Now that we’ve said farewell to 2017 and a year full of great dramas, it’s time to look ahead to what the world of K-dramas has in store for 2018!
This year will bring us everything from classic romantic comedies to dark and intense thrillers; from legal dramas to light-hearted fantasy tales with androids, magic, and more; and stories with both young romance and love found later in life.
Find out what dramas are coming up in the first half of 2018 below!
Please note that titles and premiere dates may change.
“Return”
Starring: Go Hyun Jung, Lee Jin Wook, Jung Eun Chae, Shin Sung Rok, and more
Two lawyers (Go Hyun Jung and Jung Eun Chae) take on a murder case where the suspects are members of the upper class, with a spirited detective (Lee Jin Wook) getting caught up in the case.
“Return” will air on Wednesdays and Thursdays on SBS, starting on January 17.
“Mother”
Starring: Lee Bo Young, Lee Hye Young, Heo Yool, Go Sung Hee, Lee Jae Yoon, and more
The story of a substitute teacher (Lee Bo Young) who tries to help a neglected young girl in her class by taking her away.
“Mother” will air on Wednesdays and Thursdays on tvN, starting on January 24.
“Radio Romance”
Starring: Kim So Hyun, Highlight’s Yoon Doojoon, Yoon Park, Kwak Dong Yeon, Ha Joon, Girl’s Day’s Yura, Lee Eui Woong, and more
A-list actor Ji Soo Ho (Yoon Doojoon), who can’t say a thing without a script, becomes the DJ for a radio show that never goes according to plan. The radio show is penned by hard-working scriptwriter Song Geu Rim (Kim So Hyun), who happens to be good at everything except writing scripts.
“Radio Romance” will air on Mondays and Tuesdays on KBS2, starting on January 29.
“Cross”
Starring: Go Kyung Pyo, Jun So Min, Jo Jae Hyun, and more
In order to get revenge for his father’s murder, Kang In Kyu (Go Kyung Pyo) becomes a doctor and then applies for a job at the institution where the murderer is imprisoned. He clashes with quirky hospital intern Go Ji In (Jun So Min).
“Cross” will premiere on January 29 on tvN.
“Misty”
Starring: Kim Nam Joo, Ji Jin Hee, Jun Hye Jin, Jin Ki Joo, Go Joon, and more
Korea’s most popular anchorwoman (Kim Nam Joo) is a suspect in a murder case, and her husband (Ji Jin Hee) becomes her lawyer.
“Misty” will premiere on February 2 on JTBC.
“Should We Kiss First?”
Starring: Kam Woo Sung, Kim Sun Ah, Oh Ji Ho, Park Si Yeon
The realistic love stories of adults who no longer dream of romance. Kam Woo Sung plays lonely advertisement executive Son Moo Han, while Kim Sun Ah takes the role of flight attendant Ahn Soon Jin, whose daughter passed away unexpectedly. Oh Ji Ho’s character was Ahn Soon Jin’s first love and former husband, while Park Si Yeon plays his new wife Baek Ji Min.
“Should We Kiss First?” will make its premiere in February on SBS.
“Mystery Queen 2”
Starring: Kwon Sang Woo, Choi Kang Hee
The beloved detective duo Yoo Seol Ok (Choi Kang Hee) and Ha Wan Seung (Kwon Sang Woo) returns for a second season of this crime-fighting drama.
“Mystery Queen 2” is scheduled to premiere in mid-February.
“Children of a Lesser God”
Starring: Kim Ok Bin, Kang Ji Hwan, Shim Hee Seop, Lee Elijah, and more
Two detectives, one known as a genius that believes only the facts (Kang Ji Hwan) and the other having a supernatural ability to see what shouldn’t be seen (Kim Ok Bin), team up to uncover a conspiracy that involves a large organization.
“Children of a Lesser God” is due to premiere in February on OCN.
“That Man Oh Soo”
Starring: CNBLUE’s Lee Jong Hyun, Kim So Eun, Kang Tae Oh, and more
Oh Soo (Lee Jong Hyun) is an IT company technician as well as a cafe owner and barista. He acts as a cupid-like figure with a magic powder, and he and police constable Seo Yu Ri (Kim So Eun) end up falling in love because of it.
“That Man Oh Soo” will begin in March on OCN.
“Good Witch”
Starring: Lee Da Hae, Ryu Soo Young, An Woo Yeon, Bae Soo Bin, Yoon Se Ah, and more
Lee Da Hae makes her return to Korean dramas with “Good Witch,” after three and a half years away. She plays Cha Doo Hee, a kind housewife, and Cha Sun Hee, her evil twin sister who works as a flight attendant, while Ryu Soo Young takes the role of daring co-pilot Song Woo Jin.
“Good Witch” will be begin airing on SBS in March.
“Live”
Starring: Lee Kwang Soo, Jung Yoo Mi, Bae Sung Woo
A drama about the joys, sorrows, and pain of police officers as they try to preserve justice and protect valuable parts of everyday life. Rather than focusing on the crimes they deal with, the drama will tell the stories of the police officers themselves.
“Live” is due to premiere in March on tvN.
“Grand Prince”
Starring: Jin Se Yeon, Joo Sang Wook, Yoon Shi Yoon, Ryu Hyo Young
Sung Ja Hyun (Jin Se Yeon) is a beautiful young woman living during the Joseon period who is loved by two princes, with one willing to kill the other to have her.
“Grand Prince” will be airing in the first half of the year on TV Chosun.
“My Ahjusshi”
Starring: IU, Lee Sun Gyun, Oh Dal Soo, Song Sae Byuk, Na Moon Hee, Lee Ji Ah, and more
Three brothers are getting through hardships in their lives in their own individual ways, while a woman in her 20s is also struggling with what life throws at her. Lee Sun Gyun plays the second eldest brother Park Dong Hoon, while IU is taking the role of icy woman Lee Ji An.
“My Ahjusshi” kicked off filming in December, and is expected to air in the first half of the year on tvN.
“Are You Human Too?”
Starring: Seo Kang Joon, Gong Seung Yeon, Lee Joon Hyuk, Park Hwan Hee, and more
When the young heir to a large conglomerate (Seo Kang Joon) falls into a coma after an accident, his mother constructs an android to take his place and hires a bodyguard (Gong Seung Yeon) to protect it.
“Are You Human Too?” which has been produced entirely before its premiere and has been planned for over two years, will be airing in the first half of the year.
“Suits”
Starring: Jang Dong Gun, Park Hyung Sik
In this remake of the American legal drama “Suits,” Jang Dong Gun plays impressive lawyer Choi Kyung Seo, while Park Hyung Sik takes the role of Go Yeon Woo, who’s recruited by Choi Kyung Seo for his amazing memory. Choi Kyung Seo is the Korean equivalent of the original show’s Harvey Specter, while Go Yeon Woo is the counterpart of Mike Ross.
KBS is currently considering an April premiere for “Suits.”
“Neighborhood Lawyer Jo Deul Ho 2”
Starring: Park Shin Yang
Park Shin Yang returns for a second season of this popular legal drama, which aired its first season in 2016.
“Neighborhood Lawyer Jo Deul Ho 2” is expected to air on KBS in mid-2018.
“Mr. Sunshine”
Starring: Lee Byung Hun, Kim Tae Ri, Kim Sa Rang, Yoo Yeon Seok, Byun Yo Han, Ji Seung Hyun, and more
After having boarded a warship to the United States in 1871, a Korean man returns to his homeland as an American soldier.
This drama is the third that writer Kim Eun Sook and director Lee Eung Bok have worked on together, following “Descendants of the Sun” and “Goblin.”
“Mr. Sunshine” is due to premiere in late June or early July on tvN.
Which 2018 drama are you the most excited for?
By J.K
This article first appeared in Soompi.