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

Published:

Apr 29, 2024 08:00 AM

ICT

Image credit: Netflix

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.

Sushmita Mahanta

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.