Netflix original series Sweet Home is enjoying unprecedented global popularity as it enraptures with its intriguing story about humans transforming into savage monsters. The show boasts a solid cast lineup in addition to the interesting premise, but the younger rising stars are receiving special attention. Learn more about these talented actors whose careers are taking off below!

After making his acting debut in 2017, Song Kang had a breakout role through Love Alarm. The romance series was especially popular amongst young audiences, earning the actor scores of young fans worldwide. Those familiar with his model character from Love Alarm might have been skeptical about him being able to act as a dark introvert in Sweet Home, but the actor successfully pulled off the duality of his reclusive character. Exposed to a wider audience through Sweet Home, Song Kang has risen to another level of stardom. You can look forward to seeing more of him in the second season of Love Alarm as well as an upcoming drama where he portrays a ballet dancer.

Lee Do-hyun also made his acting debut in 2017, through Prison Playbook. Following supporting roles in Still 17 and Clean with Passion for Now, the actor gained popularity through his beloved character in Hotel Del Luna. He also impressed viewers with his acting in 18 Again, which was his first lead role. In Sweet Home, Lee Do-hyun portrays a cold and rational character, quite a transformation from his previous roles. Lee Do-hyun’s the real deal and he is continuing to blossom as a skilled actor. While acting as Ko Min-si’s caring older brother in Sweet Home, the co-stars will be reuniting as lovers in the upcoming romance series Youth of May. 

Ko Min-si started acting in 2016, and made appearances in various dramas such as Welcome to Waikiki and Live. She received more attention through her character in Love Alarm. While her Love Alarm character had one-sided feelings for Song Kang’s character, their relationship in Sweet Home is quite different. Following Love Alarm, she won a Best New Actress award from the 2019 SBS Drama Awards for her acting in Secret Boutique. Receiving a lot of love through Sweet Home, 2021 is also looking very bright for Ko Min-si. In addition to Youth of May, she’ll be acting in Jirisan. 

Park Kyu-young is known for being very smart and talented, having recently graduated from the prestigious Yonsei University. She also has great range as evidenced by her very different characters from her last five dramas: Sweet Home, It's Okay to Not Be Okay, The Nokdu Flower, Romance Is a Bonus Book, and The Third Charm. Her bass player character Yoon Ji-su and her relationship with her neighbor Jung Jae-heon (Kim Nam-hee) in Sweet Home are nice characterizations that stand out amidst the monster mayhem. Can’t wait to see what’s next from Park Kyu-young!

Born in 1996, Go Youn-jung is the youngest actor on this list. She started out as a model before making her acting debut through He Is Psychometric. Her character dealt with social stigma after getting pregnant in high school. Go Youn-jung also made a brief appearance in The School Nurse Files as a high school student. Despite having a smaller role in Sweet Home, her character makes an impact and the actress is receiving a lot of love. While she still needs to rack up more acting experience, it’s clear that she’s already a star

Kim Sung-cheol made his debut as a musical actor in 2014. He then made his TV debut through Prison Playbook and received a lot of love for his fun character. He has since acted in various musicals, films, and dramas such as The Wind Blows and Arthdal Chronicles. While his character makes a later appearance in Sweet Home, his cameo impressed many viewers and left them curious about the actor. Having such a diverse portfolio, it’s clear Kim Sung-cheol is quite talented. Of course, he also has a great singing voice!

Which of these young rising stars have you noticed? Be sure to check them out in Sweet Home, only on Netflix!

New romance series A Love So Beautiful tells the first-love story of a girl who has held a 17 year-long crush on her next-door neighbour. The drama revolves around the couple and their friends as they navigate their lives, from high school to university up through adulthood. Director Seo Minjeong, actors Kim Yo-han, So Joo-yeon, and Yeo Hoi-hyun discussed the series at a press conference to share some interesting stories. See some reasons why you should check out the show below.

A Love So Beautiful marks Kim Yo-han’s acting debut, but he has already amassed popularity through appearing on survival reality show Produce X 101 and debuting as a K-pop singer through groups X1 and WEi. The director praised him saying, “Kim Yo-han is very smart and he was able to portray Cha Heon well.” So Joo-yeon started out as a model and made her acting debut in 2018. She became a cute scenestealer in Dr. Romantic S2 and is currently also appearing in Lovestruck in the City. 2020 is certainly her breakthrough year, and we’ll definitely be seeing more of her. Yeo Hoi-hyun debuted in 2014 through Pinocchio and has appeared in many different shows receiving attention for his good looks and cute charm. A Love So Beautiful may be his breakout series as he portrays a swoon-worthy second lead.

The drama begins in 2006 when the main characters are high school students. So Joo-yeon’s character Shin Sol-i is bubbly and very vocal about her feelings for Kim Yo-han’s character Cha Heon. So Joo-yeon shared, “My friend’s cousin actually really wanted me to do this role and said I would be well-suited for it.” The actress embodies the character’s earnestness and adorableness as she professes her love for her long-time crush. While Cha Heon is a bit cold and aloof, Kim Yo-han revealed he’s the opposite of Cha Heon. However, a bit of Kim Yo-han’s real personality comes out when Cha Heon shows his warmer side. Yeo Hoi-hyun’s character Woo Dae-sung is very optimistic and warm despite having his own pain. 

A Love So Beautiful is a remake of the popular Chinese drama of the same name. There will be some fun differences between the original series though. Director Seo Minjeong revealed that she wanted to focus on relatability and added epilogues that show more insight into the characters’ feelings. There’s an idol trainee character who sings often, so you’ll also hear some familiar songs from the past. The director also said, “Dae-sung is such a cool character with pure-hearted love in the original drama, so I wanted to provide a gift for his character at the end. Please watch until the end to see his gift.” While the familiar story will strike a chord with viewers, there will be some entertaining differences to look forward to.

So Joo-yeon and Yeo Hoi-hyun have actually acted together previously through the series I Hate Going to Work. As for A Love So Beautiful, Yeo Hoi-hyun shared, “So Joo-yeon always made an effort for us to talk whenever we met.” He also praised her leadership skills in leading the group. The actors also mentioned Jeong Jin-hwan and Jo Hye-joo who round out the group of 5 friends in the drama. So Joo-yeon talked about how the best scenes are when the five characters are together as they have a lot of scenes together and there are many fun moments between the friends. We’ll be able to see how the friends grow as they exit high school and enter adulthood. You’ll definitely be reminded of some friends from your own squad!

A Love So Beautiful features youthful and pure love stories between the characters which will make us reminisce about our first loves and our younger school years. Yeo Hoi-hyun shared that he was reminded of when he experienced “one-side love for three years as a student.” If you can’t relate to the love stories, you’ll still be transported back in time when you hung out with friends at school. So Joo-yeon said she remembered “spending time with my friends and liking idols like BIGBANG” and more. As Yeo Hoi-hyun said, “Please watch and experience some healing as you look back on your past memories.”

Don’t miss out on A Love So Beautiful at 6PM MYT, with new episodes every Monday, Thursday, and Saturday.

Photo by Kakao, Courtesy of Netflix

2020 was a rough year for everyone, but it was a year full of amazing K-dramas that made us laugh, cry, and hope for a better future. From super romantic stories about a crash landing to a heartwarming friendship between doctors, there was something for everyone. Let’s take a look back on all of the wonderful K-dramas that brightened up 2020.

Hot Stove League might have flown under your radar, but you don’t need to be a baseball fan to appreciate the story. The Dreams are a professional baseball team who have been last place in the league for several seasons. New general manager Baek Seung-soo (Namkoong Min) steps in to transform them despite having zero experience managing a baseball team. While the heartwarming underdog premise might sound familiar, the intriguing character of Baek Seung-soo prevents it from being typical. Furthermore, the show won Best Drama at the 65th Baeksang Arts Awards!

Crash Landing on You was a spectacularly addictive tale of love and friendship across the two Koreas. The border-defying romance between Yun Se-ri (Son Ye-jin) and Ri Jeong-hyeok (Hyun Bin) provided us with the perfect escape from reality. Both heartbreaking and hilarious, it provides everything you want from a drama. Full of incredible chemistry and funny characters, this is the stuff that can change a non-K-drama fan’s mind. In addition, it provided some insight into what life in the closed-off nation might look like. 

Popular series Dr. Romantic returned for its second season and it didn’t disappoint! The return of Teacher Kim (Han Seok-kyu) and familiar faces at Doldam Hospital brought more interesting medical stories. This time around, Teacher Kim mentors Seo U-jin (Ahn Hyo-seop) and Cha Eun-jae (Lee Sung-kyoung), helping them with their struggles and building their skills. Dr. Romantic S2 brought back some nice nostalgia as well as some romance amidst the touching stories.

Itaewon Class was the underdog revenge story of the year. You couldn’t help but root for Park Saeroyi (Park Seo-jun) who was terribly wronged by the father and son of food corporation Jangga Group. Park Saeroyi steadfastly sticks to his plans of beating them with his own restaurant and company. Plus, Itaewon Class also had the most diverse cast of the year. Touching upon some prejudices not often discussed in K-dramas, the story had a whole lot of heart as you cheer on Park Saeroyi and his DanBam family.

Hyena pits two rival lawyers against each other who also have very intense chemistry. Jung Geum-ja (Kim Hye-soo) is a street-savvy lawyer with many tricks up her sleeve while Yoon Hee-jae (Ju Ji-hoon) is a hotshot lawyer from a family of judges and prosecutors. They’re a bit morally gray as they defend their wealthy clients. These main characters are refreshingly different from stereotypical “perfect” or “genius” characters we often see in K-dramaland. Flawed yet likeable, these lawyers do pursue the truth, justice, and love.

Hospital Playlist was the feel-good drama surrounding five doctor friends we sorely needed. Full of comedy, stories about their lives within and outside the hospital they all work in were heartwarming and entertaining. The strong bond of friendship is apparent as we see the group in the past and present. Its messages about life and love gave off a lovely therapeutic effect. With a nostalgic OST to boot, it was a delightful opportunity to hear some of the talented actors sing. Can’t wait for more camaraderie and fun from the upcoming second season!

The first season of historical zombie series Kingdom was so epic, stunning, and satisfying. And it got even better with the second season! All of the action comes to a head as Crown Prince Lee Chang (Ju Ji-hoon) faces his opponents and the ever-growing hordes of zombies. Full of thrills, gore, and twists, this season was scintillating from beginning to end. The show also made The New York Times’ Best TV Shows of 2020 list! Can’t wait for more and definitely excited for Kingdom: Ashin of the North.

Depicting complex tales of love and betrayal, The World of the Married became the highest-rated drama in Korean cable television history and generated much buzz. The twisted story shows the seemingly perfect marriage between doctor Ji Seon-u (Kim Hee-ae) and filmmaker Lee Tae-o (Park Hae-joon) fall apart as Seon-u discovers Tae-o’s extramarital affair. While the engrossing series focuses on infidelity and revenge, it’s also a psychological thriller. You can’t tear your eyes away from the characters’ lives spiralling out of control. Furthermore, The World of the Married won Best Director and Best Actress at the 56th Baeksang Arts Awards.

The King: Eternal Monarch marked the grand return of popular actor Lee Min-ho who stars as Emperor Lee Gon of the Kingdom of Corea. Featuring a love story that crosses parallel worlds, this show provided a welcome escape from our real world. Lee Gon seeks to prevent havoc from occuring in the parallel worlds and confronts his sinister uncle. With dreamy cinematography and interesting dual characters, The King: Eternal Monarch was an entertaining watch enjoyed by many fans.

Extracurricular made an impactful premiere with its dark yet unusual tale of a high school student running an illegal business. Forget all of the high school dramas you have seen thus far, Extracurricular tackles taboo topics and touches upon various social issues. Main characters including Oh Ji-soo (Kim Dong-hee) and Park Gyu-ri (Park Ju-hyun) choose a path of crime and face the harsh consequences. While breaking free of typical high school drama expectations, the show captivates and leaves you with many thoughts.

It's Okay to Not Be Okay is the only other K-drama to make The New York Times’ Best TV Shows of 2020 list (in addition to Kingdom). This series expertly crafted a moving romance while addressing mental health in a beautiful dark fairy tale-esque journey. Kim Soo-hyun, Seo Yea-ji, and Oh Jung-se each portray their magnetizing characters dealing with deep-rooted trauma and growing from it. While relaying the message that it’s really okay to not be okay, the show gives us fun and romance to enjoy as well.

Stranger S2 brought back righteous duo Prosecutor Hwang Si-mok (Cho Seung-woo) and Senior Police Inspector Han Yeo-jin (Bae Doo-na). This time around, the pair deal with some changes and find themselves at opposite ends as the prosecution and the police butt heads. Despite the fight over investigative authority, our main characters continue to confront injustice and corruption. Stranger S2 successfully weaves a complex storyline that is well-written and well-acted. 

The School Nurse Files is a delightfully quirky series about school nurse Ahn Eun-young (Jung Yu-mi) and the curious world of jellies she is privy to. She’s joined by teacher Hong In-pyo (Nam Joo-hyuk) as they try to protect students from harmful jellies. Ahn Eun-young is an eccentric and reluctant hero who fights jellies with unconventional tools, but the coming-of-age story is familiarly heartwarming. Definitely, a creative show that will show you something you’ve never seen before and leave you with a smile on your face. 

Record of Youth depicted the lives of model turned actors Sa Hye-jun (Park Bo-gum), Won Hae-hyo (Byeon Woo-seok), and makeup artist An Jeong-ha (Park So-dam). They’re young, hopeful, and go through many trials as they pursue love and their dreams. It offers a relatable look at what youths struggle with today from family conflict to mistreatment at the workplace. Record of Youth feels homey and delivers heartwarming messages that comfort. 

Catch all of these amazing K-dramas and more, on Netflix!

Image Courtesy of Netflix

Spend the jolliest time of the year by bonding with your family over these 7 shows on Viu for FREE this December!

This festive season, Viu has prepared something special to bring warmth and smiles to all Singaporeans. Enjoy the best of Asian dramas and variety shows, from highly anticipated titles like True Beauty and Mr. Queen to past fan favourites, such as Goblin and My Love from the Star.

True Beauty – one of the most anticipated webtoon adaptations this year, this lighthearted romantic comedy tells the story of a popular and beautiful high school student Lim Ju Gyeong (Moon Ga Young). Watch as she meets Lee Soo Ho (Cha Eun Woo), a charismatic boy with emotional wounds from his dark past. As they exchange secrets and fall in love with each other, can Soo Ho help Ju Gyeong overcome her insecurities and embrace her natural self? Be prepared for a case of the second lead syndrome as Ju Gyeong becomes acquainted with the handsome but tough-looking Han Seo Jun (Hwang In Yeop)! 

What happens when a man from the modern age finds himself waking up in the body of Queen Cheorin (Shin Hye Sun), in the Joseon dynasty? Queen Cheorin is married to King Cheoljong (Kim Jung Hyun), a figurehead who appears nonchalant but is in fact only hiding his true feelings in order to avoid conflict. Brace yourself for plenty of belly-aching laughter as you join Queen Cheorin in her unlikely shenanigans. How will her dynamics with King Cheoljong play out as she gets thrown into unexpected situations?

When the Weather Is Fine is a story about forgiveness, healing, and love taking place around a small bookstore in the countryside. Cellist Hae Won (Park Min Young) is an ordinary woman with good character who has closed the door to love after a few unhappy experiences. Feeling jaded about her life in Seoul, she decides to move back to her hometown – Bookhyun Village, where she meets Im Eun Seob (Seo Kang Joon) who runs a bookshop named "Goodnight Bookstore“. Little by little, the two find warmth in each other amidst the coldness of winter. Will the pair fall in love in the idyllic South Korean countryside?

Is it better to live forever or finally be able to die? A decorated military general during the Goryeo Dynasty who was cursed to remain immortal, a goblin (Gong Yoo) is condemned to a lonely existence. He longs to meet his prophesied bride who can set his soul free. Soon, he becomes accidental roommates with a grim reaper (Lee Dong Wook) and meets Ji Eun Tak (Kim Go Eun), a high school student who is able to communicate with the dead. This holiday season, relive the romance, comedy and the adorable bromance between Gong Yoo and Lee Dong Wook in this fantasy drama – Goblin! 

My Love From the Star follows the romance between an alien and the biggest Hallyu star in Korea. Do Min Joon (Kim Soo Hyun), who landed on Earth 400 years ago during the Joseon Dynasty, possesses a near-perfect appearance and enhanced physical abilities. Holding a cynical view of human beings, he meets Cheon Song Yi (Jun Ji Hyun), a spunky, blunt and seemingly self-absorbed actress struggling with her career. Finding himself slowly entangled in Song Yi's crazy and unpredictable situations, Min Joon and Song Yi eventually fall in love. Be swept of your feet in one of the all-time best-loved Kdramas that also features beautiful wintry landscapes – just what we need to satisfy our wanderlust.

Based on a webtoon, Secret Zoo follows Kang Tae Soo (Ahn Jae Hong), a junior lawyer who is tasked to revitalise a failing zoo. Seeing this as a chance to make a name for himself in the company, Tae Soo is eager to prove his worth. The problem? The zoo does not actually have any animals, and he has only three months to turn its fortune around. With the zookeepers' help, he comes up with an unorthodox idea: to have the zookeepers dress up as animals and put on a show for guests. When a video of him drinking Coca-Cola while wearing a polar bear suit goes viral, the zoo’s popularity instantly skyrocketed. But how long can Tae Soo and the zookeepers maintain this charade? Let the goofy zookeepers lift your spirits in this feel-good holiday movie!

Mi Young (Uhm Jung Hwa) makes and sells twisted breadsticks while her husband Seok Hwan (Park Sung Woong) works as a computer repairman. One day, Seok Hwan wins an all-expenses-paid trip to Hawaii and the couple excitedly embarks on their first-ever overseas trip together. However, things take a turn for the worse when they find themselves sharing the same flight with terrorists and secret agents, during which they are taken hostages with the other passengers on the hijacked plane. Get ready for plenty of laughter in Okay! Madam as Mi Young and Seok Hwan save the day in the most unexpected way possible!

1) It's Okay to Not Be Okay

A fox never forgets its soulmate! A male nine-tailed fox, Lee Yeon (Lee Dong-Wook), has lived hundred of years while waiting for the woman he loved. Nam Ji-ah (Jo Bo-ah) is the PD of supernatural documentaries. Watch how fate and destiny bring Lee Yeon to his soulmate once again!

Check out our exclusive interview with the cast here!

New romance drama Lovestruck in the City depicts the real love stories of young people who love fiercely in the city. Starring Ji Chang-wook, Kim Ji-won, Kim Min-seok, So Joo-yeon, Han Ji-eun, and Ryu Gyeong-soo as three separate couples with different dynamics, the main cast and director discussed the series at a press conference today. Find out why you’ll fall in love with Lovestruck in the City below!

The series is directed by Park Shin-woo of It's Okay to Not Be Okay and Don't Dare to Dream fame. It’s also written by Jung Hyun-jung who wrote Romance Is a Bonus Book. The main cast is full of popular actors and up-and-coming actors as well. Kim Ji-won and Han Ji-eun both mentioned the director and writer as being the main reason for choosing their roles. Park Shin-woo had praise for each actor and mentioned, “So Joo-yeon is an especially interesting actor. I’m very curious about her future. She’s very lovable.” He also revealed that he chose Ryu Gyeong-soo through an audition after only a minute or two. There’s much to look forward to with such a solid team!

Lovestruck in the City offers a shorter runtime compared to some other series with 30 minutes per episode. While the episodes are shorter, you can be assured that they won’t be skimping on the story. Director Park Shin-woo said, “Although the run time is shorter, I didn’t feel like it was that different.” Kim Ji-won shared, “Since it’s a shorter drama, I felt like it was more addictive.” She also talked about how time flew by so quickly when she was reading the fun script. You can expect a highly addictive and easy to watch series.

Kim Min-seok spoke about a unique aspect of Lovestruck in the City and divulged, “There are interviews in the drama so it feels almost like a docu-drama. It was really fun and unconventional. I think our drama is very unique.” Park Shin-woo also shared that he took a different approach to direct this series and talked about trying to be more like a variety show director at times. Through individual interviews, viewers will be able to see how everyone has different perspectives and opinions.

With the premise of the story centring on young people in the city experiencing love, the series aims to be relatable and realistic. Director Park Shin-woo shared, “I hope that viewers can see their relationships, past or present, in the three relationships. I think they’ll be able to find a similar boyfriend amongst these characters as well as themselves amongst the characters.” So Joo-yeon also added, “There were a lot of scenes that were similar to real-life dating, so I could relate while filming with Min-seok.” While the six main characters are all different, you’ll definitely be able to discover relatable aspects.

Park Shin-woo revealed, “Ji Chang-wook and Kim Ji-won are really close. ” Then Ji Chang-wook shared, “From the moment we met, I felt that Kim Ji-won was reliable.” So Joo-yeon also talked about how she and Kim Min-seok called each other often in order to get close and pull off portraying their long-term relationship. In addition to couple chemistry, we can look forward to some chemistry between Ji Chang-wook and Kim Min-seok whose characters are cousins. Kim Min-seok said, “Ji Chang-wook and I are close in real life, so it was easier to show our bro chemistry.” There will be overflowing chemistry all around!

Don’t miss out when Lovestruck in the City premieres today at 6PM MYT, with new episodes every Tuesday and Friday, only on Netflix!