of secrets. She just can’t help but be attracted to Cho Won. When their lives collide, the masks of propriety begin to slip, revealing the raw desires beneath.

Release date: TBA, 2026.

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In an exciting new collaboration between Korean media giant CJ ENM, major Japanese television network Nippon TV, and streaming service Disney+, a new Korean-Japanese romance drama is in the works —Merry Berry Love, starring Hallyu star Ji Chang-wook and popular Japanese actress and model Imada Mio.

Written by Lee Jae-yoon and directed by Kim Soo-jung, Merry Berry Love is about finding love and embracing new beginnings. The story revolves around a chance encounter between Lee Yoo-bin (Ji Chang-wook), a Korean man, and Shirahama Karin (Imada Mio), a Japanese woman. Reeling from a career setback, Yoo-bin moves to a quiet, remote island in search of a fresh start. He finds solace in the island’s tranquillity, and when his path crosses with Karin’s, something beautiful begins to unfold.

Ji Chang-wook is excited to be a part of the project, and it’s no surprise why. According to a report by Ten Asia, working in Japan has been a long-time goal for the actor. He also expressed that he’s eager to work with Imada Mio. “The character setup itself was interesting,” he said, adding that he’s prepared thoroughly for the project. “I’m nervous since it’s my first time doing such work, but I’m very excited because I’ve prepared a lot.”

Imada Mio shared that the language barrier may be a challenge, but she believes that “love is about wanting to know more about each other, and I think this desire to communicate beyond language is expressed in this drama.” She also revealed that being a Korean rom-com fan herself, she’s thrilled “to experience that world in real life.”

Speaking about his character in the drama, Ji Chang-wook stated that Yoo-bin is in for a culture shock in Japan — literally, since he doesn’t speak a word of Japanese. His visit to the island will bring laughter and awkward encounters, but as he navigates the language barrier, he also finds opportunities for growth and healing.

Merry Berry Love will stream on Disney+; the official release date is yet to be announced.

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Byeon Woo-seok and IU‘s pairing in a romantic comedy is hint enough at the kind of storyline you can expect: a love story that’s equal parts intense and lighthearted. And Perfect Crown is looking every bit the part, with its recently released stills adding to the anticipation. The camera loves them, and it’s hard not to. Byeon Woo-seok’s effortless cool and IU’s understated strength bring out a striking chemistry, setting the stage for one of the buzziest upcoming K-dramas of 2026. Here’s a lowdown on what we’re expecting from the show.

Gripping Narrative

In a fictitious modern-day Korean monarchy, the grand prince is struggling to find his place. Although a royal by birth, he lacks any real power and feels stuck in limbo, craving love and, more importantly, influence. On the other hand, a chaebol heiress seems to have it all, or so it seems. In reality, she has grown increasingly suffocated by the mundanity of her life and yearns for a change. Everything changes when the two tie the knot in a contract marriage.

Complex Characters

Grand Prince Yi Wan, played by Byeon Woo-seok, is a melancholic prince who wants to be seen, heard, and reclaim his power in a world where he often feels neglected and sidelined. The question is whether he will find his footing amid all the palace politics.

IU plays Sung Hee-joo, a privileged yet insecure character, making her a rather complicated person. Hailing from a wealthy business family, she has the riches but not the social clout that comes with old money or the noble title, which pushes her to seek it out.

Royal Romance

With their personal struggles simmering beneath the surface within and a strong desire to change their lives, Yi Wan enters a contract marriage with Hee-joo. Soon, their fake relationship begins to stir up real emotions, especially as they find themselves surrounded by the pressures and politics of royal life. Expect a slow-burning romance as the two characters navigate their new roles and feelings for each other.

Power Struggles

At its core, Perfect Crown is a story about power struggles. Yi Wan and Hee-joo’s marriage is a strategic move; nonetheless, it doesn’t quite work out as they thought it would. Yi Wan’s family is his greatest obstacle to the throne, while Hee-joo’s arrival in the palace triggers a chain reaction, where a commoner is tested every step of the way. The question remains: what price will they pay for power, and what will they sacrifice for love?

Comic Relief

As tensions rises, we hope to see moments where Yi Wan and Hee-joo let their guard down and share a laugh, a witty remark, or a playful tease that breaks up the drama’s otherwise serious plot.

In essence, the series looks like a tinderbox of emotions in a slow-burning love story that starts off as a well-thought-out plan, before the lines between duty and desire get blurred. Yi Wan and Hee-joo are caught in rivalries within the palace, and it’s only a matter of time before their hearts become the battlegrounds. Will they manage to keep their feelings in check, or will their growing emotions change everything? We can’t wait to see how all of that plays out as two of Korea’s most decorated stars, Byeon Woo-seok and IU, bring this captivating romance to life.

Perfect Crown, directed by Park Joon-hwa, also includes Noh Sang-hyun and Gong Seung-yeon in key roles, alongside Yoo Su-bin, Lee Yeon, and Chae Seo-an in supporting roles. The drama is co-produced by MBC and Kakao Entertainment and is expected to be released between January and June 2026. You can watch the show on Disney+.

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