Curious to know which upcoming K-dramas will make your May 2024 bingeing session exciting? We have you covered.
While April was full of surprises for K-drama lovers with shows like Parasyte: The Grey, May will entertain viewers with one of the most anticipated series of 2024, The 8 Show. Starring K-sensation Ryu Jun-yeol in the leading role, this upcoming new 2024 K-drama will effortlessly remind you of the cult Korean survival series Squid Game. Written and directed by The King fame Han Jae-rim, The 8 Show is an adaptation of Bae Jin-soo’s webtoon Money Game.
Keeping up with the appeal of crime dramas is the Park Joon-woo directorial Crash. Starring Lee Min-ki and Kwak Sun-young in lead roles, this upcoming new Disney Plus original is one of the most popular K-dramas to release in May 2024. According to the streaming giant, the show will tell the story of a young detective Cha Yeon-ho (played by Lee), who “has a special ability to simulate the time of an accident, using his sharp analysis and reasoning abilities.” Helping him with his investigations is his mentor Min So-hee (played by Kwak). Talking about the bond between their characters in the drama, Lee said in an interview with MK Korea that they share an “ideal senior-junior relationship in the office where guidance and learning go hand in hand.” He also described Kwak’s character So-hee as a “nice, reliable senior.”
Meanwhile, Wi Ha-joon, who was last seen fighting evil in the 2023 hit show The Worst of Evil, will return with the romance drama The Midnight Romance in Hagwon. A tvN original, this upcoming 2024 K-drama is helmed by director Ahn Pan-seok, known for heartwarming rom-coms like Something in the Rain.
These upcoming May 2024 K-dramas will keep you hooked
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1 /8
Directed by: Jang Ji-yeon
Cast: Go Kyung-pyo, Kang Han-na, Joo Jong-hyuk, Shin Jung-keun
Episodes: 12
Release date: 1 May
Synopsis: Song Ki-baek (Go) is a successful announcer working for Ultra FM. However, he starts losing his fame after developing a disorder that makes him speak without thinking. Meanwhile, On Woo-ju (Kang), a TV show writer, finds Ki-baek’s disorder interesting and invites him to her variety show. Will this new opportunity help Ki-baek redeem his career on reality TV?
Trivia: This upcoming 2024 Netflix Original romantic drama is penned by CHIP-IN fame writer Choi Kyung.
2 /8
Directed by: Jo Hyun-taek
Cast: Jang Ki-yong, Chun Woo-hee, Go Doo-shim, Kim Su-hyun
Episodes: 12
Release date: 4 May
Synopsis: Bok Gwi-joo (Jang) is born with special abilities that allow him to time travel. But he starts suffering from depression and ends up losing his superpowers. One day, he meets a woman named Do Da-he (Chun) and instantly feels a connection. As the duo starts spending time together, Gwi-joo realises that it’s Da-he who can cure him and help him regain his powers.
3 /8
Directed by: Ahn Pan-seok
Cast: Wi Ha-joon, Jung Ryeo-won, So Ju-yeon, Kim Song-il
Episodes: 16
Release date: 11 May
Synopsis: Lee Joon-ho (Wi), tired of the corporate world, leaves his high-paying job. He then becomes an instructor in the academy he had studied in. There he comes across his first love, academy teacher Seo Hye-jin (Jung). Soon Joon-ho realises that he is still in love with Hye-jin and decides to finally confess his feelings for her.
4 /8
[1차 티저] 윤복아, 난 말이야… 너 좋아해! “괜찮습니다.”
✅ 인의예지를 장착한 21세기 MZ선비 신윤복이 함부로 대해지며 삶에 지친 여자 김홍도와 만나 차근차근 만들어가는 무척 예의 바른 로맨스 드라마 #함부로대해줘
KBS2 새 월화드라마 [함부로 대해줘]
5/13[월] 밤10시10분 첫 방송#KBS… pic.twitter.com/wXLBSmUink— KBS 한국방송 (@MyloveKBS) April 18, 2024
Directed by: Jang Yang-ho
Cast: Kim Myung-soo, Lee Yoo-young, Lim Young-ju
Episodes: 16
Release date: 13 May
Synopsis: Shin Yoon-bok (Kim) is a talented scholar from Seongsan village, struggling to make it big in Seoul. He shifts to the city to try his luck as a webtoon writer and dedicates all his time to work. One day, he meets a carefree woman, Kim Hong-do (Lee). As they start spending time together, Hong-do teaches Yoon-book the little joys of life.
Trivia: This is a Korean drama adaptation of the webtoon Treat Me Carelessly, written and illustrated by artist Sun Woo.
5 /8
Directed by: Park Joon-woo
Cast: Lee Min-ki, Kwak Sun-young, Heo Sung-tae, Lee Ho-chul
Episodes: 12
Release date: 13 May
Synopsis: Min So-hee (Kwak) is the leader of the Traffic Crime Investigation (TCI) team that helps track crimes that occur on the road. When Cha Yeon-ho (Lee), a competent KAIST graduate, joins the TCI team, he is assigned to So-hee. While the duo struggle to get along initially, Yeon-ho, over time, allows So-hee to guide him on his new journey.
6 /8
Directed by: Shin Yeon-shick
Cast: Song Kang-ho, Byun Yo-han, Lee Kyu-hyung
Episodes: 16
Release date: 15 May
Synopsis: It’s the 1960s when Kim San (Song) of the Korean Military Academy decides to work towards transforming South Korea into a world-leading industrial power. Helping him in his goal is Park Doo-chil (Byun), aka Uncle Samsik, a low-key trader who can adapt to any situation.
7 /8
Directed by: Han Jae-rim
Cast: Ryu Jun-yeol, Chun Woo-hee, Park Jeong-min
Episodes: 8
Release date: 17 May
Synopsis: Eight people in need of money are invited to the Korean reality show Money Game. Here, they will be trapped in a studio room for 100 days. If they survive, they will win a prize of 44.8 billion won. However, with necessities like food and water costing 1,000 times more than regular prices on the show, survival becomes difficult.
Trivia: This upcoming 2024 K-drama starring Ryun Jun-yeol is inspired by the webtoons Money Game and Pie Game by Bae Jin-soo.
8 /8
Directed by: Kim Moon-kyo
Cast: Ji Sung, Jeon Mi-do, Kwon Yool, Kim Kyung-nam
Episodes: 16
Release date: 24 May
Synopsis: Jang Jae-kyeong (Ji) is a detective working for the drug task force at Anhyeon Police Station. When he is assigned a new murder case, Jae-kyeong realises that he is tracking the death of his high school friend. Overcome by grief, he vows to put the culprit behind bars.
(Hero and Featured image credit: Netflix)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
– Which Korean drama will be released in May 2024?
Korean dramas releasing in May 2024 are The 8 Show, Uncle Samsik, Connection, Frankly Speaking and Crash.
– Which Korean series will be released on Disney Plus in May 2024?
Korean series releasing in Disney Plus Hotstar in May 2024 are Uncle Samsik and Crash.
– Which is the Netflix Korean drama thriller released in 2024?
One of the most popular Korean historical thrillers released on Netflix in 2024 is Gyeongseong Creature season 2.