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Home > Entertainment > Streaming > ‘Uncle Samsik’ and other must-watch upcoming K-dramas in May 2024
‘Uncle Samsik’ and other must-watch upcoming K-dramas in May 2024

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

1 /8

Frankly Speaking

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

The Atypical Family

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

The Midnight Romance at Hagwon

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

Dare to Love Me

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

Crash

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

Uncle Samsik

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

The 8 Show

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

Connection

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.

‘Uncle Samsik’ and other must-watch upcoming K-dramas in May 2024

A PhD research scholar, Sushmita is a full-time writer and a part time poet. Notepads are Sushmita's one true love -- the unbothered victims drowned in the ink of her pen. An avid fan of K-pop and K-dramas, she mostly writes about Korean culture and entertainment. When not writing, Sushmita is dancing, reading, collecting books, learning about fashion, art, motion pictures, and appreciating BTS.

 
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