By Park Jin-hai
2025 is shaping up to be another exciting year for K-drama aficionados, offering a wide array of genres and themes. There’s something for everyone, from groundbreaking sci-fi sagas to unconventional love stories, along with the return of several A-list stars.
One of the most anticipated dramas of the year, SBS has launched “Love Scout” to kick off the new season. The Friday-Saturday drama, starring Han Ji-min and Lee Jun-hyuk, follows the romance between Ji-yun (Han), the CEO of a headhunting company who is entirely focused on work, and Eun-ho (Lee), a secretary who is flawless in every aspect, including his job. This marks Han’s return to television after a two-year break, following her memorable roles in “Padam Padam” and “One Spring Night.”
The latest episode, aired last Saturday, introduced a new dynamic between the two as boss and secretary, following their tense encounter in the past. Eun-ho’s unwavering dedication to being the perfect assistant, despite Ji-yun’s initial coldness, has set the stage for a passionate office romance.
MBC will counter with the drama “Motel California,” starring Lee Se-young and Na In-woo. Set to begin on Friday, the drama will follow the ups and downs of a romance between a female protagonist, born and raised in a rural motel, and her first love, with whom she reunites in her hometown after 12 years. Lee will portray Ji Kang-hee, an interior designer, while Na will take on the role of Cheon Yeon-soo, an animal veterinarian and her first love, bringing fresh romantic chemistry to the screen.
Another channel, tvN, is betting on science fiction with the drama “When the Stars Gossip,” which premiered last Saturday and claims to be Korea’s first space rom-com. Starring Lee Min-ho and Kong Hyo-jin, this large-scale production underwent a five-year preparation period with a production cost of 500 billion won. The drama tells an unconventional love story between a space tourist (Lee), who is an OB-GYN on a secret mission, and the commander of a space station (Kong).
Stars, directors return
The return of A-list actors, along with renowned directors, is set to make the Korean drama scene even more exciting.
Park Bo-gum will star in JTBC’s upcoming action-comedy “Good Boy,” scheduled to air in June. The drama follows Olympic medalists who become police officers through special recruitment, fighting against a world filled with corruption and dishonesty while wearing police badges instead of medals. Fans are excited to see Park in a new light, as he is typically known for his roles in romantic dramas.
Song Joong-ki will make his comeback with JTBC’s “My Youth.” The drama follows Sun Woo-hae (Song), a once-famous child actor now living a quiet life as a novelist and florist, and Sung Jae-yeon (Chun Woo-hee), an entertainment agent who must choose between her ambitions and first love. This marks Song’s first drama return in about two years since “Reborn Rich,” and his first foray into the romance genre since “Descendants of the Sun” in 2016, generating significant anticipation. The drama is scheduled to air in August.
Singer IU is set to make her acting comeback in MBC’s “21st Century Grand Prince’s Wife” (tentative title). The drama, set in a modern-day constitutional monarchy, tells the story of a wealthy commoner and a struggling prince. She will be paired with Byun Woo-seok, who shot to global stardom with “Lovely Runner” (2024).
Lee Jong-suk will also return to the small screen in tvN’s “Seocho-dong” as a seasoned lawyer. He will be joined by Moon Ga-young, who plays a passionate young lawyer. The drama will explore the professional and personal lives of lawyers working in the Seocho area in southern Seoul, home to Korea’s major legal institutions, such as the Supreme Court, the Supreme Public Prosecutors’ Office, and the Seoul Central District Court, along with numerous law offices.
In the meantime, director Ahn Pan-suk, renowned for his mastery of melodramas such as “One Spring Night” and “Something in the Rain,” will unveil JTBC’s “The Art of Negotiation.”
Ahn’s delicate directing style will be tested as he tackles an office drama, rather than a melodrama. The drama will explore the world of mergers and acquisitions with actor Lee Je-hoon taking on the role of a legendary silver-haired negotiator.
Director Kim Seok-yoon, known for his heartfelt dramas like “The Light in Your Eyes” (2019) and “My Liberation Notes” (2022), is back with JTBC’s new series called “More Beautiful Than Paradise” (tentative title). The series, starring veteran actor Kim Hye-ja, will explore the concept of reuniting with loved ones in heaven, promising to be a touching and emotional journey.
Byun Young-joo, who directed the film “Helpless” (2012), will helm SBS’s “The Mantis.” The Korean remake of the French show “La Mante,” stars Ko Hyun-jung. This crime thriller revolves around a serial killer known as “Mantis” and her son, a detective who must work with his mother to catch a copycat killer. Ko will portray the mother, who brutally murdered five men two decades ago.