The Ultimate Guide to the New K-Drama Couples to Look Forward to (2021-2022)
Which pairing are you most excited about?
2021 is almost over, and yet K-dramaland still has more exciting pairings in store for fans all over the world. There are already confirmed tandems for next year, too!
This year, K-drama fans were treated to a number of memorable on-screen couples, among them Song Joong-ki and Jeon Yeo-been from Vincenzo, Song Kang and Han So-hee from Nevertheless, and Kim Seon-ho and Shin Min-a from Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha.
We’ve listed the best K-drama couples this year so far, and now, we’re updating you on the Korean actors and actresses who are working on new dramas or are in talks for a new series.
Rowoon and Park Eun-bin’s new KBS2 historical romance series, The King’s Affection, just dropped on Netflix. In the series, Park Eun-bin is Lee Hwi, the female twin of the crown prince who’s been abandoned and thrown out of the palace but later disguises herself as the crown prince when her brother passed away. Rowoon, on the other hand, is Jung Ji-un, a man from a noble family who serves as the crown prince’s teacher.
On October 23, the Gianna Jun and Ju Ji-hoon starrer, Jirisan, is set to be released. This mystery/fantasy/action series from tvN follows the story of an experienced national park ranger (Gianna Jun as Seo Yi-Gang) and a rookie ranger (Ju Ji-hoon as Kang Hyun-Jo) as they unveil the secrets of the mountain.
Lee Do-hyun and Im Soo-jung headline tvN’s 15th anniversary special offering, Melancholia, which will be released on November 3. In this drama, their characters, math genius Baek Seung-yoo and math teacher Ji Yoon-soo, respectively, will work together in uncovering scandals and corruption in private high schools in Gangnam.
Next to be released this November 5 is tvN’s thriller series Happiness with Park Hyung-sik as Jung Yi-Hyun, a detective, and Han Hyo-joo as Yoon Sae-Bom, a member of a special police squad. Together, they face a crisis in a high-rise apartment that’s been sealed off.
Ok Taecyeon and Kim Hye-yoon’s historical comedy series with tvN, Royal Secret Inspector Joy, is set to be released on November 8. In the series set in the Joseon dynasty, Taecyeon is Ra Yi-eon, a 6th grade public service worker and gourmand-turned-royal secret inspector, while Kim Hye-yoon is Kim Jo-yi, a passionate, realist woman who wants to divorce her mama’s boy, gambling addict husband.
SBS’ romance K-drama Now, We Are Breaking Up, stars Song Hye-kyo as Ha Young-Eun, the team leader of a fashion company’s design department, and Jang Ki-yong as Yoon Jae-Kook, a freelance photographer. It’s set to premiere on November 12, and had just revealed a “mood teaser” that makes us look forward to it all the more.
Another much-awaited series is that of Jung Hae-in and BLACKPINK’s Jisoo, JTBC’s Snowdrop, which mixes genres of satire, melodrama, dark comedy, and romance. It features Jung Hae-in as Im Soo-ho, a college student who was raised in Germany and has a secret, and Jisoo as Eun Young-ro, a college student who falls in love with Soo-ho at first sight. The series, set against the backdrop of the 1987 Democracy Movement, will premiere this December.
Check out the gallery below to read more about the K-drama couples that will (or might!) come our way:
Photo Gallery
Photo Gallery
Park Min-young and Song Kang
The JTBC series “Meteorological Agency People: The Cruelty of Office Romance” is set in the workplace of the Korea Meteorological Administration, Korea’s national weather forecast service. Park Min-young is Ji Ha-kyung, an intelligent, organized, by-the-book kind of person who has a cold demeanor. Song Kang is Lee Shi-woo, a free-spirited, seemingly clumsy guy who’s actually very smart with an IQ of 150.
Photo Credit: @parkminyoungx and @songkang_b
Moon Ga-Young and Yeo Jin-Goo
In July, Moon Ga-young and Yeo Jin-goo were reported to be in talks for the tvN drama “Link” which mixes fantasy, romance, and mystery genres. The story revolves around a man (Yeo Jin-goo as Eun Gye-hoon), who is a sous-chef of a restaurant he set up in the town where his twin sister went missing 20 years ago. He suddenly and mysteriously experiences all the emotions felt by a certain woman (Moon Ga-young as Noh Da-hyun).
Photo Credit: Vogue Korea and Girls Planet 999 via @yeojin9oo
Shin Hyun-Been and Song Joong-Ki
A new fantasy drama is coming our way! JTBC’s upcoming drama “Chaebol Family’s Youngest Son” stars Song Joong-ki as Yoon Hyun-woo (who’s framed for embezzlement by the wealthy family he had been loyal to; he dies, and after being reborn as that family’s youngest son, he plans his revenge) and Shin Hyun-been (as Seo Min-young, a prosecutor of the anti-corruption department who will do anything in the name of justice).
Photo Credit: Harper's Bazaar Korea and History D&C
Esom and Kim Woo-Bin
News about the possible on-screen reunion of Esom and Kim Woo-bin via the webtoon-based Netflix drama “Delivery Knight” circulated last August. If they decide to do the project, this is their second together, as they were part of the series “White Christmas” back in 2011. According to Soompi, “‘Delivery Knight’ will tell the story of a dystopian future in which pollution has become so severe that the only way to survive is to have everything delivered.” The role offered to Esom is Seol Ah, a soldier who dreams of becoming the Minister of National Defense. Kim Woo-bin’s possible role is a “legendary delivery knight 5-8.”
Photo Credit: Harper's Bazaar Korea and @jaegerlecoultre via @____kimwoobin } Source: Soompi
Seohyun and Na In-Woo
Seohyun and Na In-woo are meeting in the webtoon-based fantasy romance series “The Jinx’s Lover.” Seohyun as Seul Bi is a woman who has the special ability of seeing the future of the person she touches. She’s been locked away by her chaebol family, during which time she meets Na In-woo’s Gong Soo-kwang, a man who sells fish at Seodong Market and has a special jinx. Gong Soo-kwang has been doing well on his own until he meets Seul Bi who changes his life.
Photo Credit: 1st Look and Cube
YoonA and Lee Jong-Suk
In their upcoming tvN series, Lee Jong-suk is Park Chang-ho aka “Big Mouth” (the title of the show), a lawyer with a ten percent success rate who will be mistaken as a conman known as “Big Mouse.” YoonA’s Go Mi-ho is Park Chang-ho’s wife who’s a nurse; she will do anything to clear her husband’s name.
Photo Credit: @ymagazine_official via @yoona__lim and @prada via @jongsuk0206
Kim Tae-Ri and Nam Joo-Hyuk
It’s confirmed that the upcoming romance drama “Twenty-Five Twenty-One” will pair up Kim Tae-ri and Nam Joo-hyuk. Soompi describes the series to be “about two people who first meet when they are 22 and 18 and begin their love story four years later when they are 25 and 21. It tells a youthful story of romance, growth, and friendship.” Kim Tae-ri’s Na Hee-do is a passionate professional sabre fencer of the national fencing team. Nam Joo-hyuk’s Baek Yi-jin is a reporter, a newspaper delivery guy, and a book rental shop part-timer. Both characters struggled due to the IMF financial crisis.
Photo Credit: J Wide Company and @dior via @skawngur | Source: Soompi
Oh Yeon-Seo and Seo In-Guk
This pair is in talks for the web novel-based series “Minamdang: Case Note.” Both were offered the lead roles, and are reviewing it. Should Seo In-guk accept the project, his character is former profiler Han Joon who becomes a baksumudang (male shaman). Oh Yeon-so, meanwhile, could portray the light-hearted violent crimes division’s team leader Han Jae-hee.
Photo Credit: Allure Korea and @prada
Sooyoung and Ji Chang-Wook
It was confirmed last September that Sooyoung and Ji Chang-wook are starring in the upcoming drama titled “Tell Me Your Wish.” Ji Chang-wook’s Yoon Gyeo-re has had a tough life, having lived in an orphanage, a youth detention center, and a prison. An accident then leads him to volunteer in a hospice hospital. There, he’ll meet Sooyoung’s Seo Yoon-joo, a health-obsessed nurse at the said hospital.
Photo Credit: @sooyoungchoi and Esquire Korea
Chae Soo-bin and Minho
The two have reportedly been offered the starring roles in the upcoming Netflix series “Fabulous” that’s fashion-centric. Its story revolves around four individuals working in the fashion industry that’s not all about glamour. Should Chae Soo-bin accept the project, she will breathe life into the character of an optimistic, go-getting woman who’s been working in a high-end fashion agency for five years. On the other hand, we may see Minho portray the role of a freelance photo retoucher who’s thought of as a playboy.
Photo Credit: @soobinms and @choiminho_1209
Kim Ji-Eun and Lee Joon-Gi
The two are confirmed to star in the SBS drama titled “Again My Life.” The series is based on a novel and a webtoon. Lee Joon-gi’s Kim Hee-woo is a prosecutor who gets killed while investigating a corrupt politician; he gets a second shot at life, and will be out to uncover the wrongdoings of this tyrant. Kim Ji-eun’s Kim Hee-ah is the genius, youngest daughter of a company CEO who’ll show interest in Kim Hee-woo.
Photo Credit: @kj_ieun and @actor_jg
Lee Sung-Kyung and Kim Young-Dae
The two are confirmed to star in tvN’s upcoming series, “Shooting Stars.” The entertainment industry is the setting of this rom-com that will give a glimpse on the lives of those who work behind the scenes and how they manage to deal with the issues the stars have caused. Lee Sung-kyung was cast as Oh Han-byul, a PR team leader who’s eloquent and great at crisis response. Kim Young-dae’s Gong Tae-sung is an A-list celebrity who’s very competitive.
Photo Credit: Vogue Korea and GQ Korea
Shin Min-A and Lee Byung-Hun
These two Hallyu stars are reportedly reuniting via the series “Our Blues” which zooms in on a group of people living in Jeju Island. Lee Byung-hun’s character is described as an unsophisticated man living in Jeju and is selling stuff from his truck around the island. Shin Min-a’s character, meanwhile, is a mysterious woman who just moved to the island. Lee Byung-hun and Shin Min-a previously starred in the 2005 film “A Bittersweet Life.” Also reportedly joining the cast of this show is Shin Min-a’s boyfriend of more than six years, Kim Woo-bin; it’s their first series together.
Photo Credit: W Korea and @byunghun0712
Han Ji-Min and Kim Woo-Bin
Kim Woo-bin and Han Ji-min have also been cast in the star-studded series “Our Blues” set in Jeju Island. Early descriptions of their characters state that he’s playing the role of a ship captain who’ll fall in love with her character, a rookie female driver.
Photo Credit: Donginbini and Jo Malone
Lee Yoo-Young and Kang Ha-Neul
Lee Yoo-young and Kang Ha-neul are confirmed to star in the upcoming action/suspense JTBC drama titled “Insider.” Kang Ha-neul is Kim Yo-han, a judicial trainee who ends up in prison after an unexpected thing happened while he was undercover investigating a corrupt prosecutor; he will be driven by revenge. Lee Yoo-young is Oh Soo-yeon, an underground, influential businesswoman; she later strikes a deal with Kim Yo-han.
Photo Credit: @__youyoung__ and Marie Claire Korea
Kim Sejeong and Ahn Hyo-Seop
In SBS’ upcoming drama “A Business Proposal,” Kim Sejeong is Shin Ha-ri, a wacky and optimistic employee who ends up on a blind date with her company’s CEO (Ahn Hyo-seop as third generation chaebol Kang Tae-mu) in place of her friend. As she hides her identity from her boss, viewers will see a fun and exciting office romance.
Photo Credit: @clean_0828 and @imhyoseop
Nam Gyu-Ri and Kim Min-Seok
In the K-drama “Bloody Romance,” Nam Gyu-ri’s Baek Young-ok is a second lieutenant leading North Korea’s eighth army in the special forces, while Kim Min-seok’s Lloyd is a global superstar with legions of female fans. In the middle of the popularity he’s experiencing, he enlists in the military, and what ensues is an “Inter-Korean romance” between the two.
Photo Credit: @nam_gyuri and @mariachemistry.official via @samuliesword
Im Soo-Hyang and Sung Hoon
We will see this pairing in the Korean remake of the American rom-com based on a Venezuelan telenovela, “Jane the Virgin.” Im Soo-hyang and Sung Hoon have worked with each other twice before via the K-dramas “New Tales of Gisaeng” and “Five Enough.” The story of their latest series, titled “Starting Today, We,” is centered on a woman who is a virgin and gets pregnant with the child of a second generation chaebol due to her doctor’s mistake. Im Soo-hyang’s Bae Ji-eun is an assistant drama writer who believes in maintaining her chastity before marriage. Sung Hoon’s Kim Bok-rae is a plastic surgeon who has a thing for actresses but his life changes upon discovering he has cancer.
Photo Credit: @hellopapa11 and @sunghoon1983
Park Eun-Bin and Kang Tae-Oh
They have been offered the lead roles for a mini series titled “Unusual Lawyer Woo Young Woo.” The titular character, a 27-year-old with Asperger’s syndrome who becomes a lawyer at a major law firm, may be played by Park Eun-bin. Meanwhile, Kang Tae-oh may breathe life into the role of Lee Jun-ho, an attractive guy who’s also working at the law firm. Together, they will solve one case after another.
Photo Credit: @eunbining0904 and Singles magazine via @kto940620
Son Ye-Jin and Yeon Woo-Jin
The two were officially cast in the upcoming 12-episode JTBC drama titled “39.” The series zooms in on the unexpected events in the lives of three friends (Son Ye-jin, Jeon Mi-do, and Kim Ji-hyun) who are about to turn 40. Son Ye-jin’s Cha Mi-jo is a wealthy woman who’s the head dermatologist of a clinic in Gangnam. Her fellow dermatologist, Yeon Woo-jin’s Kim Sun-woo (who returned to Korea after emigrating to the United States in high school), will show interest in her.
Photo Credit: @yejinhand and @jumpent_official
Jin Ki-Joo and Park Hae-Jin
The MBC drama “From Now On, Showtime!” may star Jin Ki-joo and Park Hae-jin. In this fantasy rom-com series, he may portray the male lead Cha Cha-woong, a magician with the ability to see and manipulate ghost, while she may take on the role of Go Seul-hae, a mysterious police officer.
Photo Credit: @jinkijoo and @parkhaejin_official
Krystal and Kim Jae-Wook
In the 2022 KBS2 series “Crazy Love,” a genius math tutoring center CEO (Kim Jae-wook as No Go-jin) receives a death threat and tries to seek out the murderer by pretending to suffer memory loss. He even enters into a sham marriage with his introverted secretary Lee Shin-ah (played by Krystal Jung), who is diagnosed with terminal illness. Between them, a scary yet sweet romance blossoms.
Photo Credit: @vousmevoyez and Esquire
BONUS trio: Kim Bum, Son Naeun, and Rain
They have been confirmed to star in the fantasy medical drama “Ghost Doctor.” Soompi writes that its story is “about two doctors who could not be more different in terms of their backgrounds, skills, or personalities, but who end up combining bodies and spirits.” Son Naeun’s Oh Soo-jung is an emergency room intern, Rain’s Cha Young-min is a genius thoracic surgeon, and Kim Bum’s Go Seung-tak is a silver-spoon resident.
Photo Credit: @k.kbeom, @marcellasne_ and @rain_oppa | Source:
Which among these K-drama couples are you looking forward to the most?
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Lead photos from Sooryehan via @parkminyoungx, Pizza Alvolo via @songkang_b, @vitalbeautie_official via @kyo1122, and Calvin Klein via @jangkiyong92