Kwak Yeon-soo is a digital editor at The Korea Times creating, editing and curating digital content for the newspaper’s website, mobile app and social media. She previously covered a diverse array of cultural, political and business topics.
Upcoming K-dramas to feature strong female leads
Actress Ko Hyun-jung in a scene from JTBC's series, “Reflection of You” / Courtesy of JTBC
By Kwak Yeon-soo
By Kwak Yeon-soo
As TV networks are getting better at producing series that portray female characters to be just as multifaceted as their male counterparts, the fall line-up for K-dramas are poised to tell stories revealing the complexity and nuance of a diverse range of women.
Ko Hyun-jung is returning to the small screen with JTBC's “Reflection of You,” which will start airing Oct. 13. In the 16-part series, Ko portrays Hee-joo who grew up poor but became a successful painter and essayist. Despite her success, Hee-joo feels oddly empty and lonely until she meets Hae-won, a young woman that reminds her of her youthful self.
Ko, known for playing ambitious and charismatic characters, was last seen in 2019 drama “My Lawyer, Mr. Joe 2: Crime and Punishment.”
Jun Ji-hyun, whose Netflix series “Kingdom: Ashin of the North” released in July, will next be seen in tvN's upcoming drama “Jirisan” that will premiere on Oct. 23.
Created by “Kingdom” scriptwriter Kim Eun-hee and directed by Lee Eung-bok, it depicts the story of rangers of the Jirisan National Park who climb through the mysterious and unexplored regions of the mountain, trying to rescue lost trekkers.
Actress Lee Young-ae in a scene from JTBC's series, “Inspector Koo” / Courtesy of JTBC
Lee Young-ae returns to the small screen after a four-year absence now appearing in historical romance drama “Saimdang, Memoir of Colors” (2017). Her new JTBC drama “Inspector Koo” is a comedy-mystery that follows the story of a policewoman turned private detective named Koo Kyung-yi, who investigates a string of serial killings.
Lee, who has played strong but graceful characters in thriller films like “Sympathy For Lady Vengeance” (2005) and “Bring Me Home” (2019), will seek an onscreen transformation. She will appear as clumsy, socially awkward but genius investigator who finds joy in uncovering unsolved mysteries rather than realizing justice.
“Koo Kyung-yi is a delusional, cartoonish character. She looks at the world from a slightly different angle and she seems kind of detached from reality. She is clearly different from the characters I've played so far, but there is a distinctive theme and undertone to the story-telling,” Lee said.
“Now, We Are Breaking Up,” which is scheduled to air in November, will mark Song Hye-kyo's return to TV drama following “Encounter” in 2018.
In the upcoming tvN series directed by Lee Gil-bok, who produced the hospital drama “Dr. Romantic 2” (2020), Song plays the role of cold-hearted designer at a fashion company. She will star opposite actor Jang Ki-yong, who appears as smart and wealthy photographer.
Lim Soo-jung, who portrayed emotionally complex and sophisticated characters in rom-coms like “Chicago Typewriter” (2017) and “Search: WWW” (2019), will appear in tvN's rom-com “Melancholia.” Set in private high school, which is a hotbed of corruption, the drama will tell a story of a free-spirited teacher and math prodigy who fall in love amid social taboos.