Spark Study Buddy (Challenger): 4 new K-dramas to watch in January 2025
The story on this page has some tougher vocabulary words and questions to improve your understanding and English grammar.
Lee Min-ho in a still from the K-drama “When the Stars Gossip”. Photo: Netflix.Content provided by British Council
[1] When the Stars Gossip
The 2025 K-drama calendar kicks off with a bang with the big-budget space-set romance When the Stars Gossip. The show was written by Seo Sook-hyang and directed by Park Shin-woo. The sky-high romance stars Lee Min-ho and Gong Hyo-jin as people who fall in love at a space station.
[2] Gong has not been seen on screens for six years. She plays Eve Kim, the new commander at the station. Lee is Gong Ryong, a gynaecologist and the future son-in-law of the chairman of Korea’s biggest corporation. He is staying at the station for a few days as a tourist.
[3] The Queen Who Crowns
After her breakout supporting role in The Glory, Cha Joo-young lands her first major leading role in the regal drama The Queen Who Crowns alongside Lee Hyun-wook (Mine). Cha and Lee play Won Kyung and Taejong, the queen and king of Goryeo, a Korean state that existed from 918 until 1392.
[4] Won Kyung was born to the influential Min family and married Lee Bang-won (Lee), the first son of King Taejo. But after the king names his second son as his successor, the Min family plots to have Bang-won ascend the throne instead. Although the plot is successful, conflicts arise in Bang-won’s marriage with Won Kyung after he takes the throne.
[5] Motel California
Lee Se-young was recently seen in the melodrama What Comes After Love. Now she is back in Motel California alongside Na In-woo. Lee plays Ji Gang-hee, who grew up at the Motel California, which was run by her father. She had a difficult upbringing in her rural hometown and was discriminated against because her mother was of dual heritage.
[6] Gang-hee left for Seoul and works as an interior designer, but then decides to return to her hometown. She reconnects with her first love Cheon Yeon-su (Na), who now works as a veterinarian.
[7] Unmasked
Screen legend Kim Hye-soo leads the year’s first Disney+ original drama Unmasked, as the face of an investigative news programme. Kim is Oh So-ryong, who is trying her best to save the programme Trigger from being cancelled after it aired a particularly controversial story. So-ryong is a fierce character with an unshakeable sense of justice.
[8] To save the show, So-ryong and her team have to uncover the insider leaking intel about them and solve an old case involving a famous actor who disappeared. Joining her on her quest are producer Han Do and contractor Kang Gi-ho.
Source: South China Morning Post, December 30
Questions
1. In paragraph 2, Gong Hyo-jin’s character in When the Stars Gossip works in …
A. a space station.
B. a hospital.
C. a tour agency.
D. Korea’s largest company.
2. What was Won Kyung’s relationship to Lee Bang-won, according to paragraph 4?
3. Based on paragraph 5, why did people treat Ji Gang-hee differently
4. In paragraph 6, Gang-hee’s hometown refers to …
A. Seoul
B. Busan
C. Jeju
D. information not given
5. Match the K-drama to its main theme. (4 marks)
K-drama
(i) When the Stars Gossip
(ii) The Queen Who Crowns
(iii) Motel California
(iv) Unmasked
Theme
(a) power, ambition, and love in a royal court
(b) fight for truth and justice
(c) outer space romance
(d) returning home and healing
6. Rewrite the following sentences using the prompts provided. (2 marks)
(i) Lee Bang-won was not named the successor even though he was the King’s first son.
Despite being ...
(ii) Gang-hee left for Seoul and works as an interior designer, but then decides to return to her hometown.
After leaving ...
Answers
1. A
2. They were husband and wife. (accept all similar answers)
3. because her mother was of dual heritage
4. D
5. (i) c; (ii) a; (iii) d; (iv) b
6. (i) Despite being the King’s first son, Lee Bang-won was not named his successor; (ii) After leaving for Seoul and working as an interior designer, Gang-hee decided to return to her hometown.