Romance is a popular theme in May’s upcoming K-dramas, starting with the premiere of romantic-comedy Frankly Speaking (starring Ko Kyung-pyo and Kang Han-na) on the first. Also airing later in the month is Dare to Love Me, another rom-com focused on the relationship between a strict Confucian scholar and his art teacher.
Those who enjoy more mature love stories can look forward to The Midnight Romance at Hagwon starring Jung Ryeo-won (May It Please the Court) and Wi Ha-joon (Squid Game, Little Women). Helmed by Something in The Rain director Ahn Pan-seok, the series follows the romance between a cram school tutor and her former student, now back as a colleague.
Top actor Song Kang-ho (Parasite) leads his first-ever television role in the 1960s-set Uncle Samsik as its titular character, who winds up joining the cause to modernise Korea. Speaking of firsts, Jang Ki-yong is back with his first project since completing his military service in the upcoming The Atypical Family, a young man from a super-powered family who begin losing their unique abilities to the woes of modern life.
Also premiering this May is police procedural Crash, which focuses on a mathematically gifted but socially awkward policeman working in the traffic crimes unit, as well as the crime-comedy Not Strong, but Attractive Homicide Squad. Meanwhile, crime-thriller Connection sees Ji Sung in another action-packed role as a detective investigating the death of a former classmate.
Here’s all the upcoming K-dramas premiering in May 2024
Frankly Speaking
Upcoming romantic-comedy Frankly Speaking stars Ko Kyung-pyo as Song Ki-baek, a polite and well-mannered television announcer considered to be one of the best in the industry. One day, he suddenly becomes affected by a condition that causes him to verbalise all his unfiltered thoughts, wreaking havoc on his work life.
Meanwhile, On Woo-joo (Kang Han-na) is a writer for a variety TV show. Fascinated by Ki-baek’s sudden change and his harsh language, she invites him to appear on her show and the two begin to work together.
Episodes: 12
Cast: Ko Kyung-pyo, Kang Han-na
Director and Screenwriter: Jang Ji-yeon, Choi Kyung-sun
How to watch: Frankly Speaking premieres May 1 on JTBC, and will also be available to stream on Netflix
The Atypical Family
In The Atypical Family, Jang Ki-yong stars as Bok Gwi-joo, a young man from a family who boasts a range of supernatural powers. Gwi-joo possesses the ability to time travel to happy moments in his life, but is unable to change anything in the past. Because of this, he develops depression and loses his powers.
Like him, Gwi-joo’s family also start losing their abilities because of mental health issues and modern day problems, from eating disorders, smartphone addiction and insomnia. The family later becomes involved with the mysterious Do Dae-hae, who boasts powers of her own.
Episodes: 12
Cast: Jang Ki-yong, Chun Woo-hee, Go Doo-shim and Claudia Kim
Director and Screenwriter: Jo Hyun-tak, Joo Hwa-mi
How to watch: The Atypical Family premieres May 4 on JTBC
The Midnight Romance at Hagwon
The upcoming The Midnight Romance at Hagwon follows the romance between a pair of instructors at an after-school cram academy. Seo Hye-jin (Jung Ryeo-won) is a quiet and determined star tutor with over 14 years of experience. However, her life is shaken up after her former troublemaker student Lee Jun-ho (Wi Ha-joon) returns to the academy as a new tutor.
The romance series is directed by Ahn Pan-seok, who previously helmed series like One Spring Night (2019) and Something in the Rain (2018).
Episodes: 16
Cast: Jung Ryeo-won, Wi Ha-joon
Director and Screenwriter: Ahn Pan-seok, Park Hyung-hwa
How to watch: The Midnight Romance at Hagwon premieres May 11 on tvN, and will also be available to stream on TVING
Dare to Love Me
Based on a 2021 webtoon Treat Me Carelessly, Dare to Love Me is a romantic-comedy series following the relationship between a Confucian scholar and his art teacher. A young man who lives by the strict Confucian principles of benevolence, righteousness, courtesy, wisdom, and faith, Shin Yun-bok (Kim Myung-soo) becomes entangled with the reckless Kim Hong-do (Lee Yoo-young).
The complete opposite to her student, Hong-do has a straightforward personality with no connections or power. Despite being disrespected repeatedly, she is determined to make her breakthrough in the design industry.
Episodes: 16
Cast: Kim Myung-soo, Lee Yoo-young
Director and Screenwriter: Park Chul-hwan, Lee Soo-yeon
How to watch: Dare to Love Me premieres on May 13 via KBS2
MZ선비와 직진녀의 극과 극 로맨스 🥹🫶 💗21세기 선비 신윤복과, '직진 본능'김홍도의 무척 예의바른 로맨스하나부터 열까지 서로 다른 두 사람이 긴밀하게 얽힐 예정이라는데…그동안 K드라마에서는 볼 수…
Posted by KBS 드라마 on Tuesday, April 16, 2024
Crash
Policeman Cha Yeon-ho (Lee Min-ki) is a gifted mathematician and analyst who gets transferred to the Traffic Crime Investigation Team. Despite his sharp reasoning and ability to simulate accident scenes, he is unable to drive and lacks social skills, which affects his career progression.
Upon his transfer to the team, he starts working with the persistent Min So-hee (Kwak Sun-young), violent crimes veteran and TCI team founder Jung Chae-man (Heo Sung-tae) as well as car specialist Woo Dong-ki (Lee Ho-cheol). Together, the team investigate a sharp rise in traffic crimes.
Episodes: 12
Cast: Lee Min-ki, Kwak Sun-young, Heo Sung-tae and Lee Ho-cheol
Director and Screenwriter: Park Joon-woo, Oh Soo-jin
How to watch: Crash premieres May 13 on ENA
Uncle Samsik
Set in the 1960s, Uncle Samsik sees Parasite‘s Song Kang-ho in his first-ever TV role as its titular character, a shady but resourceful “fixer” who achieves his goals by whatever means necessary. He crosses paths with Kim San, an idealistic and ambitious graduate of the Korean Military Academy who dreams of modernising the nation. Together, the pair form a shaky alliance to safely navigate and survive the political chaos of the time.
Episodes: 16
Cast: Song Kang-ho, Byun Yo-han, Lee Kyu-hyung, Jin Ki-joo, Seo Hyun-woo
Director and Screenwriter: Shin Yeon-shick
How to watch: Uncle Samsik premieres May 15 on Disney+
The 8 Show
Based on the webcomic Money Game written by Bae Jin-soo, The 8 Show follows eight people desperately in need of cash as they participate in a reality television programme where they are to live in bare studio surrounded only by concrete walls.
If they survive for a hundred days, the contestants get to split the winning prize of 44.8billion Won equally. However, the contestants have to cautiously plan their living expenses like electricity, food and water during this time, as they cost a thousand times more than in the outside world and is deducted directly from the prize pot.
Episodes: 8
Cast: Ryu Jun-yeol, Chun Woo-hee, Park Jeong-min, Lee Yul-eum, Park Hae-joon, Lee Joo-young, Moon Jeong-hee and Bae Sung-woo
Director and Screenwriter: Han Jae-rim
How to watch: The 8 Show premieres May 17 on Netflix
Not Strong, but Attractive Homicide Squad
This upcoming comedic crime drama follows the lowest-performing homicide squad in the country as they team up with Dongbang Yoo-bin (Kim Dong-wook), the leader of the nation’s most elite squad, eventually forming a formidable team.
Originally the head of an elite homicide squad, Yoo-bin is offered a prestigious role at an overseas university. However, he later returns to Korea due to mysterious reasons, and volunteers to lead the worst-performing homicide squad at Songwon Police Station.
Episodes: TBA
Cast: Kim Dong-wook, Park Ji-hwan, Seo Hyun-woo, Park Se-wan and Lee Seung-woo
Director and Screenwriter: Lee Kwang-jae, Lee Young-chul
How to watch: Not Strong, but Attractive Homicide Squad premieres May 22 on SBS
Connection
Ji Sung leads upcoming crime-thriller Connection as Jang Jae-kyung, a talented detective on the drug crimes task force at Anhyeon Police Station. An upright and principled man, he distances himself from loved ones, believing that his personal connections will complicate his ability to perform at work.
Upon the sudden death of one of his high school friends, who leaves behind 5billiion won of insurance money, Jae-kyung uncovers a complex local network of corruption. Meanwhile, outspoken social affairs news reporter Oh Yoon-jin (Jeon Mi-do) returns to her hometown of Anhyeon after being dismissed from her job. Learning of Jae-kyung’s investigation, she soon makes the small town’s corrupt underbelly her new focus.
Episodes: 16
Cast: Ji Sung, Jeon Mi-do
Director and Screenwriter: Lee Hyun, Kim Moon-kyo
How to watch: Connection premieres May 24 on SBS
Dreaming of Cinde Fxxxing Rella
In Dreaming of Cinde Fxxxing Rella, Lee Jun-young stars as Moon Cha-min, the son of a wealthy conglomerate family and CEO of a social club. He has an arrogant personality, and looks down of women who dream of having a fairytale love story.
Meanwhile, the optimistic Shim Jae-rim (Pyo Ye-jin) is a newly hired manager of Cha-min’s social club. Having grown up in poverty, she hopes to escape her financial situation and find her Prince Charming. Despite their opposing personalities, Cha-min and Jae-rim begin to form a romantic relationship through which the former learns empathy, while the latter starts to become more independent.
Episodes: 10
Cast: Pyo Ye-jin, Lee Jun-young
Director and Screenwriter: Kim Min-kyung, Yoo Ja
How to watch: Dreaming of Cinde Fxxxing Rella premieres in May via TVING