14 Korean Dramas We’re Excited for in 2019
We are always excited about Korean Dramas, but some of the dramas coming in 2019 have us completely fangirling. It is tough to narrow it down, but here are 14 KDramas we can’t wait to start in 2019.
Which dramas are you most looking forward to in 2019? Please share with us in the comments below.
14 KDramas We’re Excited for in 2019
Romance Is a Bonus Book
Air Date: January 26, 2019
Starring: Lee Jong Suk, Lee Na Young, Jung Eugene, & Wi Ha Joon
Synopsis: A young copywriter(Lee Na Young) can’t get a job to save her life until one day she lands the perfect job at a publishing company…by lying. Lee Jong Suk plays a young and warm-hearted chief editor at her new company who shares a complicated past with Lee Na Young.
Why We’re Excited: Would it be too shallow if we just said Lee Jong Suk??? Since this will be his final drama before leaving for
Touch Your Heart
Air Date: February 06, 2019
Starring: Lee Dong Wook, Yoo In Na, Shin Dong Wook, & Shim Hyung Tak
Synopsis: A beautiful (but terrible) actress, Oh Yeon Soo(Yoo In Na) goes to work as a secretary at a law firm in preparation for her latest role. However, the law firm assigns her to an icy attorney(Lee Dong Wook) with
Why We’re Excited: Two words: Goblin couple. Lee Dong Wook and Yoo In Na COMPLETELY stole the show and our hearts with their adorable romance in last year’s “Goblin.” It feels like second Christmas having them reunite as leads here. We expect this drama to be brimming with chemistry and hilarity.
Legal High
Air Date: February 8, 2019
Starring: Jin Goo, Seo Eun Su, Yoon Park, & Chae Jung An
Synopsis: A warm-hearted rookie attorney(Seo Eun Su) only wants to help her clients out of their unfair situations. But she soon realizes that she is only helpful if she can also win, so she decides to team up with Lawyer Ko Tae Rim(Jin Goo) a sharp-tongued lawyer obsessed with winning.
Why We’re Excited: Admittedly, this drama did not interest us when we first heard about it. The rookie attorney plot has been done…and done…and done. But the teasers for Legal High have been so refreshingly cheeky that our interest is sparked now in the biggest way. It is can’t wait to see how Jin Goo pulls off this hilariously self-engrossed attorney with a killer glare.
Hatch
Air Date: February 11, 2019
Starring: Jung Il Woo, Kwon Yool, Go Ara, & Park Hoon
Synopsis: A low-born prince, a female investigator, a failing student, and a martial artist/clown team up to make the prince the new king of Joseon.
Why We’re Excited: Jung Il Woo’s comeback drama after military service has us pumped for several reasons. First, it is a historical drama which has historically (hehe) been Jung Il Woo’s best roles. (His longing looks and melodramatic stares were just MADE for the genre.) Second, we love that the female role(Gu Ha Ra) is as a tough lead investigator. If she could do less crying and more kicking butt and taking names, then we will be totally behind this. And finally, the story is completely intriguing: four unlikely friends who team up to take down the king? Yeah, we’re down for that.
Hot Blooded Priest
Air Date: February 15, 2019
Starring: Kim Nam Gil, Kim Sung Kyun, Lee Honey, & Keum Sae Rok
Synopsis: A Catholic priest who gets hot under the collar (hehe) teams up with a docile detective and an ambitious prosecutor to solve the murder of a senior priest.
Why We’re Excited: Kim Nam Gil is an incredibly talented actor, so we’d be on board after just hearing his name, but this story also sounds like it will be so much fun. A hot-tempered priest bent on saving his community one fist-pounding at a time? We’ll watch that.
Doctor Prisoner
Air Date: March 2019
Starring: Namgoong Min, Nara
Synopsis: A warm-hearted doctor is driven from his hospital after being wrongfully accused of causing an accident. Left on his own, he takes a job as chief of medicine at a prison clinic.
Why We’re Excited: Namgoong Min won his way into our hearts a long time ago with his mesmerizingly sadistic performance in “Remember: God of War” and hold-your-sides bromance in “Chief Kim.” So basically, we’re up for anything he takes on, but this particular drama seems to be the perfect vehicle for his acting style.
Written by Park Kye Ok(“Inspiring Generation” and “Cain and Abel”) and directed by Hwang In Hyuk of “Sunkyunkwan Scandal” fame, we expect the drama to bring the comedy AND the darkness. Which is like smooshing “God of War” and “Chief Kim” into one pot and simmering until sexy. Yes, please!
Vagabond
Air Date: May 2019
Starring: Lee Seung Gi, Bae Suzy, Shin Sung Rok, & Moon Jeong Hee
Synopsis: A stuntman survives a horrific plane crash only to uncover a national conspiracy behind it. Together with a good-hearted NIS agent, he works to expose the darkness threatening their world.
Why We’re Excited: Admittedly, we had mixed feelings about Lee Seung Gi and Suzy’s last drama together “Gu Family Book.” Parts we loved and other parts left us wanting more…especially more to the story. Which is why our fangirl selves want to blindly consider this drama Lee Seung Gi and Suzy’s missing sequel.
But more than just a chance to see our star-crossed couple reunite, we are pumped to get Shin Sung Rok back on our screens so soon after “The Last Empress.” Our adorable Sung Rok gave us emotional whiplash in his amazing performance as the evil and innocent, violent and gentle king of crazy. After that drama, we need Vagabond just to help us recover, so have him flash us those big doe eyes and we’ll be down for every episode.
(Now if only they could get Choi Jin Hyuk to cameo…)
Asadal Chronicles
Air Date: May 2019
Starring: Song Joong Ki, Kim Ji Won, Jang Dong Gun, & Kim Ok Vin
Synopsis: Based on the legends behind the founding of Korea, Asadal Chronicles follows the story of three fateful souls. The first(Song Joong Ki) was born under a star bearing the fate of disaster and only survives due to the bravery of his mother. The second(Kim Ji Won), born under the same star, is the heir to her tribe but desires to gain more power. The last(Jang Dong Gun) is an influential war hero with the will to become king.
Why We’re Excited: Second to none, Asadal Chronicles is the most anticipated drama of 2019. Intended to blend myth with ancient history, the story promises to be unlike anything ever attempted in Korean Dramas before. Add on to that a star-packed cast and a massive budget and this drama is primed to blow our minds — or at least that is what everyone says
But even without the excessive hype, we are optimistic it will be a highlight in 2019 for several reasons. First, Song Joong Ki and Kim Ji Won have already shown themselves to work well with their roles in “Descendants of the Sun,” so we know the main couple will have great chemistry. Second, the director has delivered hit after hit with dramas such as “Sunkyunkwan Scandal” “Misaeng” “My Ahjussi” & “Signal.” And lastly, the writing team is the genius behind the historical epics “Six Flying Dragons” and “Tree With Deep Roots.” Combined, this cast with this director and this writer, “Asadal Chronicles” may just pull off the epic it claims to be.
Mung Bean Flower
Air Date: First Half 2019
Starring: Jo Jung Suk, Yoon Shi Yoon, & Han Ye Ri
Synopsis: Two half-brothers fight on opposite sides during the Donghak Peasant Rebellion of 1894-1895.
Why We’re Excited: This drama promises to be all about the bromance, so we could not be more excited to see Jo Jung Suk take on his first historical drama alongside veteran Yoon Shi Yoon. Through the years these guys have consistently created playful and meaningful bromances with their co-stars, so we are sure this time won’t be any different. Although, considering the story, we are planning to stock up on tissues beforehand.
Eulachacha Waikiki Season 2
Air Date: The First Half of 2019
Starring: Kim Ye Won, Lee Yi Kyung, Kim Sun Ho, & Shin Hyun Soo
Synopsis: When the infamous Waikiki guest house is threatened by bankruptcy Lee Joon Ki(Lee Yi Kyung) talks he old school friends into rescuing it.
Why We’re Excited: Agreed by fans to be the funniest Korean Drama of all time, Eulachacha Waikiki has to also be one of the most relatable dramas of all time. Watching this makeshift family laugh, cry and grow together just like the rest of us is the perfect pick-me-up for any day.
Although we sadly won’t be seeing most of the cast return for this season, the original director and writer are coming back so we’re hopeful for the same shenanigans and good feels again.
Abyss
Air Date: The First Half 2019
Starring: Park Bo Young
Synopsis: After eating a magical bread a beautiful prosecutor is turned into an average looking woman and an ugly guy gets turned into a hunk. The prosecutor then goes on the hunt to figure out what happened to them.
Why We’re Excited: Our favorite Park Bo Young dramas and movies have all been fantasy (Oh My
Miss Granny Remake
Air Date: 2019
Starring: TBD
Synopsis: A discouraged grandmother gets magically turned back into her younger self — while still living her present life.
Why We’re Excited: The original Miss Granny (the movie) was a deliciously irreverent comedy starring Shim Eun Kyung as a reborn grandma. Among many things, we loved watching this granny adapt to her new self so imperfectly. For example, how her speech didn’t match her new age or when she would make everyone uncomfortable with her unfiltered comments, grandma-style. But more than just a comedy, it was also a story with a lot of heart and a compelling message of hope and love.
The early rumors for this remake said that Shim Eun Kyung is considering reprising her role, which would just be the icing on this cake.
My Country
Air Date: Second Half 2019
Starring: Yang Se Jong, Woo Do Hwan
Synopsis: Set in the late
Why We’re Excited: It is difficult for us to not turn into blabbering fangirls over this drama. First, how are we so lucky as to have both Yang Se Jong AND Woo Do Hwan in the same drama? Did the stars align in the dramaland heavens and we didn’t notice?
Second, Yang Se Jong as a Goryeo warrior?? Oh, yes, and YES. Just please, please, please dramaland, let him have a mane of glory. It’s all we ask.
Prometheus
Air Date: Sometime in 2019 (hopefully)
Starring: TBD
Synopsis: When a group of North Korean nuclear scientists mysteriously go missing, a race breaks out across the world to find them first. For their team, South Korea calls on skilled NIS elite agent Cha Eun Seo to lead. She builds a team with the former ambassador from the North Korean Embassy in Moscow and a mysterious young hacker.
Why We’re Excited: Although we were disappointed that Ha Ji Won and Jin Goo decided to drop out, we are still pumped for the story of “Prometheus.” Dramaland always needs more strong female roles who can kick butt and take names. They are the kind of heroines that Ha Ji Won is legendary for (think Empress Ki and King2Hearts,) so here’s hoping they can find another actress with the same charisma. If they can, then this could easily be the
Which dramas are you most looking forward to in 2019? Please share with us in the comments below.
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Drama Unni
Drama Unni is a Korean Entertainment Journalist and blogger based out of the US. She enjoys late night kdrama binges with her two dogs. Email: unni@dramacurrent.com
