Including the Disney+ original series “Uncle Samsik,” Netflix’s “The 8 Show” and more.
The theme of romance is very present in the upcoming dramas in May, with the premiere of the romantic comedy Frankly Speaking (starring Ko Kyung-pyo and Kang Han-na) on the first day. Also released later this month is Dare to Love Me, another romantic comedy centered on the relationship between a strict Confucian scholar and his art teacher.
As for fans of more mature love stories, they can look forward to seeing The Midnight Romance at Hagwon with 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 centers on the romance between a tutor at a cram school and her former student, now back as a colleague.
In Uncle Samsik, set in the 1960s, the great actor Song Kang-ho (Parasite) takes on his very first television role, in which he plays the main character, who ends up joining the cause of modernization of the Korea. Speaking of firsts, Jang Ki-yong returns with his first project since completing his mandatory service in The Atypical Family, a Kdrama that tells the story of a young man from a family with superpowers who begins to lose their unique abilities due to the misfortunes of modern life.
Other premieres in May also include crime series Crash, which focuses on a math-savvy but socially awkward police officer working in the traffic crime unit, and crime comedy Not Very Powerful , Attractive goal. As for the thriller Connection, we will see Ji Sung in another action-packed role, that of a detective investigating his former classmate. Let’s check out all the upcoming dramas premiering in May 2024.
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Frankly Speaking
In the romantic comedy Frankly Speaking, Ko Kyung-pyo plays Song Ki-baek, a courteous and kind television presenter considered one of the best in his industry. One day he suffered from an illness which led him to express all his thoughts without restraint, thus causing real disorder in his professional life. For his part, On Woo-joo (Kang Han-na) is a screenwriter for a variety show. Ki-baek’s sudden change and harsh language fascinate her so much that she invites him to appear on her show, leading them to work together.
- Episodes : 12
cast : Ko Kyung-pyo, Kang Han-na
Director and screenwriter : Jang Ji-yeon, Choi Kyung-sun
To watch it : Frankly Speaking debuts May 1 on JTBC, and will also be available to stream on Netflix.
- The Atypical Family
In The Atypical Family, we find Jang Ki-yong in the role of Bok Gwi-joo, a young man from a family with many supernatural powers. Gifted with the ability to travel back in time to happy moments in his life, Gwi-joo is, however, incapable of changing anything in the past.
This causes him to become depressed and lose his powers, but he is not alone as his family also begins to lose their abilities due to mental health issues and everyday problems, such as eating disorders, l smartphone addiction and insomnia. The family then bonds with the mysterious Do Dae-hae, who has 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
To watch it : The Atypical Family premieres on May 4 on JTBC.
- The Midnight Romance at Hagwon
Directed by Ahn Pan-seok, who previously helmed series like One Spring Night (2019) and Something in the Rain (2018), The Midnight Romance at Hagwon is a romantic series that depicts the love story between two teachers at an after-school private tutoring academy. With over 14 years of experience, Seo Hye-jin (Jung Ryeo-won) is a quiet and determined tutor who finds her life turned upside down by the return of her disruptive former student, Lee Jun-ho (Wi Ha-joon), at the academy as a new tutor.
- Episodes : 16
cast : Jung Ryeo-won, Wi Ha-joon
Director and screenwriter : Ahn Pan-seok, Park Hyung-hwa
To watch it : The Midnight Romance at Hagwon will premiere on May 11 on tvN, and will also be available to stream on TVING.
- Dare to Love Me
Based on the 2021 webtoon Treat Me Carelessly, Dare to Love Me is a romantic comedy series chronicling the relationship between a Confucian scholar and his art teacher. Young Shin Yun-bok (Kim Myung-soo), who lives by strict Confucian principles of benevolence, righteousness, courtesy, wisdom and faith, finds himself in the company of the carefree Kim Hong -do (Lee Yoo-young).
Hong-do, who is the opposite of his student, has a direct personality, without connections or power and the lack of respect towards him on several occasions does not prevent his determination to make a name for himself in the industry. design.
- Episodes : 16
cast : Kim Myung-soo, Lee Yoo-young
Director and screenwriter : Park Chul-hwan, Lee Soo-yeon
To watch it : Dare to Love Me premieres on May 13 on KBS2.
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Crash
Police officer Cha Yeon-ho (Lee Min-ki) is a gifted mathematician and analyst who is transferred to the traffic crime investigation team. His inability to drive and his lack of sociability, however, affect his career progression, despite his keen reasoning and his ability to simulate accident scenes.
Upon joining the team, he begins working with the tenacious Min So-hee (Kwak Sun-young), veteran and TCI team founder Jung Chae-man (Heo Sung-tae), as well as specialist cars Woo Dong-ki (Lee Ho-cheol). Together, they investigate a sharp increase 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
To watch it : Crash begins May 13 on ENA
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Uncle Samsik
Set in the 1960s, Uncle Samsik stars Parasite’s Song Kang-ho, in his first ever television role, as the title character, a shady but resourceful “fixer” who gets his way through all means. the necessary means. He meets Kim San, an idealistic and ambitious Korean Academy graduate who dreams of modernizing the nation, and together they form a power duo 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
To watch it : Uncle Samsik will premiere on May 15 on Disney+.
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The 8 Show
Based on the webcomic Money Game written by Bae Jin-soo, The 8 Show features eight people who are totally strapped for cash and participate in a reality TV program in which they are forced to live in an empty studio, surrounded only by concrete walls.
In order to share the winning prize of 44,8 billion won equally, they must survive for one hundred days. Applicants should, however, be careful in planning their expenses, such as electricity, food and water, because not only do they cost a thousand times more than in the outside world, but they are also directly deducted of the prize pool.
- 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
To watch it : The 8 Show premieres May 17 on Netflix.
- Not Very Powerful, but Attractive
In this upcoming crime comedy, we follow the members of the country’s worst-performing crime squad as they team up with Dongbang Yoo-bin (Kim Dong-wook), the head of the country’s elite squad, to ultimately form a formidable team.
While leading an elite brigade, Yoo-bin obtains a prestigious position at a university abroad. But for mysterious reasons, he returns to Korea and volunteers to lead the worst-performing squad at the Songwon Police Station.
- Episodes : T.B.A.
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
To watch it : Not Strong, Not Very Powerful, but Attractive will premiere on May 22 on SBS.
- Connection
In the upcoming thriller titled Connection, Ji Sung stars as Jang Jae-kyung, a talented detective who is part of a group at the Anhyeon Police Station. A man of integrity and attached to his principles, he stays away from those close to him, convinced that his personal relationships will complicate his work.
After one of his high school friends leaves him 5 billion won in insurance, Jae-kyung uncovers a complex local network of corruption. Meanwhile, Oh Yoon-jin (Jeon Mi-do), a social affairs reporter, returns to her hometown of Anhyeon after being fired from her job. After hearing about Jae-kyung’s investigation, she delves into the corrupt underbelly of the small town and makes it her new focus.
Episodes : 16
cast : Ji Sung, Jeon Mi-do
Director and screenwriter : Lee Hyun, Kim Moon-kyo
How to watch it : Connection begins May 24 on SBS
Dreaming of Cinde Fxxxxing 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, with an arrogant personality who looks down on women who dream of a love story worthy of a fairy tale. For her part, the optimist Shim Jae-rim (Pyo Ye-jin) who grew up in poverty with the hope of getting out of her financial situation and finding her prince charming has just been hired as manager of the social club of Cha-min.
Beyond their opposing personalities, Cha-min and Jae-rim begin to form a romantic relationship through which the former learns empathy, while the latter begins to become more independent.
- Episodes : 10
Distribution : Pyo Ye-jin, Lee Jun-young
Director and screenwriter : Kim Min-kyung, Yoo Ja
To watch it : Dreaming of Cinde Fxxxxing Rella will be broadcast for the first time in May on TVING.