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Pierce Conran

After a bumper November, the December K-drama schedule may seem a little on the light side, but that’s not to say there aren’t some heavy hitters.
If anything, the return of one of the biggest shows of all time may have compelled other channels to clear the way for it.
1. Light Shop
Lead cast: Ju Ji-hoon, Park Bo-young


Moving mastermind Kang Full returns to Disney+, once again adapting his own webtoon into a supernatural mystery.
The series follows six people who find themselves stuck in a dark neighbourhood, not knowing how they got there. Down an alley is a mysterious light shop which holds secrets to the characters’ pasts, presents and futures.
Ju Ji-hoon, currently on screens in Love Your Enemy, plays the guardian of the shop, while Park Bo-young (Daily Dose of Sunshine) plays a nurse who had a near-death experience.
Other characters include a screenwriter played by Kim Min-ha (Pachinko), a detective played by Bae Sung-woo (The 8 Game) and a grieving mother played by Lee Jung-eun (Parasite).
The series marks the directing debut of actor Kim Hee-won (Han River Police). (Disney+, December 4)
2. Sorry Not Sorry
Lead cast: Jeon So-min, Gong Min-jeung, Jang Hee-ryung


Jeon So-min (Cleaning Up) leads Sorry Not Sorry as Ji Song-yi, a woman who finds herself saddled with a massive debt to pay off her newlywed home loan after being dumped and left on her own.
She works multiple part-time jobs and, upon moving into her new home in a new town, attempts to disguise herself as a married woman to shield herself from her neighbours’ prying eyes.
Gong Min-jeung (Marry My Husband) plays Choi Ha-na, a driven working mom in the new town who used to be Song-yi’s best friend until something drove a wedge between them.
Jang Hee-ryung (Connect) plays An Chan-yang, another figure in the new town who projects poise and elegance while working as a pottery workshop teacher for children. (KBS Joy, December 5)
3. Who Is She?
Lead cast: Kim Hae-sook, Jung Ji-so, Jung Jin-young


Ten years after its Lunar New Year box office success, the fantasy comedy-drama Miss Granny returns with a new TV version, remade as Who Is She?
The original film was written and directed by Squid Game mastermind Hwang Dong-hyuk.
Kim Hae-sook (Strong Girl Nam-soon) takes over the role of Oh Mal-sun, a woman in her seventies who suddenly transforms into her 20-year-old self following an argument with her daughter.
She takes on the name Oh Doo-ri – played by Jung Ji-so (The Glory) – and decides to pursue her youthful dream of being a singer anew.
She joins Unis Entertainment as an idol trainee, where she meets the producer Daniel Han (Jung Jin-young, Sweet Home season 2). Meanwhile, Mal-sun’s granddaughter also becomes a trainee at Unis. (KBS2, December 18)
4. Check-in Hanyang
Lead cast: Bae In-hyuk, Kim Ji-eun, Jung Gun-joo, Jaechan


Bae In-hyuk (Under the Queen’s Umbrella), Kim Ji-eun (One Dollar Lawyer), Jung Gun-joo (Bitter Sweet Hell) and Jaechan (My Sweet Mobster) star in the period drama Check-in Hanyang.
They play the four new interns at Yongcheonru, the finest guest house in the Joseon kingdom.
Bae is Lee Eun, a prince of Joseon hiding his identity and working under the alias Lee Eun-ho. Also in disguise is Kim’s Hong Deok-soo, a woman who pretends to be a man in her mission to become Yongcheonru’s general manager.
Jung plays Cheon Jun-hwa, the successor of Yongcheonru who is forced to be an intern despite having no interest in working at the guest house.
Finally, Jaechan of the K-pop group DKZ plays Go Soo-ra, who starts working at Yongcheonru to rebuild the reputation of his family that has fallen on hard times.(Channel A, December 21)
5. The Starry Night
Lead cast: Go Hyun-jung, Ryeoun, Yoon Sang-hyun


Mask Girl actress Go Hyun-jung is back on screens in The Starry Night as Kang Soo-hyun, a top producer who trains idol singers.
Despite her success, Soo-hyun is suddenly fired from Pandora Entertainment.
Since she is the breadwinner of her family – which includes her former music producer husband Sim Joon-seok (Yoon Sang-hyun, 18 Again), who stays home to take care of their son Jin-woo – Soo-hyun decides to get back on her feet and go it alone.
The person she picks to train is Yoo Jin-woo (Ryeoun, Twinkling Watermelon), who has been a trainee for the past 10 years; he was about to give up on his dream before being picked by Soo-hyun.
She asks Joon-seok to come back from retirement to help shape the young singer. (ENA, December 23)
6. Squid Game season 2
Lead cast: Lee Jung-jae, Lee Byung-hun, Wi Ha-joon, Im Si-wan


The most popular Netflix series of all time returns for its feverishly anticipated second season, with a third, already-shot season on the way in summer 2025.
Despite winning the Squid Game, Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae), aka Player 456, re-enters the arena with a special plan in mind.
Armed with the knowledge of the truth behind the game, Gi-hun seeks to save other players and convince them to back out and end the game once and for all.
But when faced with vast riches, people become very hard to control.

Other returning stars include Lee Byung-hun as the masked master of the games, Wi Ha-joon as the police officer Hwang Jun-ho, and Gong Yoo as a mysterious man connected to the games.
The new cast list includes Im Si-wan (Run On), Kang Ha-neul (Curtain Call), Park Sung-hoon (The Glory), and Park Gyu-young and Lee Jin-wook of Sweet Home. (Netflix, December 26)


6 of the best new K-dramas to watch in December 2024, led by Netflix’s Squid Game season 2

Netflix K-drama When the Phone Rings preview: Yoo Yeon-seok, Chae Soo-bin in absurd story

Disney+ K-drama Love Your Enemy: Ju Ji-hoon, Jung Yu-mi in light and engaging romcom

K-drama sets draw fans to South Korea to see where shows that changed their lives are shot

K-drama news

Lee Jung-jae as Seong Gi-hun, winner of the last games, in a still from Squid Game season 2. The K-drama is among our pick of six coming to screens in December 2024. Photo: Netflix

Lee Byung-hun as Front Man, the master of the games, in a still from Squid Game season 2. Photo: Netflix

11 of the best new K-dramas to watch in November 2024, from Gangnam B-Side to Mr Plankton

Lee You-mi (left) and Woo Do-hwan in a still from Mr Plankton, one of our top Korean drama picks for November 2024. Photo: Jiyeon Kim/Netflix

Yoo Yeon-seok (left) and Chae Soo-bin in a still from When the Phone Rings.

Ju Ji-hoon (left) and Jung Yu-mi in a still from Love Your Enemy.

Ju Ji-hoon as Seok Ji-won (left) and Jung Yu-mi as Yoon Ji-won in a still from K-drama romcom Love Your Enemy.

Jung Yu-mi as teacher Yoon Ji-won in a still from Love Your Enemy.

Ju Ji-hoon as Yoon Ji-won’s rival Seok Ji-won in a still from Love Your Enemy.

Yoon Ji-won, played by Jung Ju-mi, pinches the cheek of Seok Ji-won, played by Ju Ji-hoon, in a still from Love Your Enemy.

Jung as Yoon Ji-won in a still from Love Your Enemy.

In K-drama casting news, Lee Jung-jae and Lim Ji-yeon eyed to lead Petty Love, and more

Lee Jung-jae in a still from Squid Game season 2. The South Korean actor has been offered a lead role in the coming romantic comedy Petty Love. Photo: Netflix

Lim Ji-yeon in a still from The Killing Vote. Photo: SBS

Seohyun in a still from Song of the Bandits.

Lee Jin-wook in a still from Dear Hyeri. Photo: Genie TV

Lee Jun-ho in a still from King the Land. Photo: JTBC

Netflix K-drama A Virtuous Business review: comedy drama sidesteps its cheeky premise

Kim So-yeon as former beauty queen Han Jeong-suk in a still from Netflix K-drama A Virtuous Business. Yeon Woo-jin and Kim Sung-ryung co-star.

Yeon Woo-jin as Detective Kim Do-hyun and Kim Sung-ryung as bored housewife Oh Geum-hee, who is revealed as his long-lost mother, in a still from A Virtuous Business.

Lee Se-hee as single mother Lee Ju-ri in a still from A Virtuous Business.

Yeon Woo-jin as Detective Kim Do-hyun in a still from A Virtuous Business.

Kim So-yeon as former beauty queen Han Jeong-suk in a still from A Virtuous Business.

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Squid Game returns for season 2 with Lee Jung-jae and Wi Ha-joon, Park Bo-young leads a supernatural mystery on Disney+, and more


Squid Game returns for season 2 with Lee Jung-jae and Wi Ha-joon, Park Bo-young leads a supernatural mystery on Disney+, and more.
